Is The Smile The Most Cosmetically Important Part Of The Face?

A recent survey conducted by the ADA, Crest, and Oral B found that the smile outranks eye, hair, and the body as the most attractive physical feature. When one’s smile is in dazzling and orthodontically-great shape, it is said to be the most eye-catching, fascinating, and engaging physical feature to other people. Smiling is the most recognized body language signal in the world. And smiling is an endorphin-releasing action when it's a genuine smile, as opposed to a forced smile. A great-looking smile can make an otherwise homely-looking person appear more confident, even emboldened, by increasing one's face value. But the teeth must be in proper order. The models, moguls, and movie stars that we see in all of the ads on TV, on billboards, and in magazines all show phenomenal sets of “ivories.” And the better one looks, the greater are the chances that he or she can become more successful in life.

Maintaining a brilliant smile takes work: floss, brush, and rinse (in that order!) daily, periodically visit with your dentist, limit sugary-foods snacking, drink plenty of water to stay hydrated, minimize drinking colored beverages and acidic liquids, get adequate sleep, don't smoke, and practice a healthy lifestyle.

A person with visibly decayed, missing, discolored, and unattractive teeth may find people trying to avoid them to a degree, and he or she might have anxiety about it. Some may think that people with unsightly teeth have a financial, mental, medical, and/or a social problem and are to be given as much separation space as possible.

In the animal kingdom, predators, including humans, may dangerously brandish their teeth to get an aggressive, survival-of-the-fittest point across. Teeth are needed to fight, to kill, and to eat. Do teeth-rich sharks look "sexy" to sharks of the opposite gender? I don't know. But human teeth have evolved and our modern dentitions seem to have a more esthetic, golden-proportioned value to other humans when in an orthodontically harmonious form. The muscles involved in smiling include the levator anguli oris, triangularis, obicularis oris, and the zygomaticus.

Martin Charnin said, "You're never fully dressed without a smile!" And Phyllis Diller quipped, "A smile is a curve that sets everything straight!"  I have heard that it takes more muscles to frown than to smile. So, go ahead…relax… and show us your “Duchenne” smile!

May you have many…I’ll take that first, cosmetically-great, center of attention… smiles!

Fun Floss Facts, Part 2.

Mass- produced silk floss, first available in 1882, was made by the Randolf, Massachusetts-based Codman and Shurleft Company.

When used properly, floss breaks up and removes plaque masses so they can't grow, organize, and mature into more efficient, self-perpetuating, microbiological colonies that can cause dental problems like dental caries, gingivitis, and bone loss, and may contribute to systemic problems like diabetes, heart disease, and premature birth because excessive amounts of bacteria can enter into the bloodstream through ulcerated gum tissues.

Wash the hands well, maybe even twice, before flossing to reduce the amount of germs introduced by otherwise dirty fingers. If the hands can't be washed, use gloves to floss hygienically.

A New Orleans dentist, Levi Spear Parmly, is credited with inventing the original form of floss in silk form  in 1815. He was born on August 29, 1790 in Braintree, Vermont.

Some floss manufacturers include sodium fluoride or other antimicrobial ingredients into the coatings of their products for additional therapeutic benefits.

The WaterPik Power Flosser FLA-220 uses a mint-coated tip that is of adequate length, to  place between teeth, and oscillates about 10,000 times per minute to clean and whiten areas between the teeth and gums.

The Bryton Pick, available at brytonpick.com, is a small, super thin, flexible, germ-resistant, stainless steel plate that is vertically placed between the teeth to remove dental plaque. It can be reused for up to thirty days.

Floss threaders are large, soft plastic needles through which floss can be strung and then used to clean under fixed bridges, fixed retainers, and between braces and teeth.

Dessert Essence coats its floss with extracts from the same tree, the Melaleuca alternifolia tree (over 200 species), that some Australian Aborigines used for medicinal purposes. It contains dozens of beneficial compounds, and is the source of tea tree oil, which is revered by many people around the world for its anti-fungal, antibacterial, antiviral, and anti-inflammatory properties.

In 1994, enough floss, almost three million miles of it, was purchased by the public, which is more than enough to encircle the Earth at the equator more than one hundred times!

Your Dentist and Hygienist can help choose the right floss for you. See both of them often.

May you have many…silly string, floss is the boss… smiles

Don't Use These Home Remedies To Whiten Your Teeth!

It's understandable that people want to put their best foot and smile forward to make the best social impression. And in this current economy, saving money while getting a brighter smile may lead some to try folk remedies not done in the dental office. Some people have misplaced motivations and leave the concoctions on the teeth too long and/or use them too often, thinking that more is better. The enamel of the teeth and the soft gum tissues can be harmed with these chemicals. Instead of trying potions you might find or prepare at home, use modern, proven methods from your store or pharmacy, or under the controlled conditions at your dental home, which are evidence-based, safe, and actually work.

I have come across several home remedies, which I feel shouldn't be used, that purport to whiten the teeth:

Baking Soda- As an abrasive, it won't brighten the teeth, but it will remove surface stains, so that the natural whiteness of the teeth will show. With overuse, it may remove too much enamel which is only replaceable with a filling. Add a strong acid like lemon juice, and you will remove your precious enamel at a much faster rate.

Strawberries- Malic acid in strawberries can remove stains from enamel caused by, say, dark wines and dark sodas, but it also removes surface minerals. Some people have a tendency to leave the crushed up strawberry paste on too long. When mixed with baking soda and brushed on the teeth, too much enamel can be removed.

Lemon Juice or Grapefruit Juice- Both contain strong citric acid (lemon pH is about 2, grapefruit pH is about 3) that can decalcify teeth surfaces and make the enamel softer, and prone to loss. They do have beneficial effects inside the body, though. People who suck lemons a lot will destroy their enamel and need dental work.

Apples- From the plant Malus domestica, apples contains mineral-removing malic acid which is present in apples, in foods, and in some teeth whitening products, to dissolve stains.

Sea Salt and Cider Vinegar- Rubbing a paste solution made from these items, which is acidic, will whiten the teeth by removing stains, but removes needed enamel minerals.

The aforementioned substances will not whiten your teeth much at all, only a shade or two, and then, only temporarily. Any additional whiteness that you achieve is the result of stripping the salivary and surface minerals away, leaving a decalcified, bleached look. In this state, the microsurface of the enamel is at its most fragile state. Nature has given us all a certain thickness of enamel to last a lifetime. Don't wear yours away too quickly. Your teeth can stay their whitest by regularly flossing, brushing and rinsing with remineralizing, commercially-available toothpastes and mouth rinses, and seeing your dentist and hygienist at least every six months to use their whitening powers.

                 

May you have many…nonacidified, luminous, enamelly-rich… smiles!

Smile Quotations, Part 2.

It ain't over till the fat lady...smiles!-Ralph Winge, D.D.S.

A smile is a powerful weapon; you can even break ice with it.-Author Unknown

Children smile on the average 400 times a day; Adults: 15 times a day. Ever wonder why?-Author Unknown

The first one to smile...wins!-Ralph Winge, D.D.S.
    

If you whistle while you work, a smile isn’t far behind!-Ralph Winge, D.D.S.

Don't cry for a man who has left you, the next one may fall for your smile.-Mae West

A smile is the universal welcome.-Max Eastman

People who keep stiff upper lips find that it's damn hard to smile.-Judith Guest

Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles.-George Eliot

If a man smiles all the time, he's probably selling something that doesn't work.-George Carlin

People seldom notice old clothes if you wear a big smile.-Lee Mildon

A smile is like tight underwear - it makes your cheeks go up.-Author Unknown

If you're reading this...Congratulations, you're alive. If that's not something to smile about,then I don't know what is.-Chad Sugg

Peace begins with a smile. -Mother Teresa

Thinking a smile all the time will keep your face youthful.-Frank Burgess

Everyone smiles in the same language.-Author Unknown

Courage, not compromise, brings the smile of God's approval.-Thomas S. Monson

May you have many…deep thinking, quotably-cute… smiles!