Light Up Your Smile
Break the ten habits that can ruin your best asset.
By Nancy Monson
Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you. In fact, the Academy of General Dentistry reports that 40 percent of survey respondents notice a smile first in people they work with, and 96 percent believe that a smile is important to a person's appearance. But many of us take ours for granted -- thinking that no matter what we do, our smile will always be there in its gleaming brilliance. Not true. There are many bad habits that could be slowly spoiling our teeth and gums -- the key components of a healthy grin. 1. Brushing too hard 2. The wrong toothpaste 3. Forgoing floss
Using a firm-bristled toothbrush and too much pressure can permanently wear away protective enamel (triggering tooth sensitivity and cavities) and cause receding gums, says Christine Dumas, D.D.S., assistant clinical professor of dentistry at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. Instead, use a soft brush and gentle, circular scrubbing motions for two minutes at least twice a day. When buying a toothbrush, consider that compact heads move most easily around small mouths and long, flexible handles are better than short, stiff ones for reaching back molars. Good brushes, available at drugstores: The redesigned Reach Interdental Toothbrush ($2.50), Mentadent ProCare ($3) and Colgate Navigator ($3.29).
Some toothpastes, especially those designated "tartar control," are too abrasive, says Lana Rozenberg, D.D.S., director of New York City's Rozenberg Dental Day Spa. "Anything that feels gritty can erode enamel and cause receding gums." Fluoride is the only ingredient you need, she adds. Dentist-recommended toothpastes (at drugstores) include Mentadent ($3.29), Tom's of Maine Natural Toothpaste ($4) and Sensodyne Fresh Mint ($4.39) for sensitive teeth.
"It takes 24 hours for bacteria on your teeth to develop into plaque -- the sticky coating that leads to cavities and gum disease," says Richard H. Price, D.M.D., a dentist in private practice in Newton, Mass., and an adviser to the American Dental Association. Flossing once a day is essential for removing plaque. Good flosses, available at drugstores, include Oral-B SATINfloss ($3), Glide ($3) and Johnson & Johnson's new Reach Whitening Floss or Tape ($3.50), which is coated with silica, the compound used in whitening toothpaste.
