San Francisco ranks no. 7 among the least smoky cities, which is good news for residents' gums (the high humidity certainly helps them as well). The state also ranks no. 50 in loss of teeth (no. 1 is the worst) and no. 8 in dentists per capita. This plus their ranking as no. 2 least cola consumption in 2008 more than makes up for their ranking as the no. 3 most coffee consumption (just don't forget to rinse after that cup of Joe).
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No. 3: Bethesda, Md.
Bethesda is practically perfect in every healthy-teeth way: it ranks no. 7 in dentists per capita, no. 7 in fruit and vegetable consumption, no. 9 in dentist visits and no. 43 in teeth lost (no. 1 is the worst). If that's not enough, it's also the no. 2 least smoky city. This means residents should have healthy gums and stain-free smiles.
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No. 2: Boston, Mass.
Despite Boston's high coffee consumption, it is still a strong contender for best-smile city. It ranks no. 4 in least cola consumption, no. 3 in both dentists per capita and dentist visits, plus it's no. 6 in fruit and vegetable consumption and no. 45 in loss of teeth (no. 1 is the worst). But wait, there's more! It also has average humidity (so no dry mouths), and the state ranks no. 46 in amount of smokers (no. 1 having the most smokers)!
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No. 1: Bridgeport, Conn.
It seems there's not a less-than-perfect smile in all of Bridgeport. The city is one of the least-smoky cities in the country and the state ranks no. 5 in dentists per capita and no. 1 in dentist visits. Clearly residents put a high priority on healthy teeth. They also have the lowest rate of teeth loss (coming in at no. 52) and rank no. 3 in fruit and vegetable consumption -- which we know contributes to overall health, including teeth and gums. It's a good bet that Bridgeport residents have no problems saying "cheese" for the camera!
Getting and keeping a beautiful smile can take work, but the people in these cities have no problem with that. So what does it take? According to Irwin Smigel, DDS., founder and president of the American Society for Dental Aesthetics (ASDA) and creator of Supersmile, there are a few key factors: Regular dentist visits, not smoking, keeping your soda, wine and coffee intake to a minimum, overall health, living in a humid enough climate (so your mouth doesn't dry out and allow bacteria to flourish), and brushing and flossing regularly (of course). All of these cities excel in these categories, so if you visit, prepare to be blinded by bright smiles.
