As a mom, the health of my family is very important to me. But one thing I believe we are all guilty of neglecting is our dental health. Sure we brush our teeth. How clean are our teeth really getting? No one thinks about your dental hygiene until you have to call the dentist.

Surprisingly, oral disease has become the most chronic childhood illness in the U.S. Millions are affected, suffering from various forms of oral disease like tooth decay, and experience pain so severe it affects their ability to eat, sleep and learn. It impacts children of all backgrounds, but especially the millions who are unable to afford access to regular professional care that can help treat these conditions.

We are fortunate enough to have dental insurance for our family but I know many who do not. And that makes your dental hygiene even more important.

Did you know that there are more germs in your mouth than there are people on earth? That’s right – and believe it or not, even if you brush and floss, you’re likely missing millions of them! In fact, brushing alone misses 75% of your mouth, which is why it’s critical to go that extra step to achieve optimal oral health for yourself and your family.

That is why when I was asked to join the LISTERINE^® 21-Day Challenge I jumped at the opportunity! We as a family are looking forward to taking the challenge. We brush our teeth as a family daily but probably not as much as we should. I have to be honest, the kids think floss is to play with and leave scraps all over the house lol and we have used mouth wash off and on but not every day. I will also admit that we have had our share of cavities over the years. And I have to get a tooth pulled. The root canal has collapsed and they can’t save my tooth, but I am not looking forward to scheduling the procedure. But it is time for a change.

For the LISTERINE^® 21-Day Challenge we visited our local Target and purchased

• LISTERINE^® Antiseptic
• LISTERINE^® SMART RINSE^®
• LISTERINE^® WHITENING^® Original Gel Fluoride Anticavity Toothpaste
• REACH^® Floss

You and your family can join in the challenge too! For every person who posts a “Swish Selfie” to LISTERINE^® Brand’s Facebook page, LISTERINE^® Brand will make a $5.00 contribution to Oral Health America’s Smiles Across America^® program, up to $85,000, toward their goal of connecting 210,000 children with needed oral health services in 2014.

What a great way to have fun but educate your family at the same time.

Disclosure / Disclaimer:  I received products from Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Products Division of McNEIL-PPC, Inc. and The Motherhood as part of my participation in the LISTERINE® 21 Day Challenge. The opinions expressed here are mine and may differ from yours.  I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commision’s 16 CFR, Part 255:  “Guides concerning the use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.