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The kids have barely finished consuming their Halloween candy and the holiday treats are starting to appear. Fudge and breads from grandma, along with a plate of cookies are on the way; Dave is baking his famous pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving (along with a world famous Cherry Tea Cake!) and will soon start baking in earnest (chocolate chip cookies, chocolate peanut butter cookies, buckeye balls and more) for the holidays. This time of year always means a lot of sweets!
Not to be a bummer, but while eating sweets may seem like harmless fun, pediatric oral disease is the #1 chronic childhood illness. I’m not saying don’t eat the sweets, but I do think it’s important we take care of our mouths and set a good example so that our kids will too!
Using great products like LISTERINE® SmartRinse® , Listerine Total Care Zero, and Listerine Cool Mint Mouth Rinse, along with REACH toothbrushes and dental floss, Dave, the kids and I have committed to participating in a 3-week LISTERINE® “Oral Care Challenge.”
It’s great timing. Dave and I have dentist appointments December 8. 🙁
It’s more than just sweets and candy that affect teeth. Milk, soda, and fruit juice can also be cavity culprits. And, no matter how great we brush and floss, it’s pretty gross to realize that brushing alone misses the germs in 75% of your mouth! Adding a therapeutic mouthwash to your daily routine of brushing and flossing is an essential step in keeping your mouth healthy and protected.
Kids don’t just pick up these habits on their own – and they won’t do it because you tell them to. It’s when they see mom and dad flossing, brushing, and rinsing that they incorporate it as a lifelong habit, too.
To complete the challenge, we have to brush, floss and rinse every day, twice a day for three weeks—long enough to form a habit of strong oral care. We’ll update you in a few weeks to let you know how it goes.
Listerine graciously provided toothbrushes, floss, and an assortment of therapeutic mouth rinses for our family’s participation in the challenge.
This is a good lesson for me. I keep giving in when my kids ask for juice/milk at night after they brush and I know I shouldn’t. I need to stop that despite the tears I get from not giving in. I lived on military bases for my whole upbringing and the fluoride was intense so I have only one small cavity. Never another problem (well, teeth-wise, hahaha. Maybe the fluoride affected my brain?)