Carter & Eckdhal Family Dentistry, SC
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My Blog
Posts for: June, 2018
June is the month when lots of important events happen—like weddings, graduations, and family get-togethers. When the weather turns balmy and the days get longer, it’s the perfect time for a celebration…and today it’s easier than ever to capture those special moments in pictures that will be treasured for years to come. Are you ready for your close-up?
Both professional photographers and dentists want to help you look your best when you’re smiling for the camera. Here are a few suggestions from both kinds of pros for capturing a great-looking smile.
Tilt your head just a bit
Instead of looking straight at the camera, try turning or tilting your head slightly. This often presents a more flattering angle, and can hide small facial asymmetries. If your face has a “good side” (you can check by looking in a mirror), be sure to make it visible. But even if your head is tilted or turned, your eyes should be looking at the camera.
Moisten teeth before the shutter clicks
A sparkly smile is the most appealing one. Just before the picture is snapped, run your tongue over your teeth to give them a little extra shine. Highlights in the teeth, lips and eyes add liveliness to your portrait.
Relax—Don’t clench your teeth!
It’s better to smile naturally—perhaps with teeth slightly parted, or lips in a more relaxed position—than to force yourself to make an artificial-looking grin. Try recalling things that make you joyful, or think of people you care about, and chances are your natural smile will shine out.
Have your teeth professionally cleaned at the dental office
Before the big event, you can ensure that your smile looks its best with a professional cleaning at our office. This treatment removes layers of plaque and tartar on visible tooth surfaces, as well as between teeth and under the gumline. It not only makes teeth look their best, but it’s also an effective way to fight tooth decay and gum disease. And while you’re here, it’s the perfect time to talk about any cosmetic issues that may be troubling you about your smile. With treatments like teeth whitening, cosmetic bonding or dental veneers, we can help you get the smile you’ve always wanted.
If you would like more information about professional teeth cleaning or cosmetic dentistry, please call our office to schedule a consultation.
In summer, there is no shortage of occasions to show off your smile. Whether attending a wedding, graduation celebration, family reunion or neighborhood barbecue, you’ll want to look your best. But if your smile doesn’t shine as brightly as you’d like, a trip to the dental office may just be the confidence-booster you’re looking for. Here are some popular techniques to enhance your smile:
Teeth cleaning. A professional cleaning can make your mouth feel fresh and add sparkle to your smile. The dental hygienist uses special tools to get rid of plaque and tartar that you cannot remove during your oral hygiene routine at home. In addition, hygienists use a tooth-polishing tool that removes surface stains.
Professional whitening. Professional teeth whitening can achieve excellent results in one short office visit. But if you have several weeks before the big event on your calendar, you can also get winning results at home using custom-made whitening trays from the dental office. Either way, your smile can sparkle at summer celebrations.
Cosmetic bonding. If your teeth have small chips or cracks, cosmetic bonding may be a good option for you. In bonding, tooth-colored material is shaped to the tooth and hardened with a curing light. The procedure—generally done in one office visit without anesthesia—is relatively inexpensive, and the result is very natural-looking.
Porcelain veneers. If you are unhappy with the color, shape, size or spacing of your teeth, long-lasting dental veneers can give your smile a whole new look. Veneers are wafer-thin porcelain shells that are bonded to the tooth’s surface. Because they may be crafted in a dental lab, they may require two to three visits to the dental office over a few-week period.
With so many options, it’s easy to put your best smile forward at all your summer gatherings. We can help. If you have any questions about brightening your smile, please contact our office or schedule a consultation. To learn more, read the Dear Doctor magazine articles “Teeth Whitening” and “Porcelain Veneers.”
Is having good oral hygiene important to kissing? Who's better to answer that question than Vivica A. Fox? Among her other achievements, the versatile actress won the “Best Kiss” honor at the MTV Movie Awards, for a memorable scene with Will Smith in the 1996 blockbuster Independence Day. When Dear Doctor magazine asked her, Ms. Fox said that proper oral hygiene was indeed essential. Actually, she said:
"Ooooh, yes, yes, yes, Honey, 'cause Baby, if you kiss somebody with a dragon mouth, my God, it's the worst experience ever as an actor to try to act like you enjoy it!"
And even if you're not on stage, it's no fun to kiss someone whose oral hygiene isn't what it should be. So what's the best way to step up your game? Here's how Vivica does it:
“I visit my dentist every three months and get my teeth cleaned, I floss, I brush, I just spent two hundred bucks on an electronic toothbrush — I'm into dental hygiene for sure.”
Well, we might add that you don't need to spend tons of money on a toothbrush — after all, it's not the brush that keeps your mouth healthy, but the hand that holds it. And not everyone needs to come in as often every three months. But her tips are generally right on.
For proper at-home oral care, nothing beats brushing twice a day for two minutes each time, and flossing once a day. Brushing removes the sticky, bacteria-laden plaque that clings to your teeth and causes tooth decay and gum disease — not to mention malodorous breath. Don't forget to brush your tongue as well — it can also harbor those bad-breath bacteria.
While brushing is effective, it can't reach the tiny spaces in between teeth and under gums where plaque bacteria can hide. But floss can: That's what makes it so important to getting your mouth really clean.
Finally, regular professional checkups and cleanings are an essential part of good oral hygiene. Why? Because even the most dutiful brushing and flossing can't remove the hardened coating called tartar that eventually forms on tooth surfaces. Only a trained health care provider with the right dental tools can! And when you come in for a routine office visit, you'll also get a thorough checkup that can detect tooth decay, gum disease, and other threats to your oral health.
Bad breath isn't just a turn-off for kissing — It can indicate a possible problem in your mouth. So listen to what award-winning kisser Vivica Fox says: Paying attention to your oral hygiene can really pay off! For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can read the entire interview with Vivica A. Fox in Dear Doctor's latest issue.