Twenty-one days ago, I started the LISTERINE® 21-Day Challenge. I was hesitant, but hopeful that my family and I would do this. At the very least, I knew that I could do it. I was more doubtful that our girls would keep it up. I mean, I can hardly get them to brush their teeth — but, brush, floss and swish with a mouthwash, too? Forget about it.
I was COMPLETELY WRONG. Not only did they do and complete the LISTERINE 21 Day Challenge, but they were completely enthusiastic about it. Truly. I wouldn’t lie to you. When I told them about the challenge, they didn’t complain. In fact, I showed them all the new “teeth gear” I had bought and they were genuinely excited about all of their product: the LISTERINE toothpaste, the LISTERINE Smart Rinse (of course, I got the pink colored one with Barbie on the front); and the one thing they were super-excited about was using the Reach Access Flosser. (Could you imagine being excited to use floss?!?)
I was amazed how easy it was to get the girls to brush their teeth in the morning and at night because of the challenge. We literally enjoyed brushing our teeth together and it became something that we did as a threesome. (My husband was away traveling for work for most of the time so he didn’t partake.)
It also helped that the beginning of the The LISTERINE 21 Day Challenge fell during their winter vacation so we weren’t super-rushed to get out in the morning, so our routine could settle in. I have to be honest that once school started, we did have to carve out an extra 5 minutes to brush our teeth, but if we did it together it wasn’t a problem.
Within the first day of the challenge, on our way to school, our 5th grader said that her teeth felt “fresh“, and on a completely separate occasion, our 1st grader said that the toothpaste tasted “fresh”. All three of us kept on saying how “smooth” and clean our teeth felt. Our gums definitely bled those first three days but after that the bleeding stopped (I had to explain to them that their gums bled because of the germs and bacteria and that it will stop once we continued to floss regularly). After Day 3 and the bleeding stopped, we knew that our gums were getting healthier.
Of course, there were less-than-a-handful of times when we just couldn’t do the routine because we were super-rushed, but we made up for it the next time we brushed. And we always brushed twice a day (where normally the girls would, on average, brush once a day).
All in all, the LISTERINE 21 Day Challenge was a blogger campaign that really helped and taught our family. It helped us get into a healthy routine — one that seems like it will last longer than the 21 days; and it taught me that my kids are pretty freakin’ awesome and that I shouldn’t underestimate them. I just assumed that there was no way they would floss and rinse, so I just never asked them to do it. It took this campaign to show that my girls are truly up for anything (including flossing!!).
Now, what about you? Are you up for the LISTERINE 21 Day Challenge?
Try it! If you’re enthusiastic about it, I can guarantee your kids will want to brush, floss and swish, too! And don’t forget, you can get involved by posting a “Swish Selfie” to the LISTERINE® Brand Facebook page and learn more about the challenge.