Eat (and drink) your way to a whiter, healthier smile

No toothbrush handy? Grab some cauliflower — easy on the soy sauce

 

 

Stars like Jessica Alba and Scarlett Johansson need killer smiles for their livelihood, but for us mere mortals, a whiter, brighter smile can do wonders for our appearance and self-confidence. Plus, surveys reveal that one of the first things that people notice about others is their smile, and as that old saw goes, you only get one chance to make a first impression.

Dr. Timothy Chase, a 15-year veteran of cosmetic dentistry in New York City says white teeth and healthy gums can take 10 years off your appearance. And while professional dental products work best for whitening,  what you eat and don’t eat can play a huge role in how white your teeth are.  It seems certain fruits, vegetables and other foods can aid in your quest for whiter teeth. Here’s what you should know about the white smile diet:

The crunch factor

Apples, cauliflower, celery and carrots work to whiten because they function as an abrasive scrub for teeth. These foods are nature’s toothbrush. They also stimulate the production of saliva, which helps keep plaque from forming. Stain sticks to plaque.

Orange ya glad?

The acid in oranges and pineapples may whiten and brighten the surface of the teeth. The acid also contains enzymes that kill bacteria that cause tooth decay and bad breath. “Saliva is the body’s wonder fluid,” says Chase, and eating juicy citrus increases saliva production that washes away foods that stain like coffee, soda and red wine.

 

Strawberry patch

Strawberries contain an enzyme called malic acid that can whiten teeth. Munch berries several times a week to naturally whiten chompers.

Pass the cheese, please

Dairy products such as yogurt, milk and hard cheeses like cheddar contain lactic acid, which may help protect teeth against decay.  Researchers think proteins in yogurt may bind to teeth and prevent them from attack by harmful acids that cause cavities. Dairy is also loaded with calcium, which guards and strengthens bone that holds teeth in place. Plus, chewing hard cheese creates saliva that helps remove food particles that stain.

You can also try to avoid stain-causing foods.  Any food that causes a stubborn laundry stain can discolor teeth, too.  If you look at a tooth under a microscope, it looks like a kitchen sponge with many little nooks, crannies and holes. When stain-causing foods and beverages get stuck in those nooks and crannies, especially over time, dark stains develop. While we hear a lot about coffee, tea and red wine, soda is actually one of the worst offenders. It not only contains acids that open up those nooks but then stains them with cola color.

While you're at it, be sure to go easy on other teeth-staining food and drink, such as coffee, tea, blueberries, red wine, soy sauce and tobacco.

“It only takes seven minutes for destruction to start, but you can stop it by rinsing with plain water for seven seconds until you can brush and remove plaque,” says Dr. Joe Kravitz, a Washington D.C. dentist and author of “Dirty Mouth.”  If you can’t get to a toothbrush or drink water, chew sugarless gum to remove stain food causing particles.

Halloween Candy - How to Avoid Scary Tooth Decay

Avoid Scary Tooth Decay This Halloween

Don't let Halloween Candy be a Nightmare

From Tammy Davenport, former About.com Guide

Updated: October 24, 2007

About.com Health's Disease and Condition content is reviewed by our Medical Review Board

See More About:

• decay
• halloween
• candy
• cavities
• dental problems

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Who doesn’t love candy at Halloween? If your kids are like mine, they're going to come home from trick-or-treating with tons of candy. Sugary candy can lead to tooth decay, but following these simple steps can help you and your children have a fun Halloween without the nightmare of harming their teeth in the process.

1. Don’t let your kids gorge on Halloween candy all night. Teaching your kids moderation on Halloween is important.
2. Monitor that your children are brushing their teeth three times a day.
3. Make sure that your children use an age-appropriate fluoridated mouthwash every evening.
4. Have extra disposable dental flossers laying all over the house. You’d be amazed at what kids will do when their bored.
5. Avoid or limit candy such as caramels, candy corn, jelly beans, and taffy. These particular candies are extra sticky, making it hard for saliva to wash away the sugar.
6. Give your kids sugar free gum to chew. Not only does sugar-free gum help prevent cavities, it also helps neutralize the effects of sugar from the candy. Therefore, it combats the bacteria in plaque that causes cavities.

Halloween is a fun holiday and you shouldn’t have to worry about things like tooth decay. By practicing good oral hygiene and using moderation, your kids can have a fun and safe Halloween and still enjoy the candy!

Braces Emoticons

By now, everybody probably knows that  a colon, dash, and right parenthesis looks like a smiley face :-)  ArchWired reader Eric from Massachusetts sent in these handcrafted orthodontic emoticons for us to enjoy.  Eric says, "Sitting in from of my laptop pondering my current orthodontic journey, I put together some braces 'emoticons'.  I know I've seen some of the simpler ones, but think some of the others may be new."  Thanks, Eric! : ^ (-_)          overbite : ^ (_-)          under bite : ^ (´`)          protruding teeth :-)#)              braces and happy :->#>             braces and very happy :-(#(              braces and unhappy  :-<#<             very angry about having braces  :-#)…..           braces and drooling ;..(#)             braces hurt   ;..(*#)           braces with canker sore!   :-)#}#)          braces and headgear :-<}<             not pleased with wearing headgear  <(:-)#}#)       braces and high-pull headgear (:-)=})>         facemask :-)##)           metal brackets :-)}})            ceramic brackets   :-)$$)            gold brackets  :-)][)             Invisalign™/invisible braces  :-)})              retainer :-)=)             thumb/tongue habit appliance : (?)              broken wire/bracket    :-)#=#)         braces with rubber bands º :-(#-#)       popped off a rubber band :-(#-#) ºººººº     spilled my bag of rubber bands :-(###)-:      braces locked :-[::]            brackets being installed :-[#]             braces being installed :-X               I don't want anyone to see my braces :-(#J#)         using a Water-Pik™ :-(#q#)         brushing braces :-(#\#)         how do you floss these things? :-(#*#)        gum caught in braces :-(#~#)        tongue caught in braces :-<##)          lip caught in braces :-(#·#)         tongue piercing caught in braces :-[|]             braces being removed :-)|)             finished with braces!

Celebrating its 29th year, the International Day of Peace was created by the United Nations to promote worldwide peace and encourage mankind to work in cooperation toward this goal. It provides an opportunity for individuals, organizations, and nations to create practical acts of peace on a shared date. It can be as simple as lighting a candle or as involved as organizing a community event. Share the sign of peace with everyone you meet today!

Celebrate National Smile Week

Often special days and weeks don't seem so special when they happen every day, but this week is different. This week is National Smile Week, which means its time to plaster on a grin and show the world how smiling can be contagious.
Sharing a smile with a family member, coworker or friend is easy. Smile while you speak and watch the other person light up. It’s an amazing phenomenon that just smiling can make someone else smile, and before you know it, you’ll see a change in their attitude. Congratulations, you’ve just made someone’s day and you didn’t even have to go out of your way.
There are plenty of other ways you can share a smile, too, which require very little effort on your behalf, but can make a huge difference to someone else. Here are a few ideas to give you inspiration:

• Write a funny or uplifting note and leave it under someone’s windshield wiper.
• Give someone a compliment they won’t expect.
• Telling a friend they look great is one thing, but if you tell them how fantastic their shoes are, you’re able to be specific and they’ll really appreciate it.
• Practice random acts of kindness. Hold the door for someone, buy someone a cup of coffee, or even just give someone a high five.
• Wear a happy face button, sticker or pin. Make some extra to share with friends and people you encounter.
• Use Twitter or other social networking outlets to spread your smiles.

National Smile Week is about positivity and sharing your good mood with the people around you. How are you celebrating National Smile Week?