In the past 30 Days… I have partnered with Colgate Total®, using the power of laughter to help raise awareness of the potential link between oral health and diabetes with the new “30 Days of Laughter” campaign featuring multi-talented performer and caretaker Joey Fatone.

I learned as we started  the campaign that Joey’s father is a diabetic and that is why this cause is important to him.

In addition to Joey and me, 3 very influential health advocates have also joined the “30 Days of Laughter” campaign to spread laughter and awareness of the potential link between diabetes and oral health:

• Divabetic – Max “Mr. Divabetic” Szadek promotes prevention, early action and education with a “glam more, fear less” philosophy. “Be bold and sassy about your diabetes. Don’t get down, get DIVA!

• Diabetesaliciousness – Kelly Kunik’s mission is to spread diabetes validation through humor, ownership & advocacy. “I am more than the sum of my parts — including my beautiful, busted pancreas.”

• mySugr – This award-winning series of apps “help to take the sting out of diabetes.”

The centerpieces of this campaign were the very funny yet informative videos that Joey Fatone created with Colgate Total outlining how to manage oral care as a diabetic.

For your viewing pleasure… I made them available here.

Did you know that people with diabetes are at twice the risk of developing serious gum disease? That’s why it’s especially important that those with diabetes properly brush their teeth and gums to help to prevent gingivitis and gum disease. Find out more about protecting your teeth and gums with Joey “Pearly Whites” Fatone – sometimes laughter is the best medicine!

It’s easy to run and grab a candy bar when you’re on the go. Late for a meeting, don’t have time to sit down and eat – there are a million excuses. Truth is though, candy is just empty calories and its no good for your dental health. Try having an apple instead. People with diabetes are more likely to get gum disease, so it’s important that you monitor your diet. Might as well eat something better for your teeth as well as your overall health to keep your diabetes in check.

How long are you supposed to brush your teeth for anyways? Your dentist will tell you that you should be brushing your teeth for at least 2 minutes.

Need help keeping yourself on time? Try listening to your favorite song while you brush your teeth. Brushing should take just about as long as your favorite pop song. With this in mind, you’ll be sure to brush just the right amount.

If you don’t brush long enough, you may not be getting your teeth clean enough. If you leave behind bacteria on the teeth after brushing, it can lead to serious problems such as gingivitis or periodontitis. This becomes even more important if you have diabetes. Did you know that people with diabetes are more likely to develop gum disease?

Learn more about Oral Health and Diabetes at http://www.OralHealthandDiabetes.com

Brought to you by Colgate Total http://www.colgatetotal.com
Colgate Total is a proud sponsor of the American Diabetes Association
#30DaysofLOL

EXTRA SPECIAL BONUS FOR MY FELLOW DIABETICS… 

If you are diabetic and you are NOT tracking your levels… or if you need a more comprehensive tool to tame the “monster”, consider downloading MySugr (available on IOS and ANDROID).

It is faster than Speedy Gonzales, funnier than Charlie Chaplin and more useful than a Swiss army knife. Our series of apps – Logbook, Importer, Quiz, and Junior – help to take the sting out of your diabetes.