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.
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Don't use your teeth!
When it comes to keeping your mouth looking pretty, Dr. Dorfman
strongly cautions against ever "using your teeth as a can opener." He also cites "chewing on pens, ice or popcorn kernels" as really bad ideas. (And jokes that he has "probably made enough money fixing teeth that were cracked on popcorn kernels to buy a luxury car!")
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Don't smoke
As if we needed another reason not to smoke, Dr. Apa says that smoking "anything" leaves "tar and ugly stains on your teeth." In fact, cigarette smoke is so bad for your teeth and gums that one of the most effective anti-smoking campaigns ever launched in Canada featured an image of a mouth ravaged by tar on the sides of cigarette packages. A picture paints a thousand words. Scary stuff.
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Eat apples
In addition to being an all-around healthy food, apples are crunchy, fibrous and mildly acidic -- all things that make them good for your teeth.
The fibers help to act as mini toothbrushes when chewed and the acid helps to clean and brighten teeth. And, Dr. Irwin Smigel, president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics, says that eating apples and other solid, crunchy foods like carrots and celery can help to naturally toughen up your gums.
But, while crunching away on an apple is a great snack for both your gum line and your waistline, you need to rinse your mouth with water or an antibacterial rinse when you're finished if you want to reap oral health benefits -- leaving behind the fruit's natural sugars and acids will undo any good the eating did your mouth.
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!
