Brushing your teeth for two full minutes is the best for your health. Here are some great ways to encourage your child, and yourself, to brush for two minutes.

Just in time for new back to- school routines, the Ad Council, along with the American Dental Association, has launched Kids’ Healthy Mouths to teach parents and children about the importance of oral health.

It is part of The Partnership for Healthy Mouths Healthy Lives, a coalition of leading oral health organizations committed to improving children’s oral health so that they can develop into healthy, productive adults.

The Kids’ Healthy Mouths website, 2min2x.org, features fun facts, lots of helpful resources and links to 14 two minute videos produced by Cartoon Network and My Kazoo.

This new public service campaign stresses the importance of brushing for two minutes twice a day.

Many people do not know that tooth decay is the most common chronic childhood disease, with more than 16 million kids are suffering from untreated tooth decay in the U.S. The mouth is the gateway to a person’s overall health, and an unhealthy mouth can be associated with obesity, diabetes, oral cancer and other medical conditions.

Parents report their children usually waste more than two hours each day playing video games, texting or watching videos online. The campaign highlights the necessary balance of children’s time: If your child spends hours on playtime, why shouldn’t they spend two minutes taking care of their teeth?

“The dental profession hopes that this simple message will have a positive and long-lasting impact on children’s oral health and overall health,” according to the local dental society president, Dr. Tyler Wolf. “Most oral health problems are preventable using steps that can easily become a part of every child’s daily routine,” Wolf said. “This campaign will help parents learn how easy it is to protect their children, give them healthy mouths and help them lead healthy lives.”

Sesame Street has created videos for its “Healthy Teeth, Healthy Me” campaign. One features Elmo singing to kids, reminding them to “Brushy Brush” their teeth every day.

Not all of the videos are directly related to healthy teeth. These videos feature Looney Tunes and Tom and Jerry stories, along with entertainment by Dream Jam Band, to entice children to spend two full minutes brushing their teeth.

There is also the Brushytime App that can be downloaded to your smartphone. This application allows you to choose a video and customize the time for brushing.

 

Parents are encouraged to have their children watch the videos on a smartphone or computer while they brush their teeth. Since kids are accustomed to using their electronic devices throughout the day, it’s a great way for the kids to use them for something as productive as brushing their teeth.

In addition to brushing and flossing at home, it’s important to eat healthy foods and have regular dental checkups, because a healthy smile leads to a healthy body.

References:

West Michigan District Dental Society
2min2x.org
Brushytime applicaiton
Healthy teeth; Healthy me
nylaandental.com