“What have you been feeding your child?”
These words – dripping with judgment – were uttered by my child’s first dentist. My daughter was four years old and it was her first dental checkup. At the time, the prevailing wisdom from parenting books, magazines and even my family physician was that this was the right age for a child’s first visit to the dentist. Turns out the prevailing wisdom was wrong.
At the tender age of four, my little one already had four cavities. They were shallow and easy to treat, but I will never forget the hot flush of shame I felt when the dentist asked me that question. The truth is, I wasn’t feeding her lots of candy or sticky treats and I was actually quite good at brushing her teeth twice a day, although I freely admit there were times I used no toothpaste at all and if she was sick or upset, I would skip the tooth-brushing routine. The good news for my family is that although my oldest daughter had a brush with tooth decay early on, we managed to turn the tables. It’s not an easy thing to do though and we struggled for a few years before we had our first cavity-free checkup. When it happened, I nearly cried. Looking back now (as she has all her adult teeth and prepares to get braces), I can hardly believe it’s the same little girl who provoked that awful question from the dentist so many years ago.
My dentist gave me several suggestions for helping prevent decay and instilling healthy hygiene habits in our kids:
- Babies should visit the dentist before their first birthday.
- Let your kids pick out their toothbrush and paste. With so many kid friendly designs and flavours out there, it gets them excited about brushing time.
- Cut back on snacking – surprisingly, it’s not the amount of sugar in a snack that influences decay so much as the frequency of snacking.
- Don’t let your child brush his/her own teeth until about age 7 or 8 (maybe even later depending on the child).
- Use a cavity fighting mouthwash starting at 6 years old. It is such an easy way to get the hard to reach areas, making sure your kids’ mouths are virtually 100 per cent clean!
It’s funny, the story of my daughter and her teeth. Maybe it’s because we did struggle so much in the early years, but once she started to lose those baby teeth, she really didn’t want to let them go. In fact, when she lost her first tooth, she refused to put it under her pillow because she didn’t want the Tooth Fairy to take it! She held on to it for two days, getting more and more worried, before I finally relented and told her she could write a note to include with her tooth, politely asking the Tooth Fairy to please let her keep her tooth, which she still loved, but please still leave the money. Being the generous sprite she is, the Tooth Fairy agreed (but thankfully, only once, for that special first tooth). To this very day, some six years later, my daughter still has that tooth in a little plastic tooth box in amongst her most precious keepsakes. I shudder whenever I see it.
Do you have any cute tooth stories to share? Remember that when you comment on this post you’ll be entered into the LISTERINE® SMART MOUTH KIDS contest for a chance to win the final $1,000 prize! Share your stories below for your chance to win.
Submission to the Contest Weekly Blog Comment Period closes at 8:59 am, on Monday, September 3, 2012.
Click here for Contest Rules and Regulations.
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nancy2880 says
When my nephew lost his first tooth, he argued with his father that the tooth fairy had made a mistake and not left enough money. Apparently his buddy received twice as much. Peace was restored when Michael was convinced that his friend must have needed more money than he did. Wow. An all-knowing tooth fairy! 🙂
Technobob says
The tooth fairy was a favorite around my house my dad would slip $10 under our pillows. I don’t know how he managed to afford it there is 7 kids in my family. Unfortunately I often spent the money on candy which latter caused a lot of cavities.
deedeegar says
When my granddaughter lost her first tooth she wrote a letter to the tooth fairy and left it under her pillow without letting any of us see it. My daughter later shared it with me. She had a bit of help spelling the words from her older sister and actually did really well. She proceeded to tell the tooth fairy her tooth was worth at least $10.00 because there were no cavities and her friend with a cavity in her tooth got $5.00. She thanked her and told her she thought she was beautiful. She also drew a picture of the tooth fairy and said she hoped she would like the picture. We both thought it was so cute.
Kristie says
My son told his swim coach just last week that I had missed flossing “2 times” and had to go get a cavity fixed, and that is why he flosses so well each day.
spynaert says
My son told me he learned at school how bad cola was for your teeth. So when one of his teeth fell out, we put it in a dish of cola for a few weeks. It practically turned black and was coated with a nasty film. I’m sure if you left it long enough it would start to dissolve!
neilsviv says
My child is always happy to go to the dentist, especially when she doesn’t have any cavities and gets a treat after.
CC says
My daughter did not want to leave any of her teeth for the tooth fairy. She wanted to keep them all to “make a necklace of pearls”. Well, I stored them all in a special box and when she graduated this year I offered her her box of pearls. She laughed and couldn’t believe I still had them all . . . and no, we won’t be making a necklace!
Shaf says
Excellent product, I use this frequently
loribaz says
Tinkerbell rinse has really helped getting my daughter to brush her teeth each morning….she feels it gives her magic to start her day!
bluejellybean says
It was early September and she lost her second tooth. When she found a twoonie under her pillow, she immediately said she would donate it to her school’s fundraising for the Terry Fox Run. That led to numerous friends and family pitching in to help her raise even more money and she was able to donate $375 that year. Each year since, she has been participating and raising money for her favourite charity, Terry Fox.
mummsyleah says
My 5 year old just recently lost her first two teeth. She let Grandma pull out the first one, no problem. The next one was ready the next day, really dangling by nothing but she didn’t want to deal with it till the next morning. Next morning: she comes walking into the room talking funny and says ‘ mommy, I think my tooth fell out”. Sure enough, tucked between her lip and gums is a wee little tooth, she thought it was the funniest thing ever, I was just happy she didn’t swallow it during the night.
shellshock says
So my friend could not get her little girl to brush her teeth – NO WAY, NO HOW! Finally, she brought little Annie over to our house, so my son, Charlie, could demonstrate how wonderfully he brushes his teeth and that it was nothing to be afraid of… Charlie was 3 and Annie was 5. So, Charlie gets all hyped up and runs to the bathroom to get his “toof-brush” and “toofy-paste” to demonstrate. A few seconds later, he comes out with a big goofy smile and is proudly brushing up and down, up and down. The look of horror on Annie’s face was all I can remember! It turns out that Charlie, in his rush to grab his tooth brush, grabbed Dad’s disposable razor instead and smeared that with toothpaste. The blood that poured down his chin was horrific, and we were dumbstruck as to why it didn’t hurt! When we examined him, later after Annie was rushed home, vowing to never brush her teef ever, we found he had several small cuts on his gums, but he used sensodyne toothpaste (mine), so he felt nothing. The dentist encouraged us to have him rinse for a few days only – with Listerine – and no brushing until the gums healed. The Listerine didn’t sting or hurt and he healed up very quickly. Annie, however, was a different story!
torooo says
we made it a game
eabeier says
My daughter has a tiny mouth. The dentist once said that the longer her baby teeth stayed in place, the better, since she had little room for her adult teeth. She was also scared of blood and never liked to pull her teeth. They would be bent back or break off. At once visit the dentist asked her why she couldn’t pull her teeth, She remarked that it was his fault that she needed to keep them! Kids hear the darndest things.
tinker says
The tooth fairy will leave you a quarter if you put the tooth under your pillow.
pjh says
one time our son had put his tooth under his pillow awaiting the tooth fairy, and we totally forgot about it until the wee hours of the morning.
deb says
the dental hygenist was at the school with the kindergarten kids handing out the little pink chewy tablets that show where you haven’t brushed properly, and as the kids went in to see here one by one they all came out with little red mouths! My son was very aprehensive about going in that room… he admitted later that he thought his friends mouths were bleeding!
Beg42 says
LISTERINE SMART MOUTH KIDS is a great product and I would recommended it for all parents.
JeannetteNL says
I have always taken great care of my teeth. I flossed obsessively and brushed several times daily. However due to cancer treatment, my teeth began breaking off in pieces. I don’t mind telling you that I was devastated at having to lose all of my teeth. Bit by bit, they broke into pieces and had to be removed…my youngest son was just as upset as I and while it was a great opportunity to make him understand the importance of taking good care of one’s teeth, he was really upset because he observed me quite upset. He said that if I had to lose all of my teeth, I deserved to have a visit from the tooth fairy.
I of course had a set of dentures made (which I hate by the way-just can’t get used to them) and decided I would leave them under my pillow and let him think the tooth fairy brought me brand new teeth. It was the only thing I could think of to ease his mind as he had been so upset for me. I called him into my room and acted all excited and told him that the tooth fairy must have heard him talking about it and came to bring me new teeth. He was thrilled! The tooth fairy became his new hero and while he understood that the lose of my teeth was out of my control, he stopped complaining about having to brush his teeth. The entire situation had a huge impact on him, and I am glad because I would hate to see anyone lose their teeth for lack of brushing and proper care. Take it from me, take good care of your teeth, you will miss them when they’re gone…
riker says
When I was little, my mom tried a remedy from the old country. she tied a string around the loose tooth, tied it to the doorknob and closed the door. Sure enough, it flew right out of my mouth. It was loose already, but I was too squeamish to check.
moviefreak says
I remember when I used to try so hard to pull my loose teeth and then feel so happy when I succeed and show my parents.
tobyhir says
Oh, it would have to be when I was little. My Mom tied my loose tooth to the fridge door (still traumatized! lol). She said are you ready, and when I was in the midst of saying Nooooo…ssssswing went the door…you would think she was getting the dime! lol
mycozyhome says
When my son lost his first tooth, we went through the ritual of leaving his tooth under his pillow and when he woke up in the morning, he found that the tooth fairy left money under his pillow. Later that day, he asked how many more teeth he would have to loose to be able to buy a toy her wanted! I could just imagine him trying to pull out his teeth.
sukanya says
We love Listerine and my hubby use it all the time. i never try for my kids.
islandgal says
The first couple of teeth my son lost went under the pillow and the Tooth fairy came and left money and all was well. I thought that he actually believed in the Tooth Fairy, until the next time I noticed that in a note to the Tooth Fairy, he was blatantly asking for more money and when I talked to him about it, he said with a smirk, “I think she can afford it”.
moemommy says
I have a points system that when he brushes his teeth he gets points to go towards his tuck box.
AK says
Listerine Smart Rinse is a great incentive for kids, My grand son and my son both brush their teeth together and they are always laughing and of course the mirror is a mess after , who cares it’s only a mirror I would rather hear kids laugh then have a clean mirrror
Ron says
I remember when I was a kid and one day I was looking for something in one of my Dad’s filing cabinets, and I found tucked back there an envelope labelled “Ron” and with all my old baby teeth in there. Man, was that a disappointment – I guess it was then that I realized that there was no such thing as a “Tooth Fairy”.
waiman says
entry form for LISTERINE® SMART MOUTH KIDS contest for a chance to win the final $1,000 prize plx. kids use listerine mouth wash yet it doesn’t burn. they love it and i save on dental bills.
Shelly says
The heroic son who let me pull his first tooth out with a string. I couldn’t stand to see him twist it around in his mouth any longer.
aimeep says
my son lost his first tooth in a hotdog. He did not realize it was his tooth. He came up to me totally grossed out that there was a tooth in his hotdog.
mhcantafio says
My very skeptical daughter always doubted if The Tooth Fairy was real or not. So in order to prove it, she didn’t tell anyone that she lost her tooth and put it under her pillow. At breakfast the next morning, she happily reported her findings and then asked me for some money!
hipmom says
When our son’s first tooth became loose, it was a monumentous occasion. Our first son’s first loose tooth! We told him all about the tooth fairy and waited anxiously for it to fall out. Naturally it happened during lunch at school, and naturally, my son swallowed it without even noticing! He was devastated. He thought for sure that the Tooth Fairy wouldn’t come since he didn’t have a tooth to give her. We calmed him down and together we wrote a letter to the Tooth Fairy explaining the situation. The next morning he was delighted to wake up and find that the Tooth Fairy had not only written a letter back, but she had also left an extremely generous gift for him! The Tooth Fairy sure had to live up to high expectations after that.
fossie says
Listerine is the only product we buy. My kids have always used it and now my grandkids use it.
Kitsa says
I can`t stand going to the dentist! But my children love to go to the dentist….I have not figured out if it`s the toothpaste and toothbrushes that they like receiving or the helium filled balloons that they get or if they really like their mouths being pulled and poked and pryed!
graeme says
When my son was young he brushed his teeth so hard he disconnected his loose front tooth and swallowed it. Well, because he wanted the $$ the tooth fairy had delivered in the past he personally checked his future poops to retrieve the lost tooth. He actually DID find it, and walked away with the fairy CASH:) Ahhhh, memories.
Betty says
When my children lose there teeth, we have a special place on the dining room buffet, in a special box to place the tooth that has fallen out and needs the Tooth Fairy to visit. This saves having to reach under pillow to try to find the small little tooth that has moved. We started this after my oldest son, said Hi Mommy as I was trying to do the deed
tinad says
My kids really love our dentist, she makes the experience as fun as possible for them, and they even give her hugs when they’re done their appointment!
flycaster says
Our oldest son still has one of his baby teeth – even at 15 years of age. Its an eye tooth that just never came out – and the adult tooth is sitting above it at an odd angle. He hopes to keep it into his adult years and won’t let the dentist take it out. I guess its his way of still staying young! We used to make him rinse with the old Listerine – the stuff that was so strong he was scared it would make his teeth fall out! Glad to have some great tasting Listerine now that all the kids love to use.
Al says
We love listerine and use it all the time
sparky says
It was always so exciting for my kids to lose a tooth at school because they were given a special tooth treasure box. My kids have both stored all of their lost teeth in these boxes and keep them on their dressers.
Dreena says
My son had a loose upper tooth for at least six months. We were encouraging him to wiggle it out all the time as it hurt him to eat certain foods. My husband took him on a hike in the mountains and at the peak/top my son lost his tooth – after he bit into a soft sandwich. He felt proud to reach the top of the mountain and for losing his tooth there.
Cheers.
Dan says
My kids love the Listerine mouth rinse! Totally makes brushing teeth for them more fun.
bushcampcafe says
My little granddaughter has a friend from mongolia and she told her that in mongolia when your tooth falls out you feed it to the dog with the belief that the dog has strong teeth and by feeding your baby tooth to it, it means that your other tooth will grow in strong like a dogs….my granddaughter said she is just happy that she doesn’t have to feed her tooth to her dog Lilly, and just let the toothfairy take it!
Janet says
My kids LOVE the dentist! and they want to make sure he is impressed with their efforts. We love the Listerine rinse it is a great way to check on their brushing and I love the measuring cap so there is no waste. Great product.
Cassandra says
My 2 year old started to HATE brushing. He would clamp his mouth shut and run away anytime he saw me pull his toothbrush out. I made up a silly song about brushing, and now he will giggle and run to the sink for brushing time! It also helps for us to have 2 brushes. One for him to hold and one for me to brush with!
Aliya D. says
There are so many unique and fun products out there for kids and dental care… We don’t do the “tooth fairy” in our household, just emphasize the reality of good oral care. The kids know what the alternatives are and I believe that they understand. But we make daily oral care a fun event by singing songs or playing games.
smartmama says
This just reminded me that I still have a piece of my son’s braces in my purse and have not yet given them to him.
What a trooper he was having had 2 years of retainers and then 5 years of braces (and retainers even now). When the braces finally came off, he did not want ever to see them again but I secretly asked the doctor to save a piece as this was all such a big part of his life.
Rinses played a major role in oral hygiene with the braces.
melfraserhorn says
Our oldest son is 8 years and 9 months, he started losing his baby teeth a little over 2 years ago. He has now lost 8 teeth and our second son has been asking for ages when he will start lose his teeth. We told him it might be sooner or later than his older brother. Now that he is past the age of when his brother began to lose his teeth, he is starting to get anxious as I will find him at the bathroom mirror examining his teeth and wiggling them. I have also heard him say more than once that he can not wait to lose his teeth so that the tooth fairy can make him rich like his brother!
drjess says
Trying to instill the habit of brushing teeth was sometimes trying for us with our daughter. We knew we had succeeded when she would make sure her favorite doll’s teeth were well- brushed every night before they went to bed.
freddybob says
My cute tooth story was when my son lost his tooth and being that he is my last child the Tooth Fairy was getting a bit lazy. One night my son put one of his teeth that he lost under the pillow and the next morning he told me that the tooth fairy never came so he would have to charge her interest for being late!
Tooth Fairy says
I’m a Certified Dental Assistant ( aka the Tooth Fairy ) and have a wee story to share. Once upon a time…my child lost his baby primary tooth at the park after a ball game. He was very upset because the tooth itself could not be found! So worried was he… that without a tooth there would be no coin$ under his pillow for his $weet reward from the Tooth Fairy. (Luckily I had saved some previously lost baby teeth of his.) I suggested to him that maybe when we undress him we would find the tooth caught up in underwear or clothing. I know this has happened to me when I lost an earring more than once. So then I quickly planted the formerly lost baby tooth on the carpet. When we threw off his clothes finding that tooth was such a fantastic surprise and relief for him. I think I destroyed the *magic* of that moment when I told him when he was a teen and had all his permanent teeth.
The End
mickey53 says
No cute tooth stories from me either. We didn’t go to the dentist often enough and when I was a teen I needed many fillings, they did 15 of them in 3 weeks. My how I dreaded those weekly visits and was glad when they were finally over. So much better now that kids don’t have these situations so much.
alice26 says
great flavours and helps with their teeth cleaning struggles to get rid of bacteria on their teeth
tempest1952 says
In the far distant mist of the past, on my fifteenth birthday I had my inaugural dental visit…and garnered an equal number of filled cavities! I’m glad that my children and grandchildren have had much better dental care, even though they do not love the braces that often mar their early teen years!
MadisonRobyn says
My 4 year old (3 last year during this story) had really bad teeth… very weak enamal. She ended up having to go for dental surgery as there was too much for our dentist to deal with in such a young mouth. She was very scared about going in for surgery, but the doctors were very nice (7 silver caps, 3 root canals, 2 partial root canals, and several smaller filling later) and they told her she was going to have silver Princess teeth that reallt made her feel better about it. I can’t imagine she would ever want to do that again… but she loves to brush those fancy teeth and make then Shine!
WestCoastMom says
I don’t know how much this is a cute story, but perhaps amusing for others. My daughter is seven and writes elaborate notes and requests lavish things every time, in exchange for her tooth of course. Even so far as to ask for a necklace last time. (figure out how to fulfill that on a Friday night at 11pm without crushing dreams! – the expensive way with a little dainty (real) gold one that we had tucked away, that’s how) Needless to say the sprite that comes to this house will be filing bankruptcy notice when she delivers the next shiny tooney, with a take it or leave it note! Funny, this fairy doesn’t seem to care what the other kids at school are getting any more – LOL!
JJ says
Our son is very attached to his baby teeth. Two had to be removed by the dentist as they were crowing his new teeth and they are proudly displayed in his bedroom for all to see.
sarahmlennox says
My daughter had a bad fall at her second birthday party that knocked out one of her front teeth. It was very traumatic for me, but of course she’s dealt with it impeccably well. She’s asked about the hole in her mouth often…by adults and kids. It makes her look a few years older than she is and I think she likes that sometimes.
babylove818 says
I love the Cars Movie packaging and I told hime that he has to hit every curve and corner like lightening McQueen. Sing a song brush. is the theme
srellok says
My son and his best friend both lost their first tooth on the same day, and it was the same tooth – top right!!
prairiegirl says
The tooth fairy forgot to come one night to get the tooth from under the pillow. We told our daughter that the tooth fairy got caught under another child’s pillow and couldn’t make it til the next night.
Sweets33 says
When my son’s 2 front teeth fell out, we started calling him our “Toothless Wonder”.
The next thing we knew, he was fabricating a cape and drawing a big tooth to stick on his shirt and was running around embracing his “super” status! LOL! We haven’t tried the Smart Rinse yet, but will definitely be buying some this week! 😀
emmyjr1 says
I wish this product had been around when my kids were little. My daughter still has her first baby tooth in a keepsake box (she is 15). She was unwilling to let go of it as well. The tooth fairy was kind enough to let her keep it. 🙂
suzanne says
Our dentist had used a coating on my kids molars at a very early age and they have never had a cavity and they are now 32 and 34.
Alina_R says
My son Alex had his first loose tooth and was nervous about it falling out. One fall day we made a trip to the apple orchard with our friends and their kids. Alex’s Godfather started horsing around with him while we picked apples. He was having so much fun and laughing up a storm, and then suddenly…out came the tooth! What a great and memorable way for a boy to lose his first tooth.
messybessey says
My kids are 2, 4 and 6 and they’re all good at brushing in the morning and before bed thanks to my eldest daughter who sets the trend for her younger siblings. The only challenge is that they don’t like any flavours of toothpaste very much, they’ve all decided that kids mint toothpaste is the lesser of all evils. Since they really don’t love the taste of mint, they rely on Listerine Smart Rinse and look forward to using it after brushing to wash away that minty toothpaste taste.
SO far we’ve had no cavities, the only time it’s difficult to get my kids to brush is (heaven forbid) if we run out of our Listerine Smart Rinse, thank you for making my kids dental routine a success! 🙂
lisa965 says
what a great rinse.my daughter never had any cavities until she was in her late 20,s but my granddaughter has 2. she is in her teens so i might just buy her some smartrinse.
rachelplouffe says
My son when he has a loose tooth would eat as many apples to make his tooth loose.
I told him apple pie doesn’t count.
Andrea says
When my son lost his first tooth it was quite the drama. He had been wiggling it for days, and couldn’t wait for it to come out. One night while he was brushing his teeth before bed, he called out “my tooth came out” and when I came running OF COURSE he had spit it into the sink and down the drain! He was beside himself, but armed with a wrench and a little determination, we got the pipe off and were able to find the tooth hiding in the U pipe! The tooth fairy came that night and all was well!
mtibergh says
We had our darling granddaughter in love with the tooth fairy very young because she lost her two front teeth when she was 3 years old. Over the years as she got older and her teeth started to fall out more naturally, the tooth fairy was our friend. Now that she is 10 years old and getting a little more savvy, I waited until she was sound asleep before I crept in to be the tooth fairy for one of the last times. The next morning, my granddaughter gets up, shows me her score from the night before, kisses me goodbye on her way to school and yells over her shoulder …. thanks for the money, I saw you last night!!! Nice try Grandma!
Ahhh…..they grow up too fast.
tracy says
My cousin was visiting when my daughter lost a tooth. She told us about a special ritual she did with her daughters. When they would loose a tooth they would leave a glass of water by their bed near the tooth. In the morning the water would be coloured. The colour would let them know the colour of the tooth fairies dress.
Every time my daughter looses a tooth, we leave a glass of water out to discover the dress colour. I think she likes finding out the dress colour more than finding what the tooth fairy has left for her.
heatherty says
We made the error…well…it’s debatable if it was an error per se…of referring to the “sugar bugs” on our son’s teeth a couple of years ago. He’s now 4. He’s still terrified of sugar bugs. As such, it’s easy to get him to brush every morning and evening, and for the proper length of time. We feel badly that he’s worried and have really tried to relieve his concerns, but at the same time, he has very healthy teeth!! Shining parenting moment? Discuss. lol
micbrasz says
at the rate my 6 yr old twins are losing teeth, I won’t have to worry about cavities because they’ll have no teeth left! All together we’ve lost 10 teeth in the last 6 months or so! The tooth fairy has been busy (and getting broke too). My 4.5 year old is very jealous of her sisters’ new found wealth!
Luet02 says
Our son loves his toothbrush that plays music!
taigakat says
My daughter lost her first tooth as she was so excited it fell out. Then she was upset that the tooth fairy wouldn’t come. We made a note for the tooth fairy and all worked out in the end,
freakygirl66 says
We don’t have any dentist experience yet
slp says
First tooth lost by my nephew and the tooth fairy came and left some money. She also left the tooth. had to think of a quick story that she always leaves the first tooth as a memory of the event.
Suzanneab says
We tested this product, our family loves it and it has become part of our daily routine!!
mj2busy says
The listerine smartrinse helps my son to get a cleaner mouth. it’s nice to have that in addition to brushing and the great flavour was an added bonus! What a great product to help parents help their children take more responsiblility in their oral care with less worry!
sojeles says
The only cute thing ever involving teeth in our house was my daughter when she had lost both front teeth. She constantly looked in the mirror and finally declared “I hope they grow back, because i’m pretty scary looking!”
My son was always impressed with himself because he could drink through a straw and not open his mouth when he lost a tooth.
AgnesM says
When my kids were little , my little girl was on the verge of losing a tooth but we were going to be away visiting grandparents and she was worried the tooth fairy wouldn’t know where she was if she lost her tooth. So we wrote a note for the tooth fairy(because she knows when you have loose teeth) and left it on top of the pillow telling the tooth fairy where she was going to be. Of course when she lost her tooth at grandma’s house, the tooth fairy came and left a note thanking her for letting her know where she was going to be and leaving a toonie! My little girl was thrilled!
ginette4 says
I remember when my daughter lost her tooth, she was getting at that age when they start to figure things out, well I put her money on the shelf in her room, because I thought I would forget it, well it turns out I did forget to put the money for 3 days 🙁 and she had noticed the money on her shelf but the little monkey didn`t say anything to me..well when I finally remembered to put the money I forgot to take the tooth, she got her money, tooth was still there and the money from the shelf was gone. she put everything together and told me that she knew that there`s no tooth fairy. lol
carriesworld says
My cutest story revolves around my youngest losing a tooth during dinner. Her tiny white tooth fell out of her mouth onto her plate….of RICE. We had to help her find her tooth, and boy was that an ordeal, it was like finding a needle in a haystack. We eventually found it and resumed dinner!
Debra B says
We let them pick out the toothpaste they want and the tooth brushes, so not so much of a battle anymore
kolby06 says
My children loved this product, as did I as a parent. It is very child friendly, they loved the taste 🙂
momof2 says
Our first trip to the dentist was a shocker; my darling daughter had 9 cavities!!! The doctor flat out accused me of sending her to bed with a bottle of juice. She had never even had juice period…let alone a bottle of it in bed. In fact, we had been vigilant since birth with her oral care. My husband used to dab her gums clean after a bottle and use an infant/toddler brush and paste when she was bigger. We were floored. The truth of the matter turned out to be very weak enamel that just let every raisin or sugary treat permeate straight through. Fast forward many years and thousands of dollars in dental treatments later, we insist on brushing three times and day and on rinsing with Listerine Smart Rinse. This is a smart decision for all of us and it gives us the peace of mind that everything that could be done has been done to avoid anymore visits from the Dentists Drill!
maggie1952 says
When one of my children lost a tooth, I had a tooth fairy book I read to them and then they would carefully put their tooth in a little tooth shaped package and place it under their pillow. Of course the tooth fairy came and exchanged the tooth for money. I saved all their teeth in an envelope with their name on it to show them when they’re older.
Iris says
When my daughter was seven she swallowed her loose tooth and was sad she had no tooth to leave for the Tooth Fairy. I suggested she write a note for the Tooth Fairy and explain what happened. The good Tooth Fairy was most understanding and she found a shiny loonie the next morning and was thrilled. (The Tooth Fairy still has that adorable note and drawing explaining what happened to the tooth.)
ninabergeron says
My son loved it at first sight! The picture of Batman and the blue mouth wash caught his attention right away, he couldn’t wait to give it a try. The bubble gum flavor made me happy, I knew he would like it. This mouth wash is now apart of my sons daily brushing routine.
janetm says
The tooth fairy is an important member of our household. Each child has a special little box to use for putting their teeth in to tuck under the pillow. One night I had no loonies and my daughter felt sorry for the tooth fairy who must have run out of money in her travels around the world.
porhay says
We loved the Batman character on the packaging, definitely peaked Caleb’s interest and desire to try the product. We both loved the flavour! I love that the fun bottle encourages kids to look forward to performing proper dental hygiene, hopefully instilling great habits for the years to come. Thank you Urban Moms and Listerine for the awesome opportunity to try! This will be our household favourite from now on.
ghisl says
My kids always loved brushing their teeth because we made it a game every night.
gizfarris says
My children would get really excited if they had more than one choice of toothpaste to choose from. Sometimes they wanted to brush their teeth 2 or 3 times in a row just to try them.
Bella says
My oldest is quite good at brushing his teeth and using a kids mouthwash. My youngest unfortunately just likes to eat the toddler toothpaste off the brush, so she will close her mouth as I am trying to brush her teeth so she can suck the toothpaste.
pairofdox says
In order for the kid to receive money from the tooth fairy, it was made clear that he had to keep up with his brushing on a daily basis as well. Every time when he neglects to brush properly, money will be deducted from the amount that he would’ve received from the tooth fairy originally.
Mia says
Thank you for the opportunity to let my son try this product. It really was helpful teaching him how to brush properly.
selbys says
Even though my kids are older, I remember brushing time well. My daughter had the brushing going well and when it was time for me to start brushing her brother’s teeth, she was by my elbow telling me what to do and she continued giving her help and advice to him for years.
selbys says
My kids are older now, but I remember brushing time well. My daughter had it figured out earlier since she is three years older. When it was time for her brother to start brushing, she was by my elbow telling me what to do and then carried on telling him how to do when he was a little older.
Nico says
My youngest son wanted some extra money to buy a new video game, so he pulled his slightly loose tooth out with a pair of tweezers because he knew the tooth fairy would pay him for it.
nicka says
The kids keep tabs on how much the tooth fairy pays out to each child, so the tooth fairy has to remember how much was given before!
margel says
My kids are light sleepers so the Tooth Fairy has to be very quiet and careful getting the tooth from under the pillow!
lucky says
We keep the kids teeth that have fallen out in a memory book with the dates the teeth were lost. They really love to look at the book as the years go by.
Shelly says
It seems that the tooth-fairy in our house needs to leave herself a note. Poor son had his tooth under his pillow for 3 nights before the tooth fairy remembered to visit him.
centis1999 says
My kids love using the mouthwash. they get excited when i buy it and wanna brush their teeth. They love going to the dentist also. It excites them when its their turn during the year to get a cleaning. They get a prize after their visit. the dentist has been very pleased with their teeth these last couple years. I believe its because i have introduced them to the smart rinse. My kids are 13, 9, 7, and 7 months. The baby already has 6 teeth also, so i have to make sure she has good cleaning habits.
Nate3333 says
Listerine Smart Rinse is a great product, I would recommend it to all the parents
Silvana says
Our household trys to keep things simple and easy. We follow the tooth fairy for the little ones, magic must makes their eyes light up. When their older is time soon enough for the truth.
loucheryl says
My son loves to brush his teeth, thankfully. He will be 3 years old in a few weeks and I just love to watch him brush his teeth. I stand beside him and help him finish cleaning his teeth all the time but yesterday he wanted to brush MY teeth. It was so cute. He went with his tooth brush close to my mouth and wanted to brush my teeth. So cute!
Happy Chinadoll says
My daughter had two bottom loose teeth. They were loose for over a week. I thought I might have fallen out by then. Then my mom checked on it and said that they were really loose so it should be easy to come out. So I pined my daughter down and gently push the bottom teeth and out they came.
Sarah says
My 6 year is great with brushing her teeth. She likes the Listerine mouthwash for kids too, looks forward to using it every night actually! She had her first dental check up at 4 years old and thank God she was cavity free. I make her brush her teeth twice a day and every time she has something sweet like candy or chocolate. My younger one is now 1 years old and I am thinking of taking him to the dentist soon.
MomOfOne says
My 5yr old son lost 3 teeth in one week. The “toothfairy” was caught off guard on the first tooth and wasn’t quite prepared. My husband only had a $5 bill in his pocket. Needless to say we had to follow suit on the next 2 that same week. :0)
Karri says
tquinn, we’ve had to use the rain story, too, at our house!! LOL!
Our cute story is that our oldest has lost quite a few teeth by now, and she’s taken to leaving something for the tooth fairy, in return for the money. This last time, she made a miniature card, and counted out 12 sequins into a tiny bag she sewed, so that the fairy could have some “bling” to take home. 😀 So cute. I hope she continues to believe in the tooth fairy, etc., for a few more years!
LL says
My funny “tooth” story was when my son was young and we were playing I SPY in the car. He spied something yellow and we were stumped. The answer was my husbands teeth. We still laugh about that one!
murphy says
My grandson was so excited to lose his teeth and put one under his pillow for the tooth fairy. Unfortunately, he swalled the first three that fell out and had to keep waiting for a new one to get loose.
caryn29 says
This product is awesome, my kids LOVE it
pinecone says
Anticipating the Tooth Fairy was always fun! She paid much more to my daughter than when I was a kid — LOL!
flower says
I remember when I got a dime !
spamgirl says
I have no cute tooth stories 🙁 only horrific, sad tales of busted teeth and other misery.
Guppy says
Luckily my 9 yr old has made it this far without a single cavity. He loves the Listerine Agent Blue and Smart rinses so crossed fingers for more cavity free years.
A cute story about teeth is when he was tiny and I was trying to find ways to get him to be compliant with brushing, I found he was obsessed with a ‘Little People’ princess toy. I would hide it in the bathroom and it would appear only when he was brushing his teeth! lol! He could hold it as long as he let me clean his teeth and then it would ‘disappear’ until the next time. This game worked for a couple years!
KaylaHummel says
Thanks for the opportunity to try Listerine Smart Rinse!! My daughter loves it and thinks it is super cool that it is just for her!! Mommy and Daddy can’t use it!! It is another defense in protecting her teeth as she is not the best at flossing!! She loves to brush her teeth and now does it 3 times a day so she can use HER smart rinse!! Thanks so much!!
vdarsigny says
My 5 years old found it a little bit too strong but she is still using it because her dentist told her it was good for her teeth 🙂
andreea says
i hag no idea that babies should visit the dentist before they turn 1..i guess it’s time to book an appointment for my 16 months old little boy.
dplavins says
My almost 15 year old son had a mouth full of cavities by the time he was 7, hundreds of dollars in dental work. It was an ongoing battle to get him to brush, even after all that dental work! I wish we had tried a rinse like this back then, my daughter was one of the products testers on this one, and it’s great. At least my son brushes and flosses now,although I suspect its because he wants to impress the ladies!
daystar says
my middle child has been hearing all the tooth fairy tales and gifts and one day when I walked into her room, she was trying to yank her teeth out as they wouldnt fall – she was only 4. lol
Debbie Spence says
Our 12 year old has great teeth. He brushes his teeth twice a day and uses the rinse. He doesn’t floss, but he has no problems with his teeth.
tquinn says
My cute story involves the tooth fairy forgetting to come one night….Well fortunately there was a bit of a rain storm the same night so when my son was telling us about the tooth fairy not coming, we explained that the tooth fairy’s wings wouldn’t be able to fly in the rain. He seemed ok with that and the next night the tooth fairy came and gave double the amount of money to make up for it (i.e. guilt money!). Now, each time my son looses a tooth, he checks the weather forecast and hopes (aloud – nice reminder of my guilt!) for no rain!
buttercup123 says
My five year old son love to use Smart Rince every day, thanks to Listerine who made this easy and enjoyable for my son to take care of his teeth by himself 🙂
tambolim says
My daughter loves the Tinkerbell rinse. I love the added cavity protection it provides.
sensfan4eva says
My son has never had cavities and he still has not lost a tooth. He loves keeping his teeth clean and he knows that once he loses his tooth the tooth fairy will come and if his teeth are cavity free the tooth fairy pays more money to you.
travelbuds says
My 6 year old daughter had a lose tooth but wouldn’t let either myself or her dad pull it out or touch it. Then one day she was playing her Wii game and hit her mouth with the remote. Then came running over to me and her mouth was bleeding saying her mouth was ripped open. I just told her she knocked her tooth out and all was fine. Then we had the hard job of finding the tooth in the carpet but we did.
Stef_C* says
We go to a dentist office where there are several dentists working out of the same office. I don’t have a preference for one over the other so i just make appointments for a time that is convienient and whoever is there is fine.
I have a thumb sucker in the house. She is almost 4 and we’ve been trying to break the habbit for two years now. Nothing has worked. Last year when she turned 3 she got Dr. Ava for the first time. Dr Ava is very firendly but also very stern and loud when she is explaining something (she has a european accent as well). She took one look at Cadie’s teeth and knew that she was a thumb sucker. She very firmly in her loud booming voice told Cadie that that it was not ok. For about two weeks Cadie stopped cold turkey, then it started again only in her sleep and when you tell her to stop or pull it out she does. Its not intentional but it still continues.
We had another visit with Dr. Ava recently and when Dr. Ava asked her if she was still sucking her thumb Cadie nodded her head in silence. Dr. Ava gave her the stern talking to again about how she is breaking her teeth and that she needs to stop. When Dr. Ava was done with her lecture Cadence under her breath stated “you’re bad, baddest in the world” I think she’s mad that Dr. Ava is trying to break her bad habbit.
pamr says
The last 2 times my kids have lost teeth, Mr. & Mrs. Tooth Fairy did not talk to each other before leaving money underneath their pillows; my children got a small fortune for their baby teeth
tink30 says
My daughter keeps all her lost teeth in little pouches that she sews herself. She is 9 years old. The tooth fairy always leaves her tooth behind with some money because she knows my daughter likes to save the teeth.
kalypso18 says
My daugher recently had a loose tooth and after having lost 4 already was very excited at the propect of getting another toonie from the tooth fairy.
She left to go to visit her Grandparents for a week in B.C. and I asked her what she thought would happen if she lost her tooth at Grandma’s house.
After a few thoughtful moments, her eyes lit up and she said “Mommy, I think that Grandma’s tooth fairy probably has more money and will leave my more than just a toonie!”
Tara.duncan@shaw.ca says
I was driving my youngest daughter home from soccer and we were talking about the game. All of a sudden she started screaming at the top of her lungs – I almost drove off the road. When I finally calmed her down to find out what was wrong, she told me she’d used her teeth to open her water bottle and a non-loose tooth popped right out! They were screams of happiness, but between the sound and the blood I thought we were driving straight to the emergency! Thankfully we weren’t!
cksSinfulcksmith says
My daughter loves this product and looks forward to brushing her teeth. Thank you!!
kleisander says
Listerine is awesome. My kids love the batman one!
ginger says
Kids look forward to oral care now…seemed there was always a battle but thanks to Listerine we have a ceasefire now! They actually look forward to it!
Anu says
We are relieved that now after using the Listerine SmartRinse, my son is getting fewer cavities at each checkup!
Jeannie says
I love this product and so does my six year old. We have ended the oral care battle in our home. My son is now thrilled that he is a big boy and takes care of brushing his own teeth. We both take turns making some silly faces in the mirror and I watch him brush his teeth all by himself. The best part is when he uses the rinse, he is able to measure the product independently and uses a sand timer to time his 30 seconds of swishing. Luka is able to see if he has missed any gunk on his teeth when he brushed. Luka is so proud when standing on his stool brushing his own teeth like a big boy and I am so proud that I know my son has a clean healthy mouth. The Car’s graphics were perfect on the bottle it let my son know that this product was specifically for him. (know if only they made this product geared for husband’s lol). Thanks for the opportunity to test this product, we will continue to use it.
Ava says
My son lost his first tooth a few weeks ago and it was so cute. He knew that the tooth fairy would come so we placed the tooth in a bag that way it won’t fall off his bed he was scared that the tooth failry wouldn’t get his tooth and he wouldn’t get his money. LOL. Once it was under his pillow he wouldn’t sleep on that pillow becuasce he said he could crush the toothe fairy and he didn’t want to hurt her. I tried to explain to him that he willnot crush the tooth fairy as she is strong and can lift his head up to put the money under his pillow. It was to cute and so sweet
ami1975 says
We actually have our first loose tooth in our household and we’re patiently awaiting our first visit from the tooth fairy. My little boy says she’s only as big as his thumb so she has to be careful when going under pillows to get the tooth that she doesn’t get squished 😀
Hayley925 says
My ten year old is not always the best at brushing her teeth, but now that she has Listerine Smart Rinse, I feel a little better about fighting cavities!
catamorgan says
My youngest daughter was always terrified with a loose tooth. She would rather that we pulled it out for her than let it fall out naturally.. Her sister was the opposite and would often twist her own loose teeth as far as she could stand it, and giggle. 17 months apart in age.. Two very different girls!
shar108 says
My first born had his first cavity at 5 and I felt horrible. The dentist asked me if he liked to eat candy. He ate healthy and hardly got any treats so this bothered me. The cavity was between the teeth so I felt better about that somehow but it taught us that flossing is very important in small kids. So 6 years later no other cavities. He’s gotten really good about flossing with the floss picks.
michpetea says
My girls loved Listerine Smart Rinse because it was great tasting. My 8 year old still struggles with brushing and flossing correctly. Smart Rinse gives us another line of defence in promoting healthy oral hygiene. Happy to say her last dental visit this month proved effective with no cavities.
As a mom of 3 on a budget I enjoy the proper portion cap that doesn’t allow wastage that we sometimes get with other dental rinses.
srenzi says
Last year at the cottage, my son lost one of his teeth. Of course he believes in the tooth fairy and was excited about losing his tooth at the cottage. He couldn’t wait for the tooth fairy to see the cool cottage we were in. He also said that since she had to travel so far, she could give him less money. Thank goodness for that 🙂
amyg14 says
I really appreciate that my daughter is excited to brush her teeth now, because she gets to use HER SmartRinse! It’s not unusual for Simone to brush 3 times a day without any prompting!
Werep says
It doesn’t seem to matter how well my children’s teeth get brushed 3 out of 4 of them required dental surgery by the age of three. We were told they have deep teeth and brushing just didn’t cut it. We started seeing a dentist at the sign of a first tooth and by the third check up on our third born, dental surgery was schedualed, pulpotamies and caps. It is so frustrating. Unfortunately iwhen my daughter had her teeth fixed at this young age her dentist gave her a stuffed cat and at 10 years old it is the only thing she cannOt sleep without.
tinac2 says
My kids love this product. It was so simple for them to use. They actually WANT to use it. We’ve never had a product thy liked using. I have an 11 year old daughter with Down syndrome who usually refuses to try new things and she loves it and asks to use it frequently!!!! Love, love, love this product. We will definaty continue buying it.
Brenda says
My son and his friend had been both losing their teeth around the same time. While getting ready for bed one night, I told my son that he had to put his tooth under his pillow if he wanted the Tooth Fairy to come. He said “No, I want to save them up and do it all at once, like Adam (his friend).”. I asked what he meant. He said “Adam is saving his up so he can cash them all out at once. He has 5 teeth saved up so far and will get a lot of money at once!”. Five years later, he still has a baggy full of teeth in his room. I don’t think it will ever make it under his pillow. LOL!
dancinggrape says
This product is great! My daughter just loves using it!
Carrie says
My oldest is quite good at brushing her teeth but I still regularly do a Mommy brush to make sure 🙂 Both kids are going to the dentist today in fact…fingers crossed we are cavity free!!
sam says
When my son was about 3 I remember asking him if he would like to try some blueberries. His reply…..no thanks they scare my teeth!!! To this day he still won’t try blueberries.
Karen says
We’ve been lucky. I have never had a cavity, and so far, my son hasn’t either (8 yrs old). However, his baby teeth don’t seem to want to come out on their own! A year or two ago, the dentist decided that it was time to pull out two of his baby teeth, as the adult teeth were fully grown in behind. My son happily went along to the dentist, had his teeth pulled with no drama and then, when I went to take his picture, he actually smiled! I made him do another shot and told him to “look miserable”. He hammed it up for the camera and looked so pathetic – but there was still a smile in his eyes!
kelephant says
Thanks for the opportunity to have my daughter participate in this product evaluation.
At 7.5 yrs old, she has only lost one baby tooth. Since junior kindergarden she has come home when classmates have lost teeth asking “when am I going to have a wiggly tooth mama ? ”
I keep telling her that the longer she has her baby teeth, the stronger her grownup teeth will be.
And now we have Listerine Smart Rinse to add to our arsenal of strong healthy teeth !
katieo says
I just love the anticipation of the tooth fairy!
melmarcil says
Both my kids enjoy this product…even my son uses my daughter’s fairies mouthwash 🙂 That’s why I suggested a more gender neutral format, so parent’s wouldn’t have to buy 2 kinds when they have a boy and girl! Its so much easier now getting their bedtime routine down, they take their Listerine and we take ours…so they’re doing it like the grown-ups!
colder88 says
Thank you for the opportunity for trying this product. It was a great one and my family love to use it everyday now. Thank you again !
spikedpikes says
We tested this product, my daughter loved it, and it has become part of our daily routine!! Thanks for the opportunity 🙂
nikkialeta says
I struggle a bit with my two year old, she’s starting to make it part of her morning and evening routine, as it’s part of ours. The best way we get her excited about it is by having a special toothbrush and two different kinds of toothpaste for her to choose from. Either one she chooses is fine, but she feels like she’s “winning”.
bluejellybean says
He kept wanting to brush again if any darker coloured spots were spit out
ChickyMara says
When my son was little, he had very deep pits in his molars. Every time he ate raisins, it looked like he had huge black cavities in his teeth, and we had to pick out the raisins with a toothpick. I wish, actually, that there had been a kids rinse like this new Listerine we tried. It would have been much easier than corralling a squirming kid and picking at his teeth with a little stick!
pinkrose says
One of the better products we tried for our kid. He had fun imitating mommy and daddy and at the same time he was making sure his mouth was clean