Here's an all-natural med for your mouth: Licorice extract effectively treats canker sores, reports a study in General Dentistry.  Patients treated with a patch containing licorice root extract saw their sores shrink by 90% over eight days.  Ulcers of those who did nothing grew by 13%.  The compound saponin glycyrrhizin, which is responsible for the sweet flavor of licorice, is also a potent anti-inflammatory,says Eric Shapira DDS.,a spokesman for the Academy of General Dentistry.  Find the extract in health food stores.

Source:  Women's Health magazine, October 2008 issue

The benefits of brushing and flossing not only promote a healthy smile, it can help prevent heart disease, reduce your risk of diabetes and improve your overall health. “Short of a visit to the dentist, no other single personal oral healthcare habit alone has the same ability to remove plaque between teeth and below your gum line.”

--www.realage.com/agingcenter (please note medical disclaimer on site)

Welcome James, the latest addition to our office. He is caring, articulate, well traveled and may even serenade you while in the hygiene chair. With his sense of humor that rivals the rest of us, he is a great plus for our team. We give him a  thumbs up.

To be honest, I have an equal number of male and female patients receiving cosmetic dentistry work  these days.

...which is a big shift from the late 80's and early 90's, when about 90% of cosmetic dentistry patients were women.

Just goes to show you... a gorgeous smile is not a gender thing!

Unfortunately, another misconception (believed by both women and men), is... cosmetic dentistry simply means a dental crown here and a teeth whitening there.

Men are realizing that one of the greatest things they can do to reduce their age is to get their smile done.  Cosmetic Dentistry or a 'Smile Makeover" are making men and women feel more attractive, improving their confidence, self-esteem, sex-appeal, love life and ultimately improving their entire outlook on life. 

I hope you have enjoyed my "Shopping for the Right Smile" series and I hope when you are thinking about making a large purchase that you take a moment to admire your smile.  Is your smile what you want it to be, and if its not ,I hope you remember how important that first impression is.  It's not your handbag or suit -- but your smile they will remember!

As a follow-up to last week's blog, I want you to take a different look at what I want your dental appointment to be like.  A dental appointment used to be anticipated with dread.  Your visit should be about getting gorgeous than anticipating pain.  There are SO many options/solutions and preventative measures so you CAN have that smile that lights up a room!

There are many options for straightening your teeth. In all honesty, like anything you shop for, it depends on quality, time, and what is necessary for what you need.

***OPTIONS***

Invisalign:

If your teeth are merely crooked, you are a good candidate for these "adult braces."  More like trays than braces, they are almost undetectable to other people. UPSIDE: Teeth are not traumatized by drilling OTHERSIDE: Process can take up to a year and can be a little spendy.

Bonding:

If you only need a few teeth fixed, this might be what you are looking for.  It's ideal for lengthening, widening, fixing chips or making gaps disappear in teeth.  It is a soft pliable resin material painted onto the existing tooth, then sculpted, filed and polished to perfection. UPSIDE: Relative bargain compared to porcelain veneers. OTHERSIDE: Lasts 3-5 years and can be more susceptable to stain.

Porcelain Veneers:

Veneers cover all manner of sins including teeth that are missing, overlapped, worn down, or badly stained.  This state of the art procedure does not miss a thing.  The porcelain is smoother, stronger, and longer lasting than bonding.  The glow it casts in your mouth is almost pearlescent, because the translucency reflects light in a very realistic way.  It is also highly resistant to stains, so you won't need additional whitening! UPSIDE:  Unless you are opening beer bottles with them, they can last up to 20 years and NO MORE BLEACHAHOLIC visits. OTHERSIDE: $$$$$

BARGAIN BUYS!!!!

Toothpaste: Crest Pro-Health $4.49...Colgate Total $3.59

Toothpaste: Philips Sonicare FlexCare $179.99

Mouthwash: Act Antiactivity Flouride Rinse $5.29...Crest Pro-Health Rinse $5.29

Whitening: Crest Whitestrips Premium $34.99...Crest Whitestrips Renewal $39.99

Last Installment for this series..."Real Men Smile Too."

See you next week!