This is a sponsored post. I received LISTERINE® Brand products from Johnson & Johnson Consumer, Inc. as part of my participation in this project. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this post are my own.
One thing I love about my office is the bowl of mints on the receptionist’s desk. Every time I head out to a meeting or come back from lunch, I dip into the bowl. And clearly I’m not the only one, since that bowl is usually completely empty by 2pm, everyone looking for a way to disguise that garlic chicken or hardboiled eggs they had for lunch or extra large coffee they downed at breakfast.
Because my colleagues, like me, know that first impressions — even with someone you know well — are critical, especially in the business world, and who wants to be known as the person with the perpetual dragon breath? We’ve all been in meetings with someone like that and no matter what valuable points they may be making or ideas they are contributing, all you can focus on is their breath.
A recent national survey conducted by LISTERINE Brands revealed that the health of one’s mouth has a surprising and significant impact on how others perceive many aspects of one’s life – from opinions about success in romantic relationships and career, to assumptions about overall health and hygiene.
I was especially struck by the survey results on the career implications of poor oral health, such as:
- Nearly 7 in 10 Americans think having an unhealthy mouth threatens one’s chances of getting hired (68%).
- Most Americans believe that poor oral health can have a negative impact on the likelihood of being promoted (60%).
- More than 7 in 10 Americans believe having an unhealthy mouth can negatively impact one’s confidence giving a speech (75%), and more than 6 in 10 believe it can affect a person’s willingness to speak in a meeting (64%) and their ability to lead a meeting (61%).
It’s sort of crazy — and a little sad — how much power oral health has not just on your life and personal relationships, but also at work and on your career, whether we recognize it or not. And it’s unfortunate because a proactive approach can improve can most poor oral health regimens.
The good news is that many of the oral care issues that Americans experience can be prevented with a twice-daily oral care routine that involves brushing, flossing, and rinsing — something I admit to often being lax about (especially the flossing part).
Yet the results of this survey, and the fact that I want to set a good example for my kids, have forced me to reevaluate my own habits and try to make positive changes to my oral care routine–especially since brushing your teeth alone misses 75% of your mouth, leaving millions of germs behind and making you more susceptible to plaque and gingivitis. Ugh.
In you’re interested in learning more, The Motherhood, on behalf of LISTERINE, is hosting #LISTERINE Twitter Party on October 27 at 12 pm ET. During the party, you can get more information about the LISTERINE® Brand survey about the social impact of poor oral health.
On top of that, every use of the hashtag #LISTERINE, whether it’s during the Twitter party or at other times, will trigger a $10 donation, up to $40,000, to support Oral Health America’s Fall for Smiles campaign from October 1 through December 1 to educate communities about the importance of proper oral care.
Hope you can join us!