Until I was first pregnant I never really understood how extremely important a healthy mouth is.  I knew a clean mouth meant fresh breath and shiny teeth but I had no idea the health implications it could have!  Not only can a bad oral care routine give you bad breath, dry mouth, and gingivitis but it can increase your risk for diabetes, affect your cardiovascular health, and other health concerns.

I’ve always been a little paranoid about my breathe so I’m a faithful one to brush, floss, and rinse on a regular basis!  However, I know that kids are less self-conscious and less likely to stick to a routine of any sort without continual guidance from adults.  It takes only a few minutes of our time each day to instill in kids a good oral care routine.

I’ve partnered up with Listerine and Mom Central to take part in the Oral Care Challenge! For 3 weeks my family will be on a strict brushing, flossing, and rinsing twice a day routine.

You and your family are certainly welcome to join us in the Oral Care Challenge!  I will be posting my family’s results in a few weeks and I would love to hear your results too!

Here are some helpful tips for the challenge:

* Replace your toothbrush every three months. Sooner if the bristles are frayed or if you get sick. Keep a few extra toothbrushes, like REACH, on hand.  When you’ve mastered extreme couponing it should be no problem to gather a dozen or so free toothbrushes a year.

* Visit your dentist twice a year for professional cleanings and exams. This is an important habit to get into at an early age.

* Keep your bottle of LISTERINE^® in a visible spot to remind you to rinse. Rinsing twice a day was shown in a clinical study to help reduce 52% more plaque and 21% more gingivitis than brushing and flossing alone!

* Limit foods that are high in sugar. If you have a sweet tooth like I do try eating sugary foods with your meals. The mouth produces more saliva during meals, which helps to neutralize acid production and rinses food particles from the mouth.

* Limit between-meal snacks. We all do this, right?  Well, if you indulge try to chew sugarless gum afterward to help increase saliva and rinse away the acid that causes tooth decay.

* Maintain a healthy oral care routine. Brush and rinse twice daily and floss once.  {I still brush three times a day even though they have moved the recommended number of times down to two.  It’s hard to kick a habit that started as a child!}

So what do you think, will your family take the Oral Care Challenge with me?  For more information, check out the Oral Care Challenge website!

“I wrote this review while participating in a blog tour by Mom Central Consulting on behalf of Listerine and received product samples to facilitate my review and a promotional item to thank me for taking the time to participate.”