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I started my Listerine Challenge back on February 13. The challenge was simple: I needed to brush, floss, and rinse with Listerine twice a day for 21 days. I picked up the Listerine Ultraclean Citrus, Listerine Smart Rinse for the kids, Listerine Whitening Toothpaste, and the Reach Wax Floss, and I have stuck with it!
I left the mouthwash on the counter as a daily reminder. Plus I left the kids Smart Rinse in my bathroom so I can remember to have them rinse…plus, I can see that they are actually doing it. I have been making it a game with my six-year-old on who can hold out and rinse the longest. He usually wins! The citrus flavor did make my mouth numb with a really dry feeling, but that only lasted a short while. I did notice that the more I rinsed, the more I didn’t want to eat, especially junk food. That was a nice side effect!
Since I had never used wax floss before, I wanted to give it a try. I will say that I did not care for it at all. Once it was out, I immediately switched to the Reach Total Care, which is a thin floss that glides in between my teeth. I liked it much better! The more I flossed, the more my gums eventually stopped bleeding.
I know that you hear “brush twice a day” (especially from your dentist), and it can be a pain if you are in a rush in the morning. But now that I have been doing it for three weeks, my mouth feels fresher, and it really only takes a few extra minutes.
Taking the 21-Day Challenge can also help children in need. 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.
Disclosure: I received a Target gift card to purchase LISTERINE Brand 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. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.
I don’t like the waxed floss either. My teeth are very close together so the thin kind works better for me.