Colgate for a #CavityFreeFuture

I can hear my dad saying it now…

“Ignore your teeth and they will go away.”

Instilling healthy habits starts at a young age. Gelli already knows that she has to brush her teeth every morning and every night before bed.

This was something he said to all of us. I used to laugh at him because he would always repeat this over and over again if any of us got lazy with our brushing…truth is, he knew what he was talking about.

We teach our children healthy habits by modeling them. If we brush our teeth, our kids (usually) will follow suit…they learn from what they see us doing, and not necessarily by what we say.

Dr. Jay Millonado looks after our whole family’s oral health.

So, imagine my surprise when my cousin Dr. Jay Millonado explained to me all the problems my youngest son has with his teeth. I don’t know how it happened (actually, I do-but that’s a story for another post) but he has a terrible habit of trying to sneak out of the house without even brushing his teeth! It’s so hard to impress upon this kid just how important it is to take care of your teeth!

Studies have shown, that oral health contributes to non communicable diseases. This means that if you take better care of your teeth, chances are you are healthier, as well.

My kids all learn in different ways…when I saw this book in my cousin’s office, I told Diego to start reading…

Colgate has quite a few initiatives that help promote healthy smiles in countries all over the world, and they have made strides in promoting healthy oral hygiene with their Bright Smiles Bright Future campaign. By enabling children to care for themselves through good oral hygiene and continuing education, Colgate helps set the standard for a brighter future with these students. Why should we spend time educating children about oral health care?

Here in the Philippines:

9 out of 10 children have cavities (regardless of socio economic status)
Low % of population even visit a dentist
Importance of daily oral care and public health programs is shifting
We can all make a difference

Screen Shot of Colgate’s Bright Smiles app. Visit the website by clicking here.

I have always said that teachers change the world one student at a time. We touch lives, shape perceptions, facilitate learning, and when the school year is over, that student goes on to another teacher who will help him reach his potential. Dr. Medina shared how dentists are much like teachers. They change the world one patient at a time. Community dentists can change communities by helping guide their patients to a healthier way of living one check up at a time. Teaching their patients good oral health by starting healthy habits while they are young, dentists are empowering them to make better decisions for their teeth.

Photo taken during the launch of Colgate Maximum Cavity Protection plus Sugar Acid Neutralizer. From L-R: moi, Kris De Guzma, Tony Ahn, Jackie Go, Tin Dychiao, Marc from the agency, and Cherish Acosta.

One thing that stuck with me during the talk of Dr. Vicente O. Medina, during the Colgate Launch of their new toothpaste was this, “Oral health is an integral part of general health and wellbeing and is a basic human right.” Dr. Medina is the DEAN of The College of Dentistry at the University of the Philippines in Manila. He stressed that GOOD oral healthcare should be preventative. Flossing is preventative. Flouride treatments are preventative. Brushing is preventative. Brushing with Colgate plus SUGAR ACID NEUTRALIZERS provides the best preventative choice for kids and adults alike.

Screen shot from http://www.colgateprofessional.dk/

Couple this breakthrough technology in toothpaste, with public awareness, and continuing health education, and the Philippine goal of children born in 2026 being completely cavity free might actually be possible.

Here’s the thing: We all know that eating sugary food can cause cavities. But food which isn’t even high in sugar content can lead to cavities as well, and to prove this point, during the launch of Colagate’s NEW toothpaste, we were served an appetizer of both veggies and (would you believe) blueberry cheesecake?

We were all a bit puzzled as we started our dinner with dessert…

At any rate the point made was that both of these foods can affect the health of your teeth with sugar acids. Even if the crudite and garlic ranch dressing doesn’t seem high in sugar, the sugar acids left behind from eating a healthy snack can also lead to cavities. These sugar acids set into plaque and can weaken teeth which leads to cavities. SUGAR ACID NEUTRALIZER helps deactivate sugar acids in plaque proving that Colgate’s NEW toothpaste plus SUGAR ACID NEUTRALIZER to be the best choice in cavity protection for the WHOLE family.

Screen shot from http://www.colgateprofessional.dk/

As mothers, there are so many decisions we make for our families. Choosing the right toothpaste is not only important for ourselves, but it sets the stage for a life of healthy choices that our children will eventually make on their own. If I am trying to encourage my children to live a life of wellness that is balanced, I not only have to facilitate healthy choices in eating…I have to promote good oral healthcare AFTER they eat, as well. With this new breakthrough technology in toothpaste, Colgate for a #CavityFreeFuture has made it even easier for me to keep my kids healthy when it comes to their oral healthcare.