7 Steps to a Beautiful Smile for that All-Important First Impression

If asked, most people would gladly tell you that the very first thing they notice when meeting anyone for the first time is his or her smile. Not only is it important to smile with sincerity but it is also essential to boldly show those pearly whites. This is why it is essential to keep your teeth as white and healthy as possible, enabling you to offer up a smile sure to dazzle anyone you encounter. There are just 7 steps to a beautiful smile that can give you the best first impression ever.

1. Quit Smoking

Not only is smoking bad for your health and known to cause any number of diseases and illnesses, it is also devastating for your teeth. Have you ever seen anyone who has smoked for any length of time? Their teeth are sure to be that ugly shade of yellow-brown and even worse, the skin around the mouth also tends to discolor from smoking. Want to bring those nasty teeth up several shades of white? Quit smoking!

2. Limit Foods and Beverages that Stain

Just as smoking cigarettes is known to discolor your teeth, so too are there some common beverages that stain the enamel on the upper layers. Coffee, tea, wine and even grape juice are common culprits but even some foods such as curries and beets can cause a hard-to-get-rid of discoloration if you are not careful.

3. Drink Plenty of Fresh Water

Instead of those beverages that are known to contain way, way too much sugar for good oral hygiene, it is recommended by dentists such as Dr. Russell Cureton DDS, a renowned Salinas family dentist, that you drink plenty of fresh water daily. Not only does this help to flush toxins from the body that can promote tooth decay, but drinking several glasses of fresh water also helps to keep them clean of any particles of foods left behind even after brushing.

4. Practice Proper Brushing Techniques

Speaking of brushing, there are proper ways to brush your teeth and unless you are careful to follow a few commonsense rules, you could be doing just as much damage as good. Did you know that dentists are now recommending that you avoid using abrasive toothpastes? There was a time when these were thought to literally ‘scrub’ debris from the surface of your teeth but research and experience have proven that abrasive toothpastes also scrub the enamel off the surface as well.

5. Floss Regularly

In addition to proper brushing techniques, it is recommended that you floss regularly. Flossing helps to remove food particles that lodge themselves in the spaces between your teeth, causing a buildup of bacteria that leads quickly to decay.

6. Avoid Certain Drugs

There are both legal as well as illegal drugs that are known to promote tooth decay, the leading substance is methamphetamine that leads to something often referred to as ‘meth mouth.’ The highly acidic composition of this illegal street drug quickly causes the teeth to literally rot out of the mouth but meth is not the only drug with devastating effects like this. Some often-prescribed pharmaceuticals are also known to accelerate tooth decay so it is incumbent upon you to learn the side effects prior to agreeing to take any medication/drug whatsoever.

7. Regular Cleanings and Dental Exams

Finally, it is recommended that you have your teeth professionally cleaned twice a year but if that is financially unfeasible, then once a year is the bare minimum. A dental hygienist could be the professional to do the procedure but you should visit your dentist annually for a thorough exam and perhaps a set of x-rays if indicated during the exam.

These seven steps to a beautiful smile should put you on the road to the most winsome smile imaginable for that all-important great first impression. This may be the only opportunity you have to impress a potential boss on a job interview or the only chance to strike up a conversation with that good looking guy at the local club. Take these steps seriously and soon you’ll be smiling your way to success.