Here are some do's and don't's for keeping your mouth clean and happy and your dentist at arm's length...
WEBMD says DON'T use your teeth for:
- Pliers
- Coat hangers
- Ice crushers
- Potato chip bag openers
- Knot looseners
- Fork tine straighteners
- Chomping frozen candy bars full of caramel or frozen nuts
Here's the healthy, white teeth diet (from Reader's Digest)
DON'T: drink red wine, colas, dark juices, and black tea (probably coffee too, because bottom line - if it's dark before you put it in your mouth, it will probably stain your teeth.)
DON'T: smoke (duh!)
DO: brush immediately after eating or drinking foods that stain teeth
DO: eat an apple! it's a natural "detergent" food, as well as raw carrots, celery, and popcorn
DO: get a new toothbrush every 2-3 months
More healthy teeth tips:
- Brush gently and at a 45 degree angle - teeth have no feeling, you're hurting your gums and making them recede when you brush too roughly.
- Floss!
- Use sugar-free mints and alcohol-free mouthwash
- Brush teeth first thing in morning and last thing at night
And on the beauty side, darker lipstick makes teeth look whiter.
Do you have any toothy grin-worthy habits to share? Spit em out!
I am guilty of so many of those bad habits! Almost everything but the smoking.
ReplyDeleteMy dental hygienist told me to brush my teeth before eating foods that stain because the fluoride seals the pores. And if you're whitening your teeth, don't brush them before hand so the whitener works best.
eesh! brush before, brush after, brusha-brusha-brusha!
ReplyDeletegrease is the word!
I suppose I wish I had know these tips many years ago. I drink red wine and coffee so that doesn't help. Teeth are not as white as frequently portrayed in ads though. A dentist will tell you those teeth are most unnatural.
ReplyDeleteI chipped my front tooth using it as a staple remover. It was truly a Doh! moment.
ReplyDeleteI have been using a home remedy of lemons and baking soda to whiten my teeth, until the dentist told me about treatments that were a fraction of what I thought that they cost. Ask your dentist if they have different plans and treatments because not all of them will cost you a small fortune like I thought.
ReplyDeleteSylvester Mckenzie @ Cody Dental