NEW YORK — Procter & Gamble Co.’s Crest and Oral-B oral care brands announced the launch of National Gingivitis Awareness Month, with a press conference in Greeley Square Park, Manhattan, featuring "White Collar" star Tiffani Thiessen.

P&G said Thursday that Thiessen is helping Crest and Oral-B to bring attention to the early gum disease, which affects more than 50 percent of American adults.

Along with the declaration, Crest and Oral-B are helping consumers prevent and reverse gingivitis by introducing a new member to the Crest Pro-Health family, Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection. The company said the advanced formula of Clinical Gum Protection provides Crests highest level of protection against the plaque bacteria that can cause gingivitis and with regular use is clinically proven to help reverse gingivitis in just four weeks.

To educate the public on the causes and implications of gingivitis, Crest will engage in an array of activities to support National Gingivitis Awareness Month, including the partnership with Thiessen and the release of an educational video featuring Dr. Travis Stork of CBS TV’s "The Doctors." Consumers can also visit CrestProHealth.com to test their Gingivitis IQ and learn more about gingivitis and how it may affect them. Crest and Oral-B also encourage consumers to ask their dental hygienist about gingivitis at their next dental visit.

Crest also conducted meetings with Congressional representatives on Capitol Hill in August to educate them about gingivitis and generate further action and support of National Gingivitis Awareness Month. Rep. John Linder (R., Ga.), a dentist and co-chair of the Congressional Oral Health Caucus noted, "Gingivitis affects millions of Americans and should not be taken lightly. If left untreated, gingivitis can lead to other health concerns such as tooth loss. Advanced gum disease has even been linked in some research to increased risk of heart attack and stroke, and increased risk of premature birth in pregnant women. I wholeheartedly support increased awareness of gum disease and its many affects through efforts such as National Gingivitis Awareness Month."

"We developed Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection with newly balanced stabilized stannous fluoride chemistry that provides an increase in antibacterial power, resulting in our highest level of protection against plaque bacteria that cause gingivitis and helps reverse it after four weeks of regular use," stated Dr. Robert Gerlach, DDS, MPH, Research Fellow, P&G Worldwide Clinical Investigations.

The Clinical Gum Protection product line includes the products Crest Pro-Health Clinical Gum Protection Toothpaste, Oral-B Glide Pro-Health Clinical Protection Floss and the Oral-B CrossAction Pro-Health Toothbrush.

Earlier this week, P&G also announced that Oral-B is offering consumers 50% off select Premium Power toothbrushes after mail-in rebate from Sept. 1 to Oct. 31 and that the brand will donate $25,000 to Operation Smile, a worldwide children’s medical charity that provides free surgeries for children with cleft lips and cleft palates. The effort is being done in tandem with celebrity Brooke Burke, a champion of "Dancing With The Stars" and the television show’s current co-host.

Premium Power toothbrushes in the rebate include the Oral-B ProfessionalCare SmartSeries 5000 with SmartGuide and the SmartSeries 4000, and the Oral-B ProfessionalCare 3000 and 1000. Savings range from $37 to $79, depending on the original price of each toothbrush.