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MomRN Talks Podcasting for Parent Bloggers at BlogWorld LA 2011

October 29, 2011 By 1 Comment

BlogWorld LA is taking Los Angeles by storm in a few days and MomRN will be there as a speaker and first-time attendee. I can’t wait!!!

BlogWorld & New Media Expo is the premiere blogging conference in the U.S. With between 4,000 to 5,000 attendees, it is the largest and most well-known conference for bloggers. It has grown so much, in fact, that the organizers decided that this year needed TWO BlogWorlds – one on each coast! BlogWorld NY was held this past spring and now it is time for BlogWorld LA in sunny CA.

I’m very much looking forward to the whole experience of attending and speaking at my first BlogWorld & New Media Expo! After having wanted to attend in the past but not being able to, I jumped at the chance to go when I was asked to be a speaker on the Type A Parent Track this year at BlogWorld LA. I’m sure it will be a time of intense learning, lots of networking, and crazy fun!

If you will be attending BlogWorld LA, I’d like to extend a personal invitation to my session, Podcasting for Parent Bloggers.

Here’s a little video I made about the Podcasting for Parent Bloggers session and BlogWorld LA:

 

I will be sharing tips with other parent bloggers on how to get started in the exciting world of internet radio and podcasting. Podcasting and internet radio are incredibly powerful tools to further your blog’s reach and value and can increase your monetization opportunities. The Ask MomRN Show started on traditional terrestrial radio and moved online 3 1/2 years ago and it was the best decision ever to expand what we can offer you. So I’m honored to share my experiences and tips with parent bloggers who are considering starting a podcast or internet radio show.

In this session, we’ll discuss how to start a podcast, where to broadcast, how to develop a theme and topics, get regular guests and how to market your podcast to build an audience. I promise to pack as much valuable information and helpful tips into our short hour together and will do my best to answer everyone’s questions!

My co-speaker for this session was Maria Bailey of MomTalkRadio.com and I was thrilled to be sharing the session with her when we were asked to speak together. Unfortunately, Maria has had a scheduling conflict arise and will be unable to attend BlogWorld LA after all (We will miss you, Maria!!!). My presentation will be incorporating some of her research and contributions into the session so you will still get the benefit of some of Maria’s podcasting expertise.

Here’s a little more info about me and the Podcasting for Parent Bloggers session:

Time, Day, Location:

4:00 PM to 5:00 PM – Fri. Nov. 4th in Room 515 B
Don’t have your ticket to BlogWorld LA yet? It’s not too late and if you use this code, you can save 20%!

Use the BWEVIP20 discount code to get 20% off a BWE pass

There is also a Virtual Ticket option if you can’t make it out to Los Angeles!

I’m so excited to be attending BlogWorld LA and hope to meet all of you! Come to my session and let’s talk! If you miss my session, find me in the hallway and say Hi! See you there!

 

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The Adventures of MomRN at BlogHer 2011: Part Two

October 29, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Way back in August (yes, I KNOW this post is WAY overdue) I attended the BlogHer 2011 conference in gorgeous San Diego. It was a fun-filled, super busy few days and I loved it!

One of the opportunities I was given at BlogHer was to meet and work with several people from a fairly new company called BillMyParents. A couple of weeks before the conference BMP’s PR rep emailed and asked if I’d be interested in learning about their company, trying out their service, and working at their booth in the BlogHer expo hall. BillMyParents offers a pre-paid Mastercard for teenagers 13 years old and up. Parents (and grandparents and other relatives and friends) can add funds to the card and both the parents and teens can track spending and balances. They promote it as being better than cash because you can track the spending, put a hold on the card if it gets lost or your teen gets grounded, and you can use it to teach your teen about financial responsibility and credit cards without the risk of debt. BillMyParents sent my son a card so we could try out the service and we are continuing to use it, as it is very convenient. I truly enjoyed working alongside the BMP people and the other bloggers who gave their time to be at the booth to share about our experiences using the card. Thanks, BMP!

Here is a picture of me at the BillMyParents booth taken by one of my fabulous roommates, Karen of CommunicationsGoddess.net (Thanks, Karen!!!):

 

 

 

I promised you in Part One that I’d share the celebrities I met and interviewed at BlogHer this year. There were several celebs at various events and parties at BlogHer including Mario Lopez, Ricki Lake, Wendi McLendon-Covey, Giuliana Rancic, and fun characters such as Ronald McDonald, the Jimmy Dean Sun, the Swiffer Dust character, Pillsbury Doughboy, and the Pringles Man, and a few others. Unfortunately, I was too busy to meet most of them. But I did get to meet and interview one guest that many people were very excited about seeing.

Among the celebrity guests was actress Jane Lynch, who was there with author Rosalind Wiseman (author of Queen Bees and Wannabes) to represent LG’s Text Ed campaign for safe texting and cell phone responsibility. I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing them together in the LG suite on Saturday morning of the conference. Despite the aggressive and sometimes downright mean personality traits of some of Jane’s tv and movie roles, Jane herself was friendly, funny, and engaging. It was wonderful to talk with her and Rosalind and learn more about the LG Text Ed campaign and why they got involved in it. You can watch Jane’s videos on LG’s website and when I have my interview video edited and ready to post, I’ll share it here on MomRN. In the meantime, here is a still shot from our interview:

MomRN with Jane Lynch and Rosalind Wiseman at BlogHer 2011

 

And just in case you are wondering, yes, that is the same shirt I’m wearing in the pic above at the BMP booth! I had to rush from my interview to work at the booth with no time to change, so I had to wear the BMP bright orange shirt for the interview. Normally I would dress much more professionally to meet and interview a celeb, but you do what you have to do. And Jane was wearing orange too so I guess we sort-of, somewhat, kind of matched, right?

In addition to interviewing Jane and Rosalind, I was interviewed a couple of times myself by Johnson & Johnson and EmpowHER. Here are those interviews:

 

(There’s that bright orange shirt – again!)

 

 

All in all, I had a great time at BlogHer and can’t wait for next year! It was awesome to see familiar faces and friends and wonderful to meet so many new people too. I had the pleasure of having the funniest, sweetest roommates too so I want to give a big shout-out and thank you to them for making BlogHer such a fun time! Thanks, Tammy, Karen, and Jenna!

Can’t wait for next year!

Disclosure: BillMyParents compensated me for the time I worked at their booth but did not sponsor or in any way compensate me for this post (or for wearing their bright orange shirts in my interviews and pictures, LOL!). Also, I was not compensated in any way by LG, Johnson & Johnson, or EmpowHER or anyone else mentioned in this post.

 

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Smart Packing Tips for Family Trips

October 23, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Thanks to Tervis for sponsoring my writing. Visit their website http://www.tervis.com to learn more about the world’s first smart cup.

vintage suitcases

This set is almost identical to the large suitcase and train case I've had since I was a kid!

 

This year has been a busy travel year for my family. Some trips we’ve gone on together, some separately, but all of them had at least one thing in common – packing! Packing for your travels can be made a little easier if you have some tips and tricks up your sleeve to help you remember everything you need to take on your trip.

Here’s a few things I have found helpful for our family:

Make a list

One of the best ways to ensure you don’t forget to pack something important is to take some time before packing to make a list of everything you and each member of your family will need on the trip. Of course, that will vary depending on the nature of the trip, the weather at your destination, ages of your family members, etc. If your kids are young, you will most likely be packing for them, but if they are older and can pack for themselves then help them make a list so they don’t forget anything. Let them know how many toys or other items they can bring and how many bags they are allowed to pack.

Don’t want to make your own list? Several templates and printable checklists for various types of trips are available just by searching “travel packing list”. Making a list and then checking off the items as they go into the suitcase can prevent that “Oh No! I forgot to pack THAT” feeling after you get to your destination.

Laundry

Having everything washed and ready a day or two before you need to pack can help prevent last-minute washing and drying and stuffing partially damp clothing into suitcases at the last second. (Um, yeah, been there-done that and got the damp t-shirt.) If possible, get everything washed and dried, then put them straight into the suitcases to prevent anyone from wearing their favorite shirt that just HAS to go on the trip with them but is sitting in the dirty clothes the night before your trip because they wore it that day. (Yes, I speak from experience here – again!)

And speaking of laundry, if you will have access to laundry facilities and will be traveling for more than a few days, you may want to pack some laundry detergent and save yourself some suitcase space by bringing fewer clothes. Especially if you are flying and can save on baggage fees by taking fewer clothes and suitcases. I prefer not to do laundry while on vacation so I usually pack enough clothes for every day plus one extra outfit for each person, but there have been a handful of trips over the years that we packed fewer outfits and did laundry at the hotel or at a laundry mat.  The nice thing about that was coming home with less dirty laundry to deal with after our trip. (Don’t you hate unpacking and having to wash all those dirty clothes?)

Use storage baggies in various sizes

If you are flying, remember not to pack any liquids in your carry-on luggage unless they are less than 3 oz and can fit into a 1 qt. storage/sandwich baggie. Plastic bags can be good for your checked luggage as well. Liquids like shampoo, shaving cream, hairspray, and other toiletries can sometimes leak in your suitcase, especially if the air pressure affects them. Having them in sealed plastic baggies can keep your clothes and other items safe and dry if anything leaks. Clothes can be packed in oversize baggies either by type or by outfit. Plastic baggies are great for packing jewelry, electronics, charging cords, shoes, and almost anything else. This can help you organize your suitcase and makes it easier to unpack at your destination.

Medications and necessities

At least a week before your trip, check all your family’s prescription medications to determine if you will need to refill them before your trip. Also check all toiletries and necessities to see if you have enough for your trip. If not, you can get them purchased so you won’t have to make a last-minute trip to the store when it is time to start packing. A good way to make sure no one forgets a toothbrush (and other items that will have to be used shortly before you leave on your trip) is to buy an extra one for each family member and pack the extras.

Clean out your purse and wallet

Before every trip, I clean out my purse and wallet and only take the essentials. If you won’t be needing all those store credit cards or rewards cards, or if you have several credit cards but only really need to use one or two, take only what you will need for the trip. If something should happen to your purse or wallet on the trip, you will have a much easier time replacing a few items rather than several.

Packing doesn’t have to be stressful if you follow these tips before your next trip. Good luck and Happy Travels!

 

I was selected for this sponsorship by the Clever Girls Collective. To learn more about Tervis, visit their website http://www.tervis.com.

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Teaching children healthy dental habits

October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Dental health affects not only our mouths but can impact our overall health and well-being so it is extremely important that we teach our children at a young age how to care for their teeth and gums. That is why MomRN is sharing this guest post from TopDentists.com who offered their tips for teaching our kids how to develop healthy dental habits they can use for the rest of their lives.

Teaching children healthy dental habits
by TopDentists.com

It is easy to forget how important dental care is. After all, taking care of your teeth is not exactly an exciting process. It is relatively boring, and involves a number of care-taking tasks that simply add to the routine each night and morning, and are often tempting to forget or ignore. However, the risks of not properly caring for your teeth are substantial, as unhealthy teeth can be both unattractive and painful, and generally poor oral hygiene can lead to negative side effects, and even disease in some cases. This is why, as parents, it is our responsibility to instill proper habits in, and teach proper techniques to our children when it comes to dental care. For more information on this topic, please visit http://www.topdentists.com/.

Also, the following tips should be particularly helpful.

•           To begin with, make sure that your children understand when and how often to brush their teeth. Ideally, they will brush three times each day; however, the most essential times to brush are in the morning and before bed at night. At least twice, and preferably three times each day, your children should brush for 2-3 minutes.

•           More importantly, make sure that your children understand how to brush with proper technique and thoroughness. Brushing for 3 minutes at a time is no use if the brushing is lazy or ineffective. Teach your children how to brush with the right amount of pressure (too little and teeth don’t get clean but too much can damage enamel and flatten toothbrush bristles and render them useless), and hit the grooves and in-between spaces, in order to properly clean their teeth. Your child’s dentist or dental hygienist can also show your child how to use proper brushing technique.

•           You definitely want to teach your children to floss at a very early age. Many adults are too lazy to floss, or assume that this is an unnecessary aspect of dental care. However, flossing does much to clean between the teeth, and can prevent gums disease. If you teach your children about flossing when they are young, you can instill it as a habit.

•           If your child is old enough to not swallow mouthwash, they can use it after brushing, or at intervals during the day. This can be a nice supplemental cleaning process, and can also maintain good breath and white teeth for your children. (MomRN’s note: Mouthwash should be used under parental supervision and kept out of children’s reach when not in use.)

All of these tips can go a long way toward helping your children to have good dental techniques. Once you teach them the habits and techniques described above, they will be well equipped to practice them throughout their lives. As dental care is something that seems to sort of set in over time, it is very important to approach the subject early on, so that your children will always enjoy healthy teeth and mouths.

Disclosure: This guest post is brought to you by TopDentists.com. These tips and recommendations are of a general nature and not intended to replace your dentist, physician, or health care provider’s guidance and supervision.

 

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Pledge for better vision giveaway from VSP Vision Care

October 19, 2011 By 72 Comments

 

“Eyes are the windows to the soul” (so the saying goes) and eye health is an essential part of our overall well-being. If you are a listener of the Ask MomRN Show, you have likely heard vision expert Dr. Justin Bazan share eye health information and tips a couple of times courtesy of VSP Vision Care. In case you missed those episodes, you can listen to them here and here.

Now VSP is offering a special giveaway to MomRN readers and Ask MomRN Show listeners and you can enter by taking their Eye Pledge for better vision. The icing on the cake? By taking the pledge, you are also helping a child receive eye exams and if needed, a pair of glasses.

One of the most important exams in a students’ school year isn’t administered in the classroom, but rather in the optometrist’s office. For millions of children around the U.S., vision problems that go undetected, and a lack of access to eye exams and glasses, make learning a challenge. To provide children in need with quality eyecare, VSP® Vision Care (VSP) launched the Eye Pledge campaign, which will provide up to 50,000 free eye exams and glasses to Boys & Girls Club kids around the country, with a value of more than $19 million.

VSP, the largest not-for-profit vision benefits and services company in the United States, launched the Eye Pledge campaign to support and promote the importance of healthy vision. People nationwide are encouraged to give back by taking the Eye Pledge at www.SeeMuchMore.com and selecting either their local Boys & Girls Club or choosing to donate to a Club with the greatest need. For every Eye Pledge taken, a gift certificate, valid for a comprehensive eye exam and, if needed, a pair of glasses, will be donated by VSP.

“Boys & Girls Clubs of America believes that every child can achieve a great future,” said Sharon Hemphill, senior director of health and life skills at Boys & Girls Clubs of America (BGCA). “We are dedicated to helping them get there and are thankful for our partners such as VSP, whose Eye Pledge provides critical services to our Club kids that helps to eliminate just some of the health and wellness challenges they face every day.”

For more information about the VSP Eye Pledge campaign and to take the pledge, please visit www.SeeMuchMore.com. The site also includes an interactive, virtual savings calculator to learn about savings with VSP vision benefits, allows users to browse the latest eyewear styles, and provides helpful information about healthy vision.

MomRN is proud to partner with VSP Vision Care to offer this giveaway for a $200 Visa gift card!

Here are the details:

Mandatory entry requirements (Must complete both to be entered)

Visit www.SeeMuchMore.com and take the Eye Pledge

Return to MomRN and leave a comment telling us you took the pledge and why eye health matters to you

Bonus entries (optional and worth 1 extra entry each)

Follow MomRN on Twitter

Visit Ask MomRN Show’s Facebook page (and “like” it if you like us)

Follow VSP Vision Care on Twitter

Visit VSP Vision Care’s Facebook page (and “like” it if you like them)

Leave a comment for each bonus entry in addition to the comment for the mandatory entry.

This giveaway is open only to U.S. residents ages 18 and up. (My apologies to our reader and listeners outside the United States and/or younger than 18. We try to provide giveaways open to everyone whenever we can but it is not always possible. We value you just as much though!)

The giveaway ends Sunday, October 30, 2011 at 11:59 pm Eastern Time Zone.

Good luck and I look forward to your comments sharing why eye health matters to you!

UPDATE: We have a winner!

Congratulations to Tammy Mitchell for being commenter #71!

(The winner was chosen using Random.org to randomly choose a number out of all comments that were left before the giveaway deadline. Comments were numbered in order from first to last.)

True Random Number Generator

 71 Powered by RANDOM.ORG

Thanks for entering and even though the giveaway is over, you can still take the Eye Pledge and help out the kids at Boys & Girls Clubs of America who need eye exams and glasses.

Disclosure: VSP Vision Care provided one $200 Visa gift card for this giveaway and will send it directly to the winner. MomRN received no compensation of any kind for this post. Thanks, VSP, for offering such a fabulous giveaway for MomRN readers and listeners!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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MomRN and Sunstar GUM’s Cold and Flu Season Tip #4

October 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Flu Shots and Your Family

 

One of the best ways for most people to stop the flu before it starts is to get a flu shot. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend “universal” flu vaccination to provide the most protection to more people. The seasonal flu vaccine offers protection from the 3 influenza viruses researchers have determined to be the most prevalent for each flu season.

 

The flu vaccine is available in 4 different forms:

  • The regular shot approved for people ages 6 months and older
  • A high-dose flu shot for people ages 65 and older
  • An intradermal (injected into the skin instead of into muscle) flu shot approved for ages 18 to 64.
  • A nasal-spray flu vaccine for use in healthy people ages 2 through 49 without certain medical conditions.

 

When and where to get the flu vaccine:

Flu season typically begins in October and can last as late as May. The CDC recommends getting the flu vaccine as soon as it is available in your area, as early as August or as late as October. After the vaccine, it usually takes 2 weeks to develop antibodies to the flu viruses and have immunity to them so the earlier you can get the vaccine, the better. Flu vaccines are offered in most doctors’ offices, health departments, some pharmacies, and may also be available at flu shot clinics set up at workplaces and schools.

 

Who should not get the flu vaccine?

There are some people who should not get a flu vaccine without first consulting a physician. These include people who have a severe allergy to chicken eggs, people who have had a severe reaction to an influenza vaccination, children younger than 6 months of age (influenza vaccine is not approved for this age group), and people with a history of Guillain–Barré Syndrome. Also, if you have a moderate to severe illness with a fever, you should not get the vaccine until the illness is over.

Consult with your doctor to determine whether the flu vaccine is recommended for you and your family members.

MomRN would like to thank Sunstar GUM for sponsoring the cold and flu tips series and I hope it has helped you prepare your family for this season. You can stock up on all your dental health supplies by visiting the Sunstar GUM online store or by using the store locator to find their products in a store near you.

UPDATE: After this posted, Sunstar GUM contacted me to offer all of you a special discount!

MomRN readers and Ask MomRN Show listeners can save 25% off and get free shipping on any order of $15 or more now through November 15, 2011 by using the promo code MOMRN when you check out!

 

Disclosure: The cold and flu season series is sponsored by Sunstar GUM. These tips and recommendations are of a general nature and not intended to replace your physician or health care provider’s guidance and supervision.

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Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition discusses global nutritional issues for children

October 10, 2011 By Leave a Comment

 

Childhood obesity has been an ongoing problem over the last several years in the United States and is also becoming an issue in other countries as Western influences have changed eating habits on a worldwide level. The Barilla Center for Food & Nutrition (BCFN) is concerned about the nutritional needs of children around the world and will host an informative live webinar this week to discuss global childhood nutritional issues and what actions are required of families, schools, and pediatricians to insure children receive proper and healthy nutrition.

The BCFN was founded in 2009 by the Barilla company (yes, the makers of those yummy Italian pastas and sauces!) as “a multi-disciplinary think-tank gathering world’s best knowledge and expertise on food and nutrition, in relation to people, environment, science and economy. The primary objective of the BCFN is to provide scientific studies and formulate proposals for international decision and opinion makers.” (Guido Barilla, Chairman)

The Nutrition and Children: Sustainable Models for the Future Generations webinar will be held on Tuesday, October 11, 2011 from 11 am to 12 pm Eastern Time at  http://www.barillacfn.com/en/cibo-e-bambini.

The webinar will be moderated by British journalist Alex Thomson.

Speakers for the webinar include:

  • John Cook Ph.D., M.A.Ed., Research Scientist and Co-Principal Investigator at Children’s HealthWatch, Boston – Cook’s research interests include examining the effects of hunger, food security and energy security on children’s health and ways to increase access to affordable, healthy food.
  • Robert Lustig MD, Professor of Clinical Pediatrics, University of California at San Francisco – Lustig is Director of the Weight Assessment for Teen and Child Health Program (WATCH) at the University of California at San Francisco.
  • Claudio Maffeis MD, Head of the Clinical Nutrition and Obesity Unit, University of Verona, Italy – Maffeis is Vice President of the European Childhood Obesity Group and Chair of the Childhood Obesity Research Group of the Italian Society of Pediatric Endocrinology and Diabetology.

Why should you attend this webinar?

“According to the BCFN, healthy growth and development requires an integrated approach between the family, school and pediatricians in the educating new generations on the relationship between food, health and well-being during childhood and adolescence.”

Our children’s health depends upon healthy nutrition. Keeping them healthy throughout adulthood depends upon educating our children and future generations on how to eat healthy in our increasingly fast-food, convenience-packaged meals society. This webinar will discuss the actions that we can take as parents, and actions we can encourage in our schools and doctors, to educate children on proper eating and lifestyle habits.

 

 

To learn more about Tuesday’s webinar and to participate in the discussion, you are invited to join in on Twitter by following BCFN at @BarillaCFN and share your thoughts and comments by using the webinar hashtag #SustainOurChildren and Barilla’s hashtag #BCFN.

You can also join in on Facebook by visiting the BCFN Facebook page.

If you participate in the webinar, I’d love to hear from you too! I’ll be attending and will be tweeting from @MomRN so please say hello! You can also connect with me on Facebook on the Ask MomRN Show Facebook page.

 

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by BCFN. MomRN only promotes causes, products, and companies she believes in and approves of, whether compensation is received or not. All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by compensation or BCFN.

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MomRN and Sunstar GUM’s Cold and Flu Season Tip #3

October 9, 2011 By 2 Comments

Ways to Boost Your Immune System

Part of preventing your family from getting colds or the flu this winter is by boosting their immune systems to fight off germs before they can make everyone sick. Here are a few ways to build your immunity to keep the sniffles away, brought to you courtesy of MomRN and Sunstar GUM’s continuing series of cold and flu season tips.

 

Cold and Flu-Fighting Foods

Foods high in phytochemicals (vitamin C, beta carotene, folic acid, vitamin E, etc.) can strengthen immunity in a natural way. These can be found in most vegetables, fruits, beans and grains. Studies have shown eating a daily cup of low-fat yogurt can result in a 25% reduction in susceptibility to colds. Recent studies have also indicated chicken noodle soup can act as an immunity booster and reduces inflammation caused by cold viruses.

 

Drink Plenty of Water

Staying hydrated is a critical way to keep your body healthy and is especially important for keeping your immune system in top shape. Drink enough water each day to produce clear to light yellow urine. Most doctors recommend eight 8oz. glasses of water a day for the average adult.

 

Exercise

Aerobic or cardio exercise helps to increase blood flow and enhance the body’s ability to kill viruses.

 

Brush Your Teeth

Oral and dental health impact overall health in many ways. Gum disease and infections in the mouth can lower immunity and cause minor illnesses to become major ones. Brush your teeth after every meal, floss, and see your dentist at least twice a year to keep your mouth, and your body, healthy.

 

Join us next week for more tips to help you protect your family this cold and flu season and don’t forget you can save 10%  off your online order and get free shipping at Sunstar GUM’s website.  Just use the promo code PCS on the checkout page to get both the discount and free shipping. This is a great time to stock up and save on your oral health care needs.

Disclosure: The cold and flu season series is sponsored by Sunstar GUM. These tips and recommendations are of a general nature and not intended to replace your physician or health care provider’s guidance and supervision.

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MomRN and Sunstar GUM’s Cold and Flu Season Tip #2

October 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment

As part of our mutual commitment to help you keep your family healthy during cold and flu season, here is the second tip from MomRN and Sunstar GUM and a special savings offer for your dental and oral care supplies.

Cold and Flu Season Tip #2: Could Your Toothbrush Make You Sick?

Many doctors and dentists recommend replacing toothbrushes after an illness. This is because viruses and bacteria can live on a toothbrush for a few hours up to a few days and have the potential to re-infect the user. This is especially a concern after a bacterial infection, such as strep throat.
Colds and flu, on the other hand, are caused by viruses. Our bodies are designed to build immunity against the strain of virus that caused the illness, so we are less likely to become sick from that strain again. However, if you have a weakened immune system due a health condition or use any medications that can lower immunity, re-infection is possible so it is advisable to change toothbrushes after an illness, regardless of its nature.
The American Dental Association recommends the following toothbrush care tips:
  • Replace toothbrushes at least every 3-4 months or when the bristles are frayed or worn. (Children will usually require a new toothbrush more frequently than adults.)
  • Thoroughly rinse toothbrushes with tap water to remove toothpaste and debris after each use, and store upright to air-dry.
  • Do not cover the toothbrush or place in a closed container while still wet, as this will allow for the growth of more microorganisms than the open air.
  • Never share toothbrushes with another person, and do not store your toothbrush where it can touch another person’s toothbrush. This can lead to cross-contamination and the spreading of illnesses.

Join Sunstar GUM and MomRN next week for more tips to help you protect your family this cold and flu season and use the promo code PCS on the checkout page to get a 10% discount plus free shipping off your online order of Sunstar GUM products. Stock up now!

 

Disclosure: The cold and flu season series is sponsored by Sunstar GUM. These tips and recommendations are of a general nature and not intended to replace your physician or health care provider’s guidance and supervision.

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