This may sound painfully obvious, but the sad fact is a lot of people don't even brush their teeth properly once a day, much less twice. The American Dental Association (ADA) recommends brushing two times a day for two minutes using a soft, rounded, nylon bristled brush and advises people to spend roughly 30 seconds on each quadrant of their mouth (Upper left, lower left, etc.) while wielding the toothbrush at a 45 degree angle.
Dr. Apa recommends "investing in a soft-bristled electric toothbrush." (Try Oral B CrossAction Power Whitening Toothbrush, $109.) He says that it's "great for [getting you to] spend a little extra time each day brushing your teeth and gums!"
Whether or not you use an electric brush, it's important to replace it regularly. The ADA says to "replace your toothbrush every three or four months, or sooner if the bristles are frayed," because "a worn toothbrush won't do a good job of cleaning your teeth."
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Chew gum
If you don't have access to a toothbrush immediately following a meal, then chomping away on a stick of sugarless gum is a great idea.
Chewing gum increases saliva flow, which in turn helps to wash away bacteria and neutralize acids in the mouth. Hate chewing gum? The ADA says that flushing your mouth with an antibacterial rinse (try BreathRX Anti-Bacterial Mouth Rinse, $9.99) can help prevent decay and gum problems by removing plaque from between teeth and under the gum line.
Quick, name something most celebrities have in common (other than fat checkbook balances). If you said "nice, white teeth" and a "movie star smile" pat yourself on the back.
With the exception of maybe Johnny Depp and, maybe Nelly, the overwhelming majority of A-listers have dazzling smiles. Why? Plain and simple, nice teeth look good -- on the big screen and off.
And while straight, white teeth are a commodity in Hollywood, it's not a shock that regular folks are clamoring for them too. Men and women's dental health and having a beautiful smile has become all the rage these days. The proof ? Everything from mall kiosks offering "whiter smiles in 30 minutes" to the staggering assortment of brightening/whitening kits, toothpastes and rinses to choose from at your neighborhood drug store point to a supply meeting demands.
But that's the problem -- with so many products vying for our hard-earned dollars and so much conflicting information floating around, it can be too confusing to figure out how to get a pretty, healthy mouthful of teeth!
To help eliminate the guesswork, we talked to two industry standouts. Dr. Michael Apa, a partner in The Rosenthal/ Apa Group on Manhattan�s Upper East Side where he concentrates exclusively on aesthetic and restorative dentistry, and cosmetic dentist Dr. Bill Dorfman who's helped to beautify Jessica Simpson, Eva Longoria and Anne Hathaway's perfect mouths -- and, both shared their tips for getting and maintaining healthy, alluring smiles.
So, if you're ready to razzle and dazzle 'em, let's get going!
