Oral hygiene is important. We all know that, but sometimes we slip. We get home late or are really tired or just feeling pretty lazy, and we think, well, I can just brush my teeth tomorrow.
It's moments like this when we need the person who always guilt-tripped us best: Our moms.
That's the idea behind a new campaign from Goby, an electric toothbrush company that uses a subscription service for interchangeable heads.
The company launched Texts From A Mom Thursday morning, a project that lets anyone sign up for text reminders to brush their teeth.
It's quirky and fun, but also necessary, according to Ben Goldberg, one of Goby's co-founders.
AdvertisementADVERTISEMENT
"There's a huge percentage of people who only brush their teeth once a day," he tells Refinery29.
Nearly 30% of people are consistent once-a-dayers, Bill Kohn, DDS, said in a statement on oral health. The "texts from a mom" project will send up to three texts a day reminding those who sign up to brush.
I got my first text at 12:30 today. My new toothbrush mom wanted to make sure I brushed this morning (I did).
"Hi hun! It's your (other) mom," she texted. "Did you brush your teeth this morning? Gum disease is gross — make sure you brush twice a day! Talk soon."
It's a perfect mom text. Sweet and loving with just a little bit of guilt added in. Gum disease is gross, indeed.
According to Goldberg, you can expect a text from on of about 10 real moms the company has enlisted to join the project. Some are the real-life moms of colleagues and acquaintances and some are moms that just really care about oral health.
"She'll be there for you in the morning, before a board meeting, at bedtime, and after a big night out to make sure your mouth is her number one priority," Goldberg said.
So far, I'm pretty happy with my toothbrush mom. She seems sweet, and maybe next time I'm tempted to hit the sheets before I brush, she'll be there to guilt trip me all the way to the bathroom sink.