LISTERINE® Healthy Habits For A Lifetime Oral Care Challenge #healthyhabits ~ Update

You may remember my post a few weeks ago about the LISTERINE Healthy Habits for A Lifetime Oral Care Challenge my family and I were going to be a part of. Although we were doing many things to keep our teeth healthy, I knew there was more we could do to improve. Thankfully, LISTERINE and REACH were there to help get us on the right track.

At the beginning of this challenge, it was our goal to work with our kids on brushing and flossing twice a day (they are still too young for mouthwash), and my husband and I were going to be better about brushing, flossing and rinsing twice a day! For me, my main problem has always been keeping mouthwash a part of my daily routine. I've never liked the strong taste, which is why I was excited to try out the Listerine Total Care Zero. It is supposed to be less intense and has Zero Alcohol.

I've been using the Listerine Total Care Zero and have been very happy with how mild it is. It's not as intense and I've had no problem using it twice a day! I love that it has made my mouth and teeth feel more clean and even healthier. I'm definitely going to continue to use it.

My husband has done great with his goal of flossing and rinsing more. He really likes the Cool Mint Listerine the best and says he definitely notices a difference in the way his mouth and teeth feel in just a short time. He has been keeping the mouthwash right on the bathroom sink to help remind him to use it every day. I thought this was a great idea!

As I said, the kids are too young for mouthwash still, but we wanted to get into a better habit of making sure Kaelyn and Kaden were getting their teeth brushed and flossing twice a day. The way we were going to do this, was by taking care of our teeth together. Each day we would brush and floss together. It was a great way to encourage the kids to take part, and also set a great example for them. Doing this really seemed to motivate them, but I think the fun toothbrushes were what really made taking care of their teeth so much fun! :)
With the help of the sticker chart we received, the kids have continued to happily brush and floss twice a day. In fact, they are getting better at reminding me if I forget! They have even shown an interest in brushing their own teeth. Of course, I still help them, but it's neat that they're becoming independent in wanting to take care of their teeth. It makes me feel like they're understanding how important it really is. Afterall, with 50% of children between 5 and 9 having a cavity or filling and nearly 75% of American adults suffering from various forms of gum disease and don't even know it...I want to do all I can to help educate them and get excited to see them taking steps to taking better care of their teeth!

Here are some helpful tips shared in the live chat I participated in a few weeks ago. I shared them in my first post and wanted to do so again in case anyone missed them:

Tips for you:

• Clean the entire mouth.
• Make sure you are brushing and flossing correctly.
• Avoid sticky foods.
• Go to the dentist twice a year.

Tips for your kids:

• Make oral care fun (e.g., make it a game; brush, floss and rinse to music; etc).
• Reward their behavior (e.g., give gold stars for good oral care).
• Show, don’t tell – make oral care a family affair.
• Involve them in their own oral care routine by providing products like LISTERINE® Smart Rinse, which can make the daily routine more fun, provides 12-hour cavity protection for kids and strengthens teeth 99 percent

Our family has really enjoyed taking part in this challenge and feel it has helped us adopt healthier oral care habits. If you chose to take part in this challenge as well, I'd love to hear how it went for you and your family. And if you didn't yet, it's never too late start!

If you'd like to learn more and find tips from leading dental experts and great prices on oral care products, you can visit Walmart.com

“I received products and compensation from Johnson & Johnson and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the Oral Care Challenge. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.”