Brush teeth for at least two minutes and floss

Kids Not Brushing

When my girls were young, there were questions I asked over and over while teaching my kids hygiene. Did you brush your teeth was one that I asked more than once a day. That was after I said, “Go brush your teeth and get ready for {insert bed, school, etc}”. I never could understand why we as moms would have to ask, don’t they want to have clean teeth? I sometimes had to double up the question and ask, “If I go feel your toothbrush, it will be wet, right? They were still at an age where they didn’t think of wetting the toothbrush in case I should check.

Parents Not Brushing

One day my BFF and I were talking about how we neglected ourselves. Our showers were very quick and we were lucky get to brush our teeth 1-2 times a day! Forget floss, who the hell has time for that. OMG, we’ve become our children, only our moms aren’t calling to remind us. This was the period of time in my life when I would go to the dentist every six months and cringe that he was going to yell at me for not taking proper care of my teeth.

The Solution

Instead of telling your kids to go in and brush their teeth and waiting to ask them, go in with them. Let them see you brushing, flossing, and don’t forget swishing! My kids loved to swish the mouthwash. Sometimes it would be a game who could swish the longest or who could make bubbles if they gargled it. They couldn’t wait to brush and floss knowing the swishing was next. This was a great way for us all to get our oral hygiene back on track and to make a few memories too!

The Surprise

Did you know that brushing only kills 25% of the bacteria in your mouth? We concentrate on taking care of our teeth but not our entire mouth. Research shows that antimicrobial Listerine mouthwash completely kills oral bacteria within 10 to 30 seconds. Our mouths are gathering germs all the time all day long. Listerine fights germs for 12 hours so we should swish at least twice per day.

Facts

The World Health Organization estimates 3 out of 4 Americans have some form of the bacterial infection, with 15%-20% worldwide developing the severe version of the disease.

•  75% Of Americans Have Gum Disease. Only 3% Are Treated For It.

How many Listerine products can you name?

I knew two- mouthwash and the oral care strips that I used for those bad breath moments. I didn’t realize this was a way to take care of my mouth on the go! Listerine has products for the entire family, whether your priority is teeth whitening or ensuring that your child’s teeth are protected from cavities! Here are more that you may or may not know and you can grab at Walgreens:

• Dental Floss
• Flosser
• Toothpaste
• Mouthrinse
• Oral Care Mist
• Oral Care Strips (I mentioned)
• Mouthwash (The varieties are endless and there’s sure to be one for you)

Win Win Situation!

Listerine has started a campaign to help us kick start a new healthy habit. A habit forms after 21 days so how fitting is the Listerine 21 Day Challenge! I’m super excited to be in the challenge, not only because I’m creating a great habit but I can win prizes and I got to pick my expert to get advice from. My expert is Peter Walsh an organization expert (I know, surprise surprise I need to get organized!) Join me here’s how:

1. Join
2. You will commit to rinsing morning and night for 21 days.
3. Choose an expert in fitness, nutrition or home organization and you will receive daily personalized emails with tips, video content and guidance establish good habits in your chosen area
4. Sign in daily to see if you won

Tag me when you join so we can share out tips and successes! #LISTERINE @RachelFerrucci on twitter or http://facebook.comRachelFerruccipage

I also check my expert tip of the day there. Today was this

disclosure- “I received LISTERINE^® Brand products and a Walgreens gift card from Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the LISTERINE^® 21-Day Challenge. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.”