Oh My, Oh My, Can it Really Be? Aquafresh(R) Makes Bedtime as Easy as ABC

PITTSBURGH, April 25 /PRNewswire/ -- When Dr. Seuss set out to write children's books in 1937, his goal was to make reading more enjoyable for kids. Now, America's favorite doctor is about to help make tooth brushing more enjoyable for kids through a new line of Aquafresh Dr. Seuss toothpaste and toothbrushes. But the fun doesn't stop there. With the help of actress Marlee Matlin, Aquafresh and Dr. Seuss are launching a nationwide educational campaign and charity partnership designed to help promote early oral care and literacy skills so parents can create a healthy bedtime routine that's as easy as ABC.

Make Kids' Brushing Fun? ...It Really Can Be Done!

Aquafresh surveyed(1) 1,000 parents of kids ages two to eight and found that brushing ranks among kids' least favorite bedtime activities, while book reading comes in second favorite after a nighttime hug and kiss. New Aquafresh Dr. Seuss toothpaste and toothbrushes help connect the fun of book reading with teeth brushing to help engage kids in the process and make it more enjoyable.

"It can be a real challenge to get little ones to brush their teeth before bed," says Tom Baxter, Aquafresh senior brand manager. "We talked to hundreds of parents and found that kids, moms and dads love Dr. Seuss, so we think his characters will be great allies in encouraging kids to brush. Today's cartoon characters may come and go, but Dr. Seuss has endured across multiple generations. Parents can now feel good about creating their own special nightly routines that involve such favorites as The Cat in the Hat(TM)."

The new Aquafresh Kids toothpaste still features its famous three stripes, but they're now alternating red and white just like the ubiquitous stripes of The Cat in the Hat's(TM) hat. With two red stripes and a white stripe, the triple protection formula with fluoride fights cavities, freshens breath and helps remove plaque -- while squeezing a bit of fun into children's tooth brushing.

The new toothbrush line lets kids brush with their favorite Dr. Seuss characters including The Cat in the Hat(TM), Fox in Socks(TM), Sam I Am(TM) and The Lorax(TM). Each is specially designed for small mouths. A unique cushioned head helps protect tender mouths; extra-soft cup shaped bristles are designed to surround and clean teeth; extended tip bristles help clean hard to reach back teeth; and a thick rubber handle allows for a firm grip.

Marlee Matlin Launches ABC Bedtime Campaign

According to surveyed parents, nine out of ten children (91 percent) ages two to eight years follow a regular bedtime routine, of which 95 percent brush and 81 percent read books five or more nights a week. But a healthy bedtime routine doesn't come easily. Almost half of parents surveyed (45 percent) find it a challenge to get their children ready for bed; more than one third (35 percent) went so far as to describe their child's bedtime routine as "stressed," "rushed" or a "chore."

"While the majority of parents say their kids have a regular bedtime routine, many parents who come into my practice still struggle to find the right formula for a fun, healthy, tear-free bedtime," says pediatrician and parenting expert, Dr. Laura Jana. "What works best depends on the individual child so I always tell parents to start with the basics -- such as establishing a consistent routine so that kids accept when it's time to brush, read and turn off the lights."

Aquafresh has teamed up with mom of four and Academy Award winning actress, Marlee Matlin, to launch a nationwide education program to provide parents with tips and tools for creating a fun, healthy bedtime routine for their kids.

"Being a mother, I can relate to the struggle many parents have in developing a bedtime routine that the family can stick to," says Marlee Matlin. "And with four kids of different ages, bedtime can be a three ring circus. I applaud Aquafresh and Dr. Seuss for helping parents and kids around the country develop a fun, healthy bedtime routine that encourages good oral hygiene and early literacy skills."

The Aquafresh, Books, then Covers Campaign -- or ABC Campaign -- encourages healthy bedtime habits that include brushing with Aquafresh and reading a Book before tucking in the Covers.

A is for Aquafresh. Brush with a trusted, kid-friendly toothbrush and fluoride toothpaste like the new Aquafresh Dr. Seuss products. The toothpaste's red and white stripes and the Dr. Seuss characters, which are also found on the Aquafresh kids toothbrushes, are a great way to motivate kids. Dr. Jana says it's important to start the practice of tooth brushing when your child is a toddler so that he or she gets used to it and builds a life-long habit of good oral care. According to the survey, however, parents need to brush up on their kids' oral care habits. A mere 16 percent say their kids spend the recommended two minutes or more brushing their teeth. In fact, more than 40 percent say their kids brush for less than one minute. Dr. Jana recommends that parents always supervise children under six years of age when brushing, but many don't score top marks here, either. More than 38 percent of parents with kids ages two to six allow them to brush without watching over them on an average night.

"Many parents still have to haggle, struggle and -- in some cases -- bribe their children to brush their teeth," says Dr. Jana. "It's important to be a close partner with your children during their bedtime routine and the more fun you can make brushing, the more kids may want to do it properly and without complaints."

B is for Books at bedtime. Not only will your toddler learn new words -- research(2) has shown that language-rich environments and early reading activities can directly build a child's daily exposure to a rich vocabulary -- but they'll also benefit from time spent with you.

"Reading aloud increases a child's knowledge of their vocabulary and familiarity with written language," says Dr. Jana. "By encouraging parents to read aloud to their children at home, they will also increase the child's interest in reading." Dr. Jana also recommends parents let toddlers choose their bedtime story as it allows them to assert some control over their regular bedtime routine.

C is for tuck in the Covers. Whether it's a beloved stuffed animal or a well-worn security blanket, the final step before drifting off to dreamland is settling into bed with a good night kiss and a favorite comfort object.

Dr. Jana says, "Associating the predictable steps to getting ready for bed with the ABCs can give even young children the opportunity to participate in the ritual and establish a sense of accomplishment and control."

Kids In Need Get Help, Indeed

As part of the Aquafresh ABC Campaign, Marlee Matlin is helping parents feel good about developing their own kids' healthy bedtime habits as well as those of underprivileged children.

For any combination of purchases of two Aquafresh Dr. Seuss toothpaste or toothbrush products, Aquafresh is offering one of six free Dr. Seuss books as well as a free ABC Campaign brochure with healthy bedtime tips and information for parents, plus fun games for kids. Parents can simply mail in their receipt and UPC codes from two Aquafresh Dr. Seuss products to the address listed on the packaging to receive their Dr. Seuss book and brochure free (a $9 value). For the first 10,000 books redeemed, Aquafresh also will donate a Healthy Bedtime Kit containing one Dr. Seuss toothpaste and toothbrush and one Dr. Seuss book to First Book, a nonprofit organization that gives children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books.

On April 25, 2006, Marlee Matlin introduced the "ABCs" to approximately 100 children from First Book recipient organizations in New York City. Each child learned proper brushing techniques before listening to Marlee read a Dr. Seuss book.

The Aquafresh and Dr. Seuss donation to First Book comes as oral care and early literacy skills continue to be a problem for many American children. In fact, although tooth decay is largely preventable, it remains the most common chronic disease of children ages five to 17 years(3). Fewer than one in five Medicaid-covered children received at least one preventative dental service in a recent year and low-income children have nearly 12 times more restricted-activity days because of dental-related illness than children from higher-income families. Pain and suffering from untreated tooth decay can lead to problems in eating, speaking and learning. In addition, 61 percent of low-income families have no books at all in their homes for their children(4). As a result, direct access to books is extremely limited for these children.

"We are thrilled to be partnering with Aquafresh and Dr. Seuss to encourage parents to adopt healthy bedtime habits for children," says Kyle Zimmer, President of First Book. "We are especially grateful that this campaign also will help provide books to families that have few if any books for their children in their homes, so more children will be able to have sweeter dreams."

A Web Site - For A Slumbering Sleep All Through The Night

Parents can learn more about the Aquafresh ABC Campaign including Dr. Jana's healthy bedtime tips, more information on the fun of brushing with Aquafresh Dr. Seuss products, and find out how to help kids-in-need through First Book by logging on to http://www.aquafresh.com/ . Parents and kids also can watch video clips of Marlee Matlin and Dr. Jana talking about the ABC Campaign and visit the Aquafresh Kidzone for fun, interactive information about Aquafresh, including how to get free music downloads with the purchase of specially marked Aquafresh products.

About Aquafresh

Aquafresh, one of the world's largest oral-healthcare brands, includes a full range of products including adult and children's toothpastes and toothbrushes. Well-known for its distinctive striping, triple protection and great taste, Aquafresh toothpaste was introduced in the United States in 1978. Its entry into the market marked the first time that the cavity-fighting fluoride of a paste was combined with the breath freshener of a gel in one tube.

About GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare

GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare is one of the world's largest over-the-counter consumer healthcare products companies. Its more than 30 well-known brands include the leading smoking cessation products, Nicorette(R), NicoDerm(R) and Commit(R), as well as many medicine cabinet staples such as Abreva(R), Aquafresh(R), Sensodyne(R) and Tums(R).

About GlaxoSmithKline

GlaxoSmithKline is one of the world's leading research-based pharmaceutical and consumer healthcare companies. GlaxoSmithKline is committed to improving the quality of human life by enabling people to do more, feel better and live longer.

About Dr. Seuss and Dr. Seuss Enterprises

Theodor Seuss Geisel was born in Massachusetts in 1904 and was initially a humorous cartoon and story writer for adults. Dr. Seuss was then inspired to create fun, colorful, and interesting stories to raise literacy among children. In all, Dr. Seuss wrote more than 50 books and his famous book Green Eggs & Ham(TM) is the third best-selling book ever written in the English language. One of his most popular books, The Cat in the Hat(TM), was created from a list of 250 words that could be easily read and understood by a first-grade child. Dr. Seuss wrote most of his books in a verse form that in the terminology of metrics would be characterized as anapestic tetrameter, which consists of four rhythmic units, each composed of two weak beats followed by one strong beat. Although Dr. Seuss died in 1991, his stories and messages are still very much alive today.

Dr. Seuss Enterprises has been protecting the integrity of the original Dr. Seuss books, their characters and their invaluable contributions to children's literacy for more than a decade. Dr. Seuss Enterprises wants to ensure that Dr. Seuss' work is used in only the most appropriate, artistic formats.

About First Book

First Book is an international nonprofit organization with a single mission: to give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. First Book has provided more than 40 million new books to children in need in thousands of communities. In neighborhoods across the country, First Book Advisory Boards unite leaders from all sectors of the community to identify the most effective community-based literacy programs and provide them with First Book grants of free books and educational materials. The First Book National Book Bank, a subsidiary program of First Book, is the first centralized system that enables publishers to donate books and educational materials online to reach millions of children who need them the most. In response to the terrible devastation of the hurricanes in the Gulf Coast, First Book launched Book Relief, an unparalleled, publishing industry-wide program to place at least five million books into the hands of those displaced by hurricanes, as well as into the schools, libraries, and literacy programs in the devastated areas as they are rebuilt. To learn more about First Book, please visit http://www.firstbook.org/ .

  (1) Aquafresh/eNation Survey of 1,000
      U.S. adults with Children, December 2005
  (2) Journal of Research in Childhood Education, March 2004, Vol. 18,
      No. 3; Pg. 169
  (3) Centers For Disease Control and Prevention
  (4) McQuillan, Jeff.  "The Literacy Crisis: False Claims, Real Solutions."
      1998.