8 Tips to Achieve a Healthy, Perfect Smile
A person’s smile is one of the first things that you notice about them, and the key to having a bright and healthy style is to practice good oral health and hygiene. It isn’t always easy to maintain your smile—whether you’re a regular coffee drinker, smoker, love to indulge in sweets, or simply forget to brush your teeth on occasion, upkeep can be a challenge but isn’t impossible.
If you haven’t had the time to see the dentist but need your smile to look good pronto, NYC-based celebrity cosmetic dentist Dr. Marc Lowenberg of Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor shares eight easy tips to whiten teeth and freshen breath in a jiffy. While these aren’t substitutes for dental care, you will notice instant improvement— and following these steps will help maintain a healthy, perfect smile between regular visits to the dentist.
Tip #1: Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
Mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide into a paste consistency and brush teeth with it to instantly remove surface stains. Crest Whitestrips are also a good at-home option for whitening teeth in a pinch.
Tip #2: Chew raw vegetables.
Chew raw, crunchy vegetables to help mechanically remove surface stains. Celery, carrots and cucumber are a few that are good for teeth.
Tip #3: Wear lipstick with blue undertones.
Wear lipstick shades with blue undertones. The contrast makes teeth appear whiter and brighter. To help determine lipstick tone, do a test swatch on your hand or wrist. Blue-toned lipsticks don’t look orangey when applied, and they’ll appear full and thick instead of light.
Tip #4: Protect teeth with Vaseline.
Coat your teeth with a thin layer of Vaseline prior to consuming red wine and teeth-staining foods to protect them against surface stains.
Tip #5: Use a tongue scraper to remove plaque.
Use a tongue scraper to remove plaque from the fissures of the tongue. Debris, bacteria and dead cells can build up on the tongue over time, and by removing the coating on the tongue, you are helping to eliminate undigested food particles and bacteria that cause bad breath. As an added bonus, your taste buds will also be cleaned, which will help to enhance your sense of taste.
Tip #6: Drink vodka
Order a cocktail with vodka—it kills the bacteria in the mouth that cause bad breath. Hold off on sugary mixers because they will bind to teeth and trigger odor-causing bacteria.
Tip #7: Eat parsley.
Eat parsley on a regular basis to combat bad breath that may be a result of digestion. Parsley contains chlorophyll, which is believed to have antibacterial properties, making it a great mouth deodorizer.
Tip #8: Rinse with mouthwash daily.
Rinse twice daily with an ADA-recommended antiseptic mouthwash, which has active ingredients intended to help control or reduce conditions such as bad breath, gingivitis, plaque, and tooth decay.
For more information, visit Lowenberg, Lituchy & Kantor’s website. Follow them on Instagram: @lowenberglituchykantor
Kamala Kirk is a University of Southern California graduate and has been an editor/writer for more than a decade. She has written for E! Online, Total Beauty, TravelAge West, Malibu Times Magazine, and many more. She resides in Los Angeles and is a proud pug mom. Follow her on Instagram: @kamalakirk