I fondly remember my mom leaning over the bathroom sink with me and giving me my first "grown-up toothbrush." Actually, it is one of my earliest memories. I remember brushing my teeth with my sister's "Pearl Drops Tooth Gel" (am I showing my age?).

I just returned from a week-long trip with all of my nieces and nephews in Disney World. For those of you who know me, my parenting skills are lacking, to say the least. I figure... spoil the child, get less of a hassle. Much to my surprise, morning regimens before departing for the parks was pretty fluid. Six kids, three bathrooms... things went pretty smoothly. I did a little check on the kids' oral health habits and was surprised to find that ONLY one of the kids (a 15-year-old boy with type 1 diabetes and braces) had brought floss with them. 2 of the 6 kids tried to get out of the hotel room without brushing.

I tried my best to give a "cool/hip lecture" on the benefits of good oral health. Unfortunately, my message fell on deaf ears. There was definitely a "not me" attitude among the kids. I talked to them about my dental implant, my veneers and my scaling and root planings... blank stares glared back at me.

Kids are too distracted. Justin Bieber's new haircut is more important than a "fresh, kissable mouth." I remember being 7 years old and wanting that "fresh, kissable mouth." How does an oral health professional get their message through to this generation? There is no “silver bullet” answer, but I am open to any and all suggestions. Oh, and they were ALL oblivious to what a Registered Dental Hygienist was; apparently, their pedodontist doesn't employ one. I still haven't had the conversation with my sister-in-law yet.

I guess I should just be happy that the kids DID brush their teeth... even if the toothpaste had sparkle flakes in it?!?!

-Michael McCarthy, Lanmark360 CSO/Managing Partner