DenTek Oral Care

Guest Post: Brian, Director of Internet Marketing

November 19th, 2009

About 15 years ago it dawned on me that change was about to wash over a mostly unsuspecting population. I was still in college, and as a young, eager entrepreneur I quickly secured a domain name and created a website for then karaoke hosting business. Had I known then what I know today, I would be somewhere warm and tropical living off the income of my smart domain name investments. But, as it turns out, the internet had other plans for me. Little did I know they would involve making lives healthier through oral care.

Fast forward to the present, and DenTek. Often times people I talk to don’t know the DenTek name, but when I explain to them what a floss pick is they instantly recognize the product. We love that you know our products, but we’d love even more if you knew we made them! Chances are you have seen us at Walmart and Target, or maybe your dentist used DenTek floss on your last visit, or perhaps a friend or family member already used our products. We can reach more people on the Web than through any other medium, and our presence on the Internet is all about getting to know you and getting you to know us. We’ll be appearing in front of you as much as we can online.

We are fortunate to have a small but mighty team of people working on our online efforts, and everyone has a role to play in how we serve our customers and introduce ourselves online. When you see our posts on Twitter or Facebook, or read a blog post (besides guest posts like this one), you know that Emily is there. When you use our site, enjoy the easy-to-use features, or buy something from our store, you can know that Joe built it and is always working to keep it running smoothly. When you get one of our emails in your inbox, you know that Tim the Intern probably designed it, and I pressed the send button to get it to you. All of us are working everyday to make your experience with DenTek online the best it can be, with the goal of being just as good, if not better, than our much larger competitors in the oral care world.

We are always looking for feedback from our friends, customers, fans, and critics. Please, if there is anything you’d like to see, or anything you think we could do better, please don’t hesitate to let us know.

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Refresher Course in Flossing Technique

November 12th, 2009

If you read Monday’s post, you know it’s been a while since we’ve paid attention to non-pick flossing. Now that we’ve launched our three pick-less dental flosses, it might be a good time for a refresher course in technique, right?

Here are some good things to remember when flossing the old-fashioned way:

Wrap around your middle fingers, not index fingers. You’ll need your index fingers to grip the floss with you thumbs and guide it gently between your teeth.
Clean below the gumline. Your teeth extend below your gumline, making a perfect place for plaque to hide. Gently rub your floss against your tooth beneath your gumline to scrub out the plaque and food that gets caught in there.
Curve the floss around your teeth like this while gently flossing instead of going straight up and down. This will clean a larger surface area and avoid tearing up your soft gum tissue.
Be gentle. Oh. Have I said that already? That’s probably because it’s really important. Flossing too hard can do some serious and painful damage to your gums. Take it easy and avoid uncomfortable cuts and bleeding.

One more thing to remember is to keep at it, even if it’s uncomfortable or your gums bleed at first. It takes a little while for your mouth to get used to being flossed, but if you make it a habit any discomfort will most likely fade. If it persists, definitely take it up with your dentist.

Ready for our first guest post? Check back Monday!

Tags: floss, how to, Tips
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3 New Ways to Floss Like a Pro

November 9th, 2009

DenTek has always been in love with the floss pick. We love people who use floss picks. We’ve been all about floss picks and floss pickers for so long we almost forgot what normal floss was for.

Almost.

But! What we love more than floss picks is healthy teeth, and healthy teeth for everyone. So, with much fuss and research and playing with string, DenTek has finally found solutions for those who love dental floss. We know you’ll find exactly what you need in one of our three dental flosses. Take a look. (P.S. There’s a great deal at the end of the post.)

Comfort Clean

Who it’s for: Tight contacts, sensitive gums

Comfort Clean is made of a very thin, slippery material that’s great for getting between tight teeth. We’ve waxed it to give you a better grip and folded the tape to protect your gums from sharp edges. If you’ve ever used our Comfort Clean or Easy Angle floss picks, you’ll recognize the taste and feel of this floss between your teeth.

Triple Clean

Who it’s for: Deep cleaners, slightly wider contacts

You’ll recognize Triple Clean floss from their sister floss picks. This thin nylon floss is designed to give you a thorough, squeaky clean. The tiny microfibers grab food particles and scrub plaque from between your teeth. We waxed it for easy sliding to make sure you can floss without having green shreds of nylon stuck between your teeth.

Complete Clean

Who it’s for: Everyone!

This is the ultimate floss. It’s two strands of floss twisted together to form a thin, super-strong, textured floss that cleans gently and thoroughly between anyone’s teeth. The minty wax provides texture for a solid grip, and the pockets created by the twisting effortlessly grab plaque and food bits.

So there you have it: DenTek’s new offerings for the full spectrum of individual tastes. Ready to try it? I have a secret for you. The Mystery Product, the one that only costs $2? It’s a combo pack of all three flosses! Grab it fast while supplies last!

Tags: deal, dental floss, floss, new product
Posted in Deals, Products | 2 Comments »

Coming Up: November 09

November 5th, 2009

Here’s a sneak-peek at what you’ll see on the DenTek blog in November:

An intro to our new line of dental floss (get it? line of floss? sorry…) and how to make it work for you. (Secret: I’ll tell you how to get all three for just $2!)
GUEST POST: Brian, our director of all things Internet, will be sharing his thoughts on why DenTek exists online and how it benefits you.
Black Friday deals and deep discounts to kick off your holiday shopping.
“Uncle Joe? You’ve got a little something…”: Holiday teeth-cleaning etiquette.

Stay tuned and don’t forget to check us out on Twitter and Facebook for frequent updates on all things dental.

Tags: Black Friday, guest post, preview, Thanksgiving
Posted in Coming up | 2 Comments »

Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait

November 2nd, 2009

The recession is making everyone watch their wallets more closely, and dentist visits seem to be the first thing to get cut from the family budget. This is a dangerous move, and could end up costing American families thousands of dollars in the long run. That’s why the Dental Trade Alliance developed the Oral Healthcare Can’t Wait campaign, a national effort to educate dentists and patients about the importance of keeping up good dental care during tough times.

Prevention is the key concept here, and these are some reasons why the dentist is worth it:

Prevention is cheaper! Let me put it this way: spend $100 now to fill a tooth or $1000 later for a root canal or crown. Not a tough choice, right? Recession or not, $900 looks much better in your bank account than your dentist’s.
If it hurts, it’s too late. Even in a good economy, many people put off going to the dentist (or doctor, for that matter) until something starts to hurt. Chances are a dentist could have discovered the problem at an early, less painful stage, which means fewer missed days at work due to pain or dental appointments.
Many serious issues won’t hurt. Some dental problems like bruxism, TMJ, gingivits, and even some types of cancer don’t hurt at first, but a good dentist can spot the warning signs and stop problems before they start.
Free stuff! Sure, it may look like just a toothbrush an a tiny tin of floss, but those free tools are just what you need to prevent larger problems. Good daily oral care, like brushing and flossing, keep all kinds of dental problems at bay, which means less chance of time-consuming and expensive dental emergencies.

Want more information? Check out www.visityourdentistnow.com for more information and helpful links to trusted dental care sources like the American Dental association. Like what you see? Tell your dentist to check out www.oralhealthcarecantwait.com to get more information on the program.

Tags: dental care, floss, Oral Healthcare Can't Wait, prevention
Posted in Tips | 1 Comment »

5 Tips for a Cavity-Free Halloween

October 29th, 2009

Fun Flossers are perfect for teaching kids the importance of keeping teeth healthy.

Halloween is a much-anticipated night for just about every candy-loving youth. But as children dream of Skittles, Snickers and Starbursts, parents worry about the negative effects of all that candy on their children’s health – especially their teeth.

This year, teach your kids what sugar does to their teeth and show them easy ways to stay healthy. Use colorful, made-for-kids tools like DenTek Fun Flossers to make oral care fun as well as educational. With their wild fruit flavors and wacky colors, they fit right into the Halloween theme. After Halloween is over they’re still a great incentive to keep the flossing habit going.

Here are five more tips to prevent a scary post-Halloween smile:

Educate yourself on which candies are most harmful to your children’s teeth, and limit after-dinner stash looting to just 2 pieces of candy.
Give the extra-sticky candies to charities like the Halloween Candy Buyback program. They pay a dollar a pound for candy and send it to our troops overseas.
Encourage kids to drink water throughout the day, especially after eating candy, to help rinse away sugars between brushings.
Make sure your children brush and floss after every meal and every candy stash raid.
Teach children to floss daily with Fun Flossers! Follow the flossing instructions below.

Flossing Instructions: Hold flosser firmly between thumb and index finger. Using a gentle back-and-forth motion, slide floss between teeth. Move up & down against tooth to clean above & below the gum line. Repeat steps for each tooth. Discard after use.

Halloween is a fun holiday. Parents and children shouldn’t have to worry about scary tooth decay. By practicing good oral hygiene, kids can have fun and still enjoy the candy! Click here for more information on Fun Flossers or to show your children an instructional flossing video.

Happy Halloween from DenTek!

Tags: Fun Flossers, Halloween, kids teeth, Tips
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5 Ways to Teach Kids to Brush (and Floss!)

October 26th, 2009

Getting kids to care for their teeth is evidently a big challenge. We get notes and reviews from Fun Flosser customers all the time telling us how hard it is, and the candy-coated Halloween season is about to make it worse. What better time to take a fresh look at how to make oral care fun and educational? Take a look at these five tips for making good oral care interesting.

Lead by example! I don’t mean to repeat your dentist’s broken record, but good habits are contagious. Let your kids see how much you care about your smile and chances are they’ll want to be just like you.
Let them pick out their tools. There are dozens of tooth-care tools for kids out there, from brushes to mouthwash. Get your child involved in the process by letting them choose what they use. We think kid-friendly handles and awesome flavor make Fun Flossers the best choice for flossing, but if your little one wants princesses or superheroes, go for it.
Find a way to make it fun. Make up a song or game to go along with brushing and flossing. Silly? Absolutely. But the laughter and goofiness is something your kids will remember for years, along with good habits, of course.
Teach your kids why oral care is so important. Tell them what plaque, cavities, and gingivitis are and how to prevent them. Ask your dentist for some disclosure tablets, chewable tabs that turn plaque different colors, or pick up some plaque-revealing mouthwash. Even the youngest kids can see the post-brushing difference if plaque is bright blue!
Let them be the teacher. This might seem a little backwards, but education experts say that teaching a subject is sometimes the best way to learn it. While you’re practicing good oral care, set a date when your little student will become the teacher. Set aside a morning for them to teach you how to take care of your teeth.

So how did you teach your kids to take care of their teeth? Do you remember what made good brushing and flossing habits stick in your own mind? Share your tips and tricks in the comments!

Tags: Fun Flossers, Halloween, how to, kids teeth
Posted in Tips | 2 Comments »

Our Contract With You: Social Media Policy

October 21st, 2009

Most corporate social media policies are all about keeping employees intelligent about what and how they post on a company blog. Here at DenTek all the social media is handled by one person… me, so all the internal regulation is pretty simple.

When I got the assignment to write this policy I knew it couldn’t be about what I was promising the company, it had to be about what I’m promising you, the reader. These are the rules I tweet, post, and blog by, and I hope they’ll dispel any doubts about what DenTek’s goals are on the Internet.

1) We define social media as any form of media that enables public interaction with and between consumers. This includes but is not limited to Twitter, Facebook, YouTube, and personal blogs.

2) We will NEVER pay bloggers or other consumers to give us a good review. Period.

We do, however, frequently send out samples of new products to learn what consumers think. We encourage honesty in all of those reviews and require disclosure in the form of the following disclaimer.

*This review is a result of a feedback campaign by DenTek Oral Care, Inc. The recipients were asked to give their honest opinion about the product they received. Good reviews were not incentivized and poor reviews will not be censored for their opinion of the product.

If you don’t see this, it’s likely we weren’t involved.

3) DenTek enjoys a relaxed, casual work environment, and that attitude is what we try to convey online. DenTek posts are meant to be informative and entertaining, not offensive. If anything objectionable appears on a DenTek site or profile, please inform us and the issue will be addressed promptly.

4) We will respond to all questions and comments as quickly and accurately as possible. You can contact us through the following avenues:

Twitter – @DenTek

Facebook – DenTek Oral Care or DenTek Professional

Email – Consumer affairs: info@dentek.com

Phone – Consumer and professional affairs: 1-800-433-6835

5) If you choose to share your personal information with us, please read our Privacy Policy to understand more about how we keep your information safe.

DenTek has two main reasons for using social media: informing consumers and engaging them in conversation. The internet offers unprecedented scope and speed of communication, and we want to use that to tell you about ways you can save money and improve your health. But, more importantly, we want YOU to use it to tell us how we can better serve you.

A lot of companies have violated consumer trust in social media, so we know we have to prove ourselves before we can expect honest interaction. The policy outlined above is designed to make you more comfortable with talking to us directly through social media. If you feel we’ve left something out or made something unclear feel free to let us know.

Tags: introduction, social media policy
Posted in Housekeeping | 1 Comment »