Did you know that according to a recent survey, 82% of the nation’s moms never skipping brushing their teeth every night?  If fact, moms have even prioritized it over washing their faces before bed or removing their make-up.  I know I always brush even if I don’t wash off my face (Which is absolutely horrible to skip! I know, I know.)  It just goes to show, even when moms are their busiest they make oral hygiene a high priority.

We need to, don’t we?  After all, we spend valuable time each day training our children to brush properly when they are little and reminding them to when they are older.  Children practice what they see so we have to be shining examples of what good oral health looks like.  Not to mention the fact that no one wants the expenses and headaches (literally) of dentist procedures that could have avoided if proper care had been given to our mouths.

I try to make it as enjoyable as possible for my children to brush their teeth.  Here are a few simple ways I try to make brushing fun for my kids.

• – Making it a routine helps tremendously.  They know what to expect because we do the same thing every single day.
• – I also let my daughter pick out which toothbrush she wants and we make a big deal of brushing with that fun toothbrush.  Hello Kitty is the brush of choice right now and it flashes for the length of time she should brush.  Usually, I avoid character stamped e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g but toothbrushes are one of the few areas where I embrace cartoons.
• – We also make trips to the visit seem as big as going to the zoo.  It’s a huge deal in my 4 year old’s mind and I’ll keep it that way for as long as possible.  After all, not having cavities IS an achievement that she earned herself (with a little of her parent’s help).  It probably helps that our dentist gives out stickers and a toy for not having a cavity.

Recently, I was given a set by Reach to review and my daughter was very excited to check it out herself.  It’s similar to her Hello Kitty mouthwash that Reach also makes.

The new Reach Complete Care Rinse offers 8-in-1 benefits as well as another reason to make moms smile brighter – less counter clutter.  Yea, that’s a huge one in my book!  The rinse tastes minty but isn’t overpowering, it’s designed to target problem areas in the mouth, and it makes sure the bathroom counter stays neat and tidy.

It has a built in storage space for a cup AND a toothbrush holder.  It’s quite a clever little product if you ask me.  Good job, Reach!  Plus, it’s attractive enough to leave on the counter to remind sleepy mamas to use mouthwash daily too.  It’s great!

The Reach also has a new Curve toothbrush which boasts of a 13° triple angled neck and triple angled bristles to maximize contact with each tooth, clean between teeth, and clean around the gum line.  The brush fit comfortably in my hand and the angle made it easy to reach those hard to reach places.  I’ll definitely be buying this brush  the next time I’m due for a new one.

Visit Reach.com for more info or stop by and check our Reach’s new products the next time you’re out at Walgreens.

Quite a while ago I promised to do a teeth whitening review for you and time quickly got away from me.  Here I am, today, prepared to give you the ins and outs of the teeth whitening system called Smile Brilliant.

While Smile Brilliant gave me this system to review and I found making the Smile Brilliant molds to be fun I was hesitant to start the whitening process.  Why?  Because I’m frugal.  Don’t get me wrong the Smile Brilliant gel isn’t that expensive…it’s quite affordable actually, but the directions say that you can use the trays for 20 minutes to 3 hours.  Being the frugal, money-stretching mama that I am I wanted the best bang for my buck which is of course 3 hours.  However, finding a 3 hour gap in my day without kids there and without me eating was tough.  Impossible even.  Days came and went as my trays just sat there begging to be used that is until, one Sunday when nap times aligned and the angels sang.

My husband and I were eager to give these a try.  We read the directions {yes, we are both rule followers} and we were off.

After a quick brushing and flossing we applied a small line of desensitizing gel around the front of each tray.  Put in place and wait 20 minutes.  Easy peasy!

I couldn’t believe how well they fit.  I know they were made for my mouth and all but they were actually comfortable!  My husband isn’t in pain, he just hates having his picture taken. {Sorry, Honey!}

Can you tell we are wearing them in our pictures?  I could hardly notice them on my husband.  Which brings me to my favorite part of the review!!

My daughter woke up a little early from her nap while I was still wearing my trays.  I thought she would notice them right away because she is hyper-observant but she didn’t.  It was over a half an hour before she noticed them and even then she wasn’t bothered by them.  With whitening trays and strips I’ve tried in the past I’ve always had to use them without kids around because kids ALWAYS talk and ask questions {Other kids do this too, right?  It’s not just mine?}.  With these in I was able to carry on conversations without a problem.

This is huge, folks!  

You could wear these to run errands, to the office, to a play date, anywhere!  Do it for 20 minutes or 3 hours and your life will go on and you’ll be on your way to a brighter and whiter smile!

Okay, I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let’s go back to our process.  Next, came the whitening gel.

I was a little caught off guard from the sensitivity I felt when I put the teeth whitening gel on {I mean, I just used the desensitizing gel, right?} but it only felt sensitive for maybe a minute and then it subsided never to return.  My husband said he felt the same sensitivity but wouldn’t complain about it because he has never been able to use a teeth whitener without his teeth hurting for days.  All he experienced was that brief sensitivity and then nothing.  I’m very impressed by that.

Do my teeth look whiter?  I think they are noticeably whiter after just one use!  I only used the trays for about two and a half hours before I gave in and had to eat a snack.  I can’t stress enough how simple this process was.  I regret not trying it sooner and I hope that if you’re looking for something to whiten your teeth that you’ll give it a try.  In my opinion, as far as at home teeth whitening goes, Smile Brilliant is the best of the best!  Now if only they could make an at home teeth straightening kit.  A girl can dream!

A smile can light up a room.

Mother Theresa said, “Every time you smile at someone, it is an action of love, a gift to that person, a beautiful thing.”

A smile is one of the things many people say is the first thing they noticed about their spouse.

Janet Lane was quoted to have said, “Of all the things you wear, your expression is the most important.”

Chris Hart said, “All the statistics in the world can’t measure the warmth of a smile.”

Bottom line, your smile is important!

Do you love your smile?  I can’t honestly tell you that I love mine.  My teeth are crooked, not enough to need metal braces but enough to bother me.  Not to mention they’re not the loveliest shade of white.

I’ve tried at home whiteners before and I liked them but the subtle change was, well, subtle.  I’ve always coveted a dentist whitening with a big enough boost that I could see the difference.  My dreams of having straight teeth will still live on but I’m excited to have found an affordable at home solution to my teeth whitening dilemma.  Smile Brilliant came to my rescue with a promise to whiten my teeth.  I have my fingers crossed and I’m going to share my experience with you as I go!  Oh, and I talked my husband into trying this too.

Here’s the kit that includes instructions, desensitizing get, whitening get, and pastes to combine to make a mold.  I’m going to have a mold that fits my teeth perfectly!  No slipping or sliding with these!

Here is an up close look at the pastes.  They sent me enough so that I would have an extra in case I made a mistake.  How did they know I usually mess up the first time I try anything new?

The instructions they include are very detailed which I love and they also include pictures.  It’s rare that a company has good directions on anything so I have to point out that theirs left nothing to be desired.

Forming the molds was a piece of cake.

Look at those crooked teeth!  Sigh.  So now all I have to do is drop these in the prepaid envelopes and wait for my whitening trays to come back to me.  They should arrive in around a week I believe.  I’ll keep you updated!

Is an affordable, at-home, dentist grade whitener something that you would enjoy?  If so, we might be able to arrange a giveaway.  Let me know!