BURLINGTON, N.C. — According to an ad council study just out, three out of four parents say their kids forget to brush their teeth, but only 22 percent of parents seem to be concerned about it.

Dr. Rawley Fuller, of Fuller Dental in Burlington, is not just a dentist but a dad also and gets all too well how tough it can be sometimes for kids to brush for two minutes in the morning and two minutes at night.

“I think it’s easy day to day to let other priorities come first, I say that empathetically,” he said.

Jaime Troxler is a dental hygienist who peers into many mouths each day. She says all too often she’ll find plaque buildup, especially in the younger mouths.

“The biggest problem really isn’t with the brushing, but with all the sweets. Juice boxes, soda increasing the risk of cavities. I think parents would be pretty surprised,” she said.

Dr. Fuller says, “What we now know is that tooth decay and periodontal disease can cause much bigger problems later on such as complications with blood sugar and heart disease.”

He recommends electronic toothbrushes for kids, flossing every day and a mouth rinse that can better show you exactly where any plaque builds up, twice a day, for two minutes each.