If you've not seen Emma Willis on the small screen lately, it's likely because you don't own a television. The host is hot property right now and is gearing up for the new series of The Voice, as well as becoming the face of new Oral-B adverts encouraging the nation to switch to Oral-B's power brushes.
We got the opportunity to chat to Emma about her dental hygeine routines, working with Oral-B and getting kids engaged with brushing their teeth.
Why did you say 'yes' to becoming an ambassador for Oral-B?
Because I use the products and because I know it works. I've been using their brushes for years really and their toothpastes, and then I switched to a power brush about two or three years ago. My other half (Matt Willis) had been using them for quite a while, and he's quite obsessed with teeth, hygeine, beauty, hair, face - (laughs) he's quite like a girl in that respect! He had Invisalign braces and so was obsessed with all things 'mouth', and had got one of these brushes and was like; 'these are the best things in the world! You must have one, you must try one', so I did and I haven't looked back really.
So then when Oral-B got in touch it just seemed like an obvious thing because I used them genuinely.
What effects have you felt since making that switch to a power brush?
I feel like my mouth is healthier. I always found with a manual toothbrush that I always had sore gums or part of them would feel inflamed, and that something just wasn't quite right. I think we have a tendency with a manual toothbrush to kind of go hammer and tongs doing your teeth, getting them done quickly, brushing them really hard, side to side to get them as clean as possible, and it's really just not good.
The great thing about the power brushes are that it tells you if you're going too hard, if you need to spend longer in a certain area, all of that now can be calculated with the app that accompanies the brush. I suppose it's like having a dentist clean your teeth, it knows exactly what to do, and what you need doing.
How important to you is your smile in your line of work?
It's probably the most important. With the power of speech, which is probably the most important, I think a good smile is important for everyone, because hopefully everyone should be smiling. I think especially from when I was a model and now on television, it's the one thing people are probably looking at. I'm speaking through my mouth and hopefully smiling a lot, so for me it's as important as if my hair is right, my clothes are right, my makeup looks good. Those four things.
What other methods do you use to take care of your teeth?
Well, I visit the dentist a lot! (laughs) I'm a big fan of flossing. I am a double flosser! I floss before brushing and then again after brushing. I think I have become quite obsessed with oral hygeine! (laughs)
I've kind of tried to pass it on as well to my kids, for me that's something that's really important. My parents were quite militant with toothbrushing, even though I ate so many sweets as a kid and, the dentist at times hated me. I'm kind of trying to correct my mistakes with my little ones, so, just passing on the message.
I've found that a power brush is also better for kids as well, when I brush my children's teeth which I do twice a day because they're still quite young. You're brushing and you don't know how hard you're brushing, so they go; 'Mummy, you're hurting!', and I'm like; 'Well if I'm hurting you I'll take you to the dentist because you must have sore teeth!', or you get them too far in the back of their throat, but with a power brush you don't have to go as crazy with it, it does all the work for you, you just hold the brush there. And it doesn't annoy them as much, and to not annoy two very young children first thing in the morning and last thing at night, that is just a dream come true.
I suppose it's sort of a novelty for kids as well with a power brush and it engages them?
Yeah and they've got the whole Disney thing going on as well and, the app to go with it and it makes it more fun for them and a bit of a game, so yeah, anything for a peaceful life!
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