grin and wear it

Protect your pearlies, and preen that pout for a revved-up smile.

By Angelique Anacleto

First impressions begin with a great smile. Of course, ordering up a healthy, attractive grin calls for, you guessed it, consistent twice-daily gentle tooth brushing and flossing while nixing dark, acidic foods, beverages and smoking. With your mouth functioning as a grinding work engine, these prominent pointers can help keep it fit and gleaming.

Happy App

Brush DJ (brushdj.com) is a free iTunes and Google Play app that plays music for two minutes to encourage brushing. It also reminds when to brush, floss and visit your dentist.

Noticeably White

For bona fide tooth bleaching, Dr. Tina Chandra of Chandra Smile Designs in Ocala, advises patients to trust dental professionals to deliver safe, quick and long-term results compared with minimal brightening outcomes from DIY over-thecounter systems.

“Your teeth are the only ones you’ll have, so it’s best they’re carefully monitored by a dentist,” says Chandra. “Professional bleaching gels contain a higher concentration of peroxide than over-the-counter formulas. And when applied safely, they yield a more e ective result.”

After assessing your enamel’s strength, dentists can propose take-home bleaching kits ($400-$600) or o ce treatments ($650). The home version requires 30 minutes per day over seven to 10 days, while o ce treatments use a high intensity laser light and entail four 20-minute sessions. Both systems lighten five to eight shades for a youngerlooking smile.

INSIGHT FOR SORE MOUTHS. Nearly nine in 10 diseases can cause symptoms in your mouth. And through routine observation, dentists are often at the forefront of detecting underlying physical conditions. Cold sores and jaw pain can often be signs of stress; a lingering sore could be a flag for oral cancer; aching or bleeding gums could point to diabetes; and loose teeth, osteoporosis.

diet soda no-no

Don’t growl at this messenger, but as noted in a 2015 Australian study, even without sugar, diet soda erodes teeth. Artificial sweetener acid, citric acid and phosphoric acid all wear down enamel, leading to soft teeth where cavities form in surface pits or grooves. At most, curb soda contact by consuming one per day, drink quickly rather than sipping and use a straw. Better yet, refresh with cucumber-infused water.

Say Cheese

Remineralize and strengthen tooth enamel by chomping cheese, which contains casein, whey protein and calcium. Additionally, vitamin D-rich foods—like milk, egg yolks and fish— assist your body in absorbing that calcium.

saliva = good

Think of your mouth as a flowing stream. After meals, pop some gum with Xylitol to encourage saliva and remove food particles, as well as constant water chugging to swish away bacteria.

Lip Syncing

Eye cream plays double duty smoothing lip lines. Like eyes, lips lack sebaceous glands to stay supple. While K-Beauty obsesses over lip masks galore, this dermatologist hack similarly utilizes anti-aging ingredients like retinol, alpha hydroxy acid, coenzyme Q10 or kinetin to saturate wrinkles overnight.

Simply Pretty

If goopy lip kits and unicorn tears aren’t your thing, WINKY LUX Glow Concept Flower Balm ($14, Belk) swipes on the perfect make-under antidote that uniquely adjusts its pink tone to your skin’s pH and encapsulates a tiny chrysanthemum.

Gift Of A Smile

Because smiles are contagious, contemplate a “pay-it-forward” donation to Operation Smile (operationsmile.org), which performs surgeries on individuals with cleft lip and palate issues.