*This is a sponsored post on behalf of The Advertising Council. All statements and opinions are my own.
My house has a teeth brushing problem. All four of us brush our teeth twice per day, but much of the time my daughter spends her two minutes dancing and singing while brushing. We consistently explain (as un-naggingly as possibly) that if there is a song coming out of her month, the brush cannot possibly be doing it’s job, but when she gets wrapped up in the moment, the performance begins anyway. After the performance ends, she has to do another two minutes of brushing, which never ends up well. I have never wanted brushing teeth to be a chore for my kids, so I’m very excited about the Toothsavers Mobile Game App!
Scholastic and the Advertising Council have partnered to create lesson plans and activities that teach oral health through science, math, and poetry! Their intention is to help establish strong oral health habits at home. The site always includes an oral health poster, oral health tips (in English and Spanish!) and an oral health booklet. Parents can find the appropriate information here and teachers can find more information here.
The goal of this campaign is to encourage parents and caregivers to get their children to brush for two minutes, twice a day to prevent oral disease. The hope is that this can be accomplished in a fun and educational way and NOT become the chore that many of us find ourselves dealing with.
According to data released to coincide with the launch in October, 3 of 4 parents report that their child sometimes or frequently forgets to brush his or her teeth, so hopefully this program will get them just as excited as you are about keeping their teeth clean!
Because this day and age is so digital, there is actually a great new Toothsavers Mobile Game App that you can use! This is available on iTunes or through Google Play and will inspire your child to brush their teeth for two minutes twice per day. The app enlists your child in rescuing friendly fairy tale characters from an evil, cavity-creating sorceress who cast a wicked teeth-rotting spell on the kingdom. It’s incredibly cute and you can watch a trailer for it on their website.
Featuring a fun and colorful design, Toothsavers includes three key features to help parents and their kids learn about the importance of oral health:
- The game calls on kids to be heroes. In a timed, finger-swipe brushing game, they can save 13 characters* in a fairy tale kingdom from an evil, cavity-creating sorceress.
- The two-player version of the game allows for kids to “brush” the teeth of their friends and parents when the mobile device is held up to their mouths.
- The app also offers a real-life toothbrushing companion for kids and parents to keep track of their brushing progress, as well as morning and nighttime reminders.
Even better, three new fairy tale characters – Alice in Wonderland, Pinocchio and a rabbit, will be introduced this week! So fun!
Here are some additional Children’s Oral Health Facts that you may not be aware of:
- Tooth decay is the single most common chronic childhood disease in the U.S.
- Dental decay is 5 times more common than asthma.
- The mouth is the gateway to a person’s overall health, and an unhealthy mouth can be associated with obesity, diabetes and even heart disease.
- In the U.S., oral disease causes kids to miss 51 million school hours and their parents to lose 25 million work hours annually.
- The CDC estimates nearly 1 in 4 children under the age of five already have cavities.
- Cavities and oral infections can cause severe pain and can increase a child’s risk for dental issues and poor health throughout their lives.
- Poor oral health can impact a child’s ability to learn, develop self-esteem and speak properly.
- Despite the high rates of oral disease in children, research shows that many parents lack information about oral health.
- The Partnership for Healthy Mouths, Healthy Lives recommends that you help or watch over your kids’ brushing until they’re 8
- Brushing for 2 minutes, twice a day can avoid cavities, dental problems, and help to have overall healthier teeth.
The Toothsavers App looks like the perfect tool for parents to help reframe toothbrushing for their children, so I hope you check it out! I’m guessing that if I let my daughter try to conquer the teeth-rotting spell while she’s brushing, she may not have as much time for singing and dancing! Score!
Alli is a Chicago based wife and mother of two children. She has turned money-saving into a game and enjoys searching out the best deals to help you save money! Alli shares her insight, tips and up-to-the-minute deals for local and national retailers and brands. Her hope is that you will play the game and learn to save money at the same time!