Companies I Love: Smile Squared

Taking care of your teeth and gums isn't just about preventing cavities or bad breath.

The mouth is the gateway into your body's overall health.

-American Dental Association-

When's the last time you brushed your teeth?  Hopefully sometime today.  But when is the last time you actually put thought into brushing your teeth? Or the ramifications of not doing so?  Chances are, most of us don't put much, if any, thought into the reasons why we brush our teeth, or what would happen if we don't.  But Eric Cope and his wife did.  You can read the story about what lead them to start Smile Squared, a one for one company that donates toothbrushes to children without access to dental care.  (If you aren't familiar with what a one for one company is: for every one product bought by you, as the consumer, one product is donated by the company to a specific cause.)

Think about how many diseases can be prevented by brushing your teeth.  Gum disease, tooth decay, bad breath...these are the common reasons we are taught to have good oral hygiene.  But there are studies that show there may be links between lack of oral care and things like pneumonia and dementia (check it out here.)

We founded Smile Squared in hopes of giving children their smiles back.

Millions of children in the United States and around the world lack access to basic oral health care - or even a simple toothbrush! 

Together we can take a small step for big change.

-Eric Cope-

I've used Smile Squared's toothbrushes, and they are definitely a great product.  However, we all have different preferences for our oral care.  The Copes have taken this into account as well, and have an option where you can just donate toothbrushes without purchasing one for yourself, which is perfect for those of us who prefer to use a certain type of toothbrush.

According to Smile Squared's website, their toothbrushes have been distributed in all 50 U.S. States, along with 24 countries across the globe.  You can be a part of changing the world for the better through the simple, necessary act of brushing your teeth!

Here's my challenge:  start buying your toothbrushes through Smile Squared. That's it. Simple.  Or, if you are like me and prefer your own type of toothbrush, every time you switch out your toothbrush, donate one on Smile Squared's website.  According to the ADA, you should replace your toothbrush every 3 months.  Which means 4 times a year.  So in just one year, you could impact the lives of 4 different children.

As I say so many times, we need to live outside of our self-centered bubbles.  And companies like Smile Squared provide us with very simple, effective ways to change the world.

So what are you waiting for? Go donate some toothbrushes!

-AA

(disclaimer:  I am in no way affiliated with Smile Squared, I don't know the Cope family, and I just happened to stumble across this company one day while searching for ethical, charitable companies. This is solely my own opinion about the company, spurred on by my desire to spread ethical consumerism, and I was not asked to plug this company in any way.)

How Many Slaves are Working for You?

It's so easy to think about modern-day slavery as an "out there" problem; one that we can avoid and ignore as something that doesn't affect our day to day lives.  But if you truly believe that your everyday life isn't impacted by slavery, you are living in a fantasy world.

Think about everything you've done so far this morning.  The products you used to shower, wash your face, brush your teeth.  The makeup you put on.  The clothes you are wearing.  The food that you've eaten.  Chances are, most, if not all, of these things involved slave labor at one point or another in their production process.

Think I'm exaggerating or blowing this whole slavery issue out of proportion?  Take a few minutes to work through the quiz at slaveryfootprint.org. This is a great tool to see just how close to home this issue of modern day slavery hits.  My slavery footprint is 59.  That's 59 slaves working for me in the clothes I buy, the products I use, and the food that I eat. That's 59 people too many, and it is not OK.

As you move through this quiz, you will be provided with a number of helpful facts and statistics about modern day slavery, and ways that you can help move towards global freedom.  At the end you have the chance to send a form letter to several major brands, asking them to adhere to ethical production standards.  All you have to do is fill in your name.  Unless you are an exceptionally slow typist, it literally takes a few seconds.

I encourage you to take the time to find out how many slaves you have working for you on a day to day basis, and then do something about it!  With knowledge comes responsibility....

"We are not called to be an abolitionist, we are commanded to be an abolitionist." 

[Don Brewster]

What we do matters.  Let's move beyond ourselves and our own conveniences and comforts and move towards making a positive impact on the world through our actions.  Over the next few weeks, I will be highlighting several companies that I love to support, companies that uphold ethical business practices, through which they are changing the world.  I don't want to have any slavery footprints in my life.  I hope that you will join me in seeking to become a more ethical consumer, and, consequently, in changing the world, one small choice at a time.

Ready to change,
-AA