The dentist: Not fun.
Three-cocktail buzz in the middle of the day: Fun.
Deciding precisely when to end your buzz and having no hangover whatsoever: Sign me up.
All these things come together with sedation dentistry (ie. getting nitrous oxide during an exam), which is exactly what I headed to Goldstein Dental Center to investigate. I went for a whitening (explains the crazy contraption on my face in the video), which isn’t typically something people need sedation for, but I said “Bring it on!” Obviously.
I hadn’t been to the dentist in an embarrassing amount of years (I admit it in the video), but luckily, my report wasn’t too bad because I’m a crazy flosser and take good care of my pearly whites. Dr. Goldstein told me I should have my wisdom teeth out (ha, we’ll see about that), and that I’ll eventually need a gum graft for receding gums on a few teeth, which I was already aware of (I’m an aggressive brusher, but I’m working on it.)
Check out the video to learn ALL about getting nitrous at the dentist (which is totally free, by the way) and see me looking extra sexy wearing a gas mask and on the verge of drunk texting.
After I sobered up, I was very pleased with the whitening result and highly recommend Goldstein. (They’re doing a sweet new patient special right now, too–$99 for a cleaning and X-rays.) However, I’m not sure if I’ll keep whitening for life, so I asked Dr. Goldstein for some tips to a brighter smile sans bleaching procedures. Presenting:
10 Tips for Whiter Teeth
1. Wear sparkly earrings like diamonds or CZ–they make the teeth appear whiter (bling, bling). Avoid gold jewelry, which tends to exaggerate yellow tones.
2. If you can’t brush after you eat, eat an apple (green is better). Low-sugar fruits with fiber are natural abrasives.
3. Use bronzer. The tanner your face, the whiter your teeth look (duh).
4. Say cheese! If you’re drinking red wine, eat some cheese to protect your teeth from the acid in wine that stains them. (This is clearly my favorite tip.)
5. Red lipstick makes your teeth looks whiter (check out W+P tips and picks on this matter). Also, adding some pink and/or shiny gloss to your lip color can help turn your smile from dull to dazzling!
6. Coffee break? Coffee is the number one cause of yellowing teeth (noooooo!!!). But, it’s not how much you drink; it’s how long the coffee is in contact with your teeth. Try sipping it through a straw, or if you think that is just plain crazy (like me) rinse your mouth out with water afterward. (In the summer, iced coffee through a straw is a great way to keep yellowing away!)
7. Floss daily. Teeth with plaque are more prone to stains.
8. Chew dentist-approved gum. Grab gum or mints containing Xylitol, a sugar-free, decay-reducing compound that can rid/prevent stainage, too. Try Trident or Epic Dental.
9. Stop comparing your pearly whites to models in the mags. They are photoshopped…heavily. Your dentist will tell you how white you can go and still maintain a healthy smile.
10. If you are whitening, do it in the shower. Heat speeds up the effect of hydrogen peroxide and can remove stains faster. You may as well apply this to brushing with whitening toothpaste in the shower, too. And doing other things in the shower. But that’s a post for another time…
Keep on smiling!
LYLAS,
Ashley