Moms and dads, do you ever feel like every night turns into a battle over finishing your child’s tooth brushing?
My child was like that when they were little too: they’d refuse to brush, run away, and then end up crying. There really is such a thing as the “I hate brushing my teeth” phase, isn’t there?
Have you heard of Tanpei Pharmaceutical’s “Kodomo Hamigaki Jozu,” which helps make children’s tooth brushing more fun?
Actually, Tanpei Pharmaceutical has been around for 130 years and makes products for children. When my child was younger and couldn’t blow their nose, we used this “Mama Hanamizu Totte” all the time. It’s honestly a little intimidating when you do the suctioning, haha.
This “Atopita” brings back memories too. We used it when my child was a baby. It’s well known as skincare that can be used even for children with sensitive skin.
And Tanpei Pharmaceutical developed “Kodomo Hamigaki Jozu” to help solve parents’ struggles with children’s tooth brushing! This is such an interesting toothpaste product that even adults will want to try it.
This time, to uncover the secret behind it, we visited Nishinomiya Kitaguchi Dental and Oral Surgery in ACTA Nishinomiya, a clinic that is actively promoting preventive dentistry in the community.
The director of Nishinomiya Kitaguchi Dental and Oral Surgery, Dr. Kodama, holds tooth brushing classes using “Kodomo Hamigaki Jozu” at kindergartens and parent-child events.
They also help with things like factory tours at Tanpei Pharmaceutical, teaching young children the importance of brushing their teeth in a fun way.
Kids swish the red-staining liquid around in their mouths and check while saying things like “Whoa, I missed this spot!” According to one mom who joined, her child was thrilled and said, “I can do it myself!”
They do tooth brushing quizzes, and Dr. Kodama even defeats cavity germs. If this had existed when I was a kid, maybe I would have had zero cavities…
The main product used at those tooth brushing events is “Kodomo Hamigaki Jozu”, a liquid toothpaste that stains plaque red. It lets you see which spots weren’t brushed at a glance.
Since the spots that haven’t been brushed turn red like this, children naturally want to brush them, saying, “Huh? This spot is still red!”
Instead of parents forcing them to finish brushing, it’s great when children themselves say, “There’s still some left! I’ll do it!” It’s a long-selling product that has been around for over 20 years.
And from April, this Nishinomiya Kitaguchi Dental and Oral Surgery plans to expand its pediatric dentistry space and add a “Zero Cavities Room.” (Pediatric dentistry and orthodontics room)
According to Dr. Kodama, they want to make it normal for children to visit the dentist not after cavities appear, but to prevent cavities in the first place. They’re really putting effort into creating ways for children to feel comfortable coming in.
The wall along the hallway leading to the Zero Cavities Room is unbelievably cute! Apparently, it features animals, places, and facilities from Nishinomiya.
Even Ebessan is cute!
This cat holding sake is cute too!
There’s even a forest green tree frog, a natural monument of Nishinomiya. The wall art was apparently drawn by an illustrator living in Nishinomiya, Jelly Beans!
The room’s wallpaper is adorable, and since they don’t drill here, there’s no high-pitched drilling sound. They’re clearly serious about making sure children don’t feel scared.
They’re so thorough that even the electrical outlets are painted! They hope children will feel free to come in for regular checkups and preventive care.
If they can erase the “painful and scary” image of the dentist, then protecting teeth through prevention before they need to be drilled means happy children and happy parents.
That’s the thinking behind their active tooth brushing experience events at local events and kindergartens. Tooth brushing that children used to hate could become fun, and it might even change the image of going to the dentist in Japan.
By the way, it looks like they’ll also be running a monitor program where you can actually try Kodomo Hamigaki Jozu. In other words, apparently you can use it for free.
