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.)