{{ GIVEAWAY }} COLGATE-PALMOLIVE ORAL HYGIENE GOOD HABITS FOR OUR KIDS *** CLOSED ***
Reading Time: 4 minutes
Ever since our son started sprouting teeth we made a point of brushing his teeth and his gums twice a day and eventually from about age 5 we introduced him to rinsing his mouth with mouthwash after every clean to eliminate every possibility of tooth decay. Admittedly, as with every other aspect of parenting, whether this was the right way for our little guy to approach dental hygiene was debatable. However, the fact that the first two dentist visits were positive with no cavities or sign of gum disease, was certainly very encouraging.
When the invitation for #twodadsandakid to attend a recent roundtable discussion about oral health care was initiated by Colgate-Palmolive, I jumped at the opportunity! My curiosity had to be satisfied and I was pretty desperate to understand whether the two of us were coaching our son correctly when it came to taking care of his teeth.
The discussion was led by Colgate-Palmolive Oral Hygienist, Yolanda van der Walt, who really knew her stuff when it comes to oral hygiene and how to take care of babies, toddlers and teens teeth and their gums. It’s amazing how much research and development goes into a simple tube of toothpaste. I think that because we have always known of it and that it’s always been around, we take for granted exactly how it is formulated to take care of teeth and protect our smiles from cavities and gum disease.
Colgate-Palmolive has also partnered with Dis-Chem Foundation and started an amazing initiative called, “Buy-a-Brush, Help-a-Child”, which is part of Colgate’s, Bright Smiles, Bright Futures global campaign. The initiative donates a toothbrush, toothpaste and access to oral care to a needy child, for every toothbrush that you buy at Dis-Chem. Definitely a campaign worth supporting and with a Dis-Chem outlet at almost every corner you really have no excuse not to buy your next toothbrush there and support the already 900 million children across 80 countries that this campaign has reached.
To say that this hour was one of the most informative and important 60 minutes I have ever spent as a dad is an understatement. You can never learn enough when it comes to supporting and guiding your kids on this journey of life and for me knowing ‘why’ is so much more important than just ‘doing’.
The most relevant take outs for us from this workshop was the following;
- Kids need to go and see a dentist as soon as the first tooth appears, just to get familiar with the process and visits to the dentist in future
- Use a toothpaste/s that contain both fluoride and Xylitol, if you want to otherwise choose fluoride over Xylitol
- Phase out the use of a pacifier at 12 months. Longer use could damage the alignment of the teeth
- Using mouthwash only is not good enough, you need to brush in the morning and at night and then use the mouthwash to rinse any left-over residue. Remember, only use mouthwash from the age of 6 years and not every day, perhaps every second day. Most kids under 6 lack the ability to rinse properly and end up swallowing mouthwash which could harm their stomach lining
The time to change from a child to adult toothpaste is at 6 years of age. From 7 years old, try Colgate’s Sugar Acid Neutraliser- Brush teeth for at least 2 minutes, not too hard, gentle stroked is all that’s needed
- Make sure that you change your toothbrush every 3 months
- The best time to brush your teeth remains after meals
- There is absolutely no difference whether you use an electric toothbrush or the usual manual brush. Just make sure you brush all your teeth evenly and thoroughly, not too hard or too long
- Do not pull out any loose teeth, let them fall out naturally
- Floss as soon as the teeth come out. Again, to get your kids used to the flossing process which could take some time
- An interesting suggestion is to try a ‘fissure sealant’ for your kids’ molars as soon as the baby ones have been replaced. This seals any holes and cracks and prevents cavities. Enquire at your dentist
- And if your child has larger gaps between their teeth when the baby teeth fall out, fear not, this allows for more space in the mouth for when all the adult teeth start making an appearance
A very relieved #twodadsandakid dadD left the workshop realising that us two dads were doing most things right but with a little guidance and the right products, our son’s teeth, gums and general oral hygiene were in good hands.
GIVEAWAY!!
#TwoDadsAndAKid has an incredible Colgate-Palmolive hamper full of amazing Colgate products ranging from toothbrushes to toothpaste to teeth cleaning products.
All you need to do before Friday the 9th November 2018 is…
- comment on this blog post the name of the Foundation Colgate-Palmolive has partnered with?
- 1 comment = 1 entry
- for extra entries like/follow the #TwoDadsAndAKid Facebook and Instagram pages (extra entry only counts if you have commented on the blog)
- tag a friend and use the hashtags #buyabrushhelpachild #keepSAsmiling on this Competition post
- the winner of the hamper will be announced on Monday the 12th November 2018 and the hamper will be sent directly by the Colgate-Palmolive SA team
- Entrant must be a South African Resident
- T’s & C’s apply
- Hamper contents may differ slightly from the hamper picture above
The Dischem Foundation ?
The answer is: Dischem Foundation
#buyabrushhelpachild #keepSAsmiling
Thank you for this informative post I have three little mouths and many little teeth to clean and teach. Its difficult but necessary.
The Dischem Foundation
The Dischem Foundation
The Dischem Foundation
#buyabrushhelpachild #keepSAsmiling i have a son who hasnt yet grasped the importance of brushing his teeth at night… as much as i teach .. he has read this blog post with me and has since become more aware of teeth cleanliness.. thanks for this imformative post
The answer is the Dischem Foundation.
Thanks for this informative post. I have a son who has not grasped the importance of brushing his teeth at night… as much as i teach he refuses ansnchooses onlynto gargle with mouthwash.. he insist that to brush his teeth at night he needs an electric toothbrush.. yoh those brushes are expensive and not in my budget tho…
The answer is the Dischem Foundation.
Thanks for this informative post. I have a son who has not grasped the importance of brushing his teeth at night… as much as i teach he refuses ansnchooses onlynto gargle with mouthwash.. he insist that to brush his teeth at night he needs an electric toothbrush.. yoh those brushes are expensive and not in my budget tho… #BuyABrushHelpAChild #KeepSAsmiling
Love that he already is so confident, check Dischem for the kiddies electric brushes 🙂
The Dischem Foundation
This was very informative. My middle child is 6, almost 7 and I still buy him kiddie toothpaste. Time for an update. I have 3 kids and I have always tried to get each one their own age appropriate toothpaste. Heaven help us when somebody’s goes missing…then they refuse to brush their teeth. So teeth brushing time is very interesting in our home! lol
Oh I love this 😉
Dis-Chem Foundation #buyabrushhelpachild #keepSAsmiling
The Dischem Foundation 🙂 #TwoDadsAndAKid
Dis-chem Fondation #buyabrushhelpachild
#keepSAsmiling
Dischem Foundation
Dis- Chem Foundation
Dischem Foundation ♥
Soo excited about this giveaway! Crossing everything! Just a few days left. This hamper is too cool and would be so much fun for my munchkins…. doubt I’ll ever have to be brushing their teeth again! Kids be crazy like that shiny new toys lol
DIS-CHEM FOUNDATION
The Dischem Foundation
This giveaway is a great opportunity to win Colgate-Palmolive oral hygiene products, helping you maintain a healthy smile effortlessly!
This Colgate-Palmolive oral hygiene giveaway offers fantastic products to help keep your teeth healthy and bright!