Let's Talk Teeth!
April 2010
Visit Sara Jo
Reader Comment:
These are some good advice
I read that
Taylor Swift
likes to watch
makeover
videos on doing
makeup.
What advice
would you
give her on her
makeup?
Alissa Medera, Valparaiso IN
Answer: Taylor is a
natural beauty and I'm not
sure she needs any of my
advice. I think the only
thing I would say to
her is don't over-do
the eye make-up. It's
a lot of fun to watch
makeovers and play with
different looks, but one big
mistake girls in their early
20s make is going a little
overboard, especially with
the eye make-up.
Keep it light enough
that you don't lose
your natural beauty ;)
|
If someone told you that
all you need to do to have a bright white smile
is...Get a tube of Crest Toothpaste, a Bottle of Peroxide, and a Straw! Would you say that sounds crazy? Not so fast, Read on! These days the most common kind of cosmetic "work" is dental
whitening. Everyone is either doing it, has done it, or has thought about having it done. Even Fido and Tabby the cat are being taken for a ride on the dental
cleaning bandwagon, with most vets advising pet owners to have their pet anesthetized
for a cleaning, selling them
on the idea that
their lives could in fact DEPEND on it. Veterinarians tell us that this
expensive and sometimes risky procedure will extend our dog or cat's life expectancy, quickly brushing past the dangers of the anesthetic. Well, for humans it might not be as risky a
procedure, but the questions still remain...is it really necessary or even worth the expense? A few years back, I was sitting on the "bleachers" (no pun intended) with all the
other mothers during my son's weekly fitness class, when one of the moms started talking about how she'd treated herself to a professional tooth whitening, and how everyone kept asking her "what's different about you?" Funny thing
is, that's exactly what I was thinking "what's
different?" I couldn't tell a difference at all! I think I
smiled politely and complimented
her smile like all the other moms but what I was really thinking was I'm never wasting my money on that! I want that Julia Roberts smile just as bad as the next person, but there's got to be
something that really works and doesn't cost a days' wages and wasted trips to the clinic. There is! Remember the old adage, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure." When talkin' teeth, this couldn't be more
true! So, here's a couple tips to keep those pearly whites really white:
1) Brush with a
good tooth paste and one of the best out there is
Crest. In fact, Crest
has been around a long
time, since August
1st, 1960. I was born in
1968, (go ahead do the
math) and I grew up
using the old blue
Crest paste. I'm 42 this
month and have never had a
cavity. So, thanks mom for making me brush every night with
such good stuff. Today, the Crest
brand has many
different flavors and
products to target a variety
of dental health needs
including whitening.
For me, it's Crest's
"Whitening Expressions" Cinnamon Rush
flavor.
I've been using
it for at least the
past two years and it works!
2) Second, I
follow good brushing and
flossing with a rinse and
gargle. (Don't forget
the floss! What's between
your teeth can cause nasty
dental hygiene problems too.) I use a rinse
and gargle of straight
Hydrogen Peroxide. No need to
dilute with water, it's not meant
to swallow. Believe it or
not, that old brown bottle that sells for less than a dollar is better than any
mouthwash or whitening
rinse you can
buy, and that comes from a professional along with my own personal experience.
After trying some of those whitening strips a few years back, and experiencing
the same terrible
tooth sensitivity from
several different brands. Finally, I looked at the ingredients and found one
common ingredient in
each. Peroxide! As it turns out,
my son's orthodontist has
since told me he uses the same exact routine,
and that consumers are
wasting their time on
all the whitening
products when they could get
the same or better
results from Crest and H202
(Hydrogen Peroxide).
Basically,
that's it! The two secrets
to a whiter brighter
smile. There are a few
other little things I
do that might make you
laugh, and if you're
worried about looking
like a dork then forget
it and just stick to
the brushing and rinsing.
But if you really want to
avoid those things
which cause the yellowing and permanent stains to your
teeth in the first
place, like Red Wine, Iced
or Hot Tea, Coffee, Brown Colas, and
even Grape Juice,
then "Think before you Drink" and just grab a
straw! What?
Yeah, you read it right.
No need to avoid your favorite
drinks, just grab a straw.
Here's the trick.
Drinking through a straw allows
those drinks which are
trouble makers to pass by your
front teeth right into the pallet of your mouth where
you can enjoy their
taste and not their
damaging after affects.
Of course, if you're too
proud to sip your
Starbucks through a straw
or ask for a
cocktail straw over your next
glass of red wine,
then just get used to the
pain and the stain.
At least you have the best kept secrets to a healthier mouth and sparkling smile with products
that really work and won't
just empty your
wallet. Your smile is
not only contagious, but
it's one of your best
features, so take care of it! :D
_____________
|
