Listen to Dr. Sarah Roberts discuss Anti-Aging for Your Teeth.

Dr. Sarah Roberts recently made a guest appearance on the radio talk show Super Human Radio.  You can listen to Dr. Roberts discuss Anti-Aging for Your Teeth here.  In addition, here are a few interesting takeaways from the show, for those interested in truly understanding how to keep their smiles – and themselves – as young and healthy as possible.

1. First, the best way to maintain a youthful smile is PREVENTION.

2. Eat healthy foods.  People who eat too much junk food or are diabetic have more sugar in their blood.  Since this blood, minus the red cells, surrounds your teeth and gums, sugary blood can cause bacteria to grow and decay to occur.  Thus, teeth can rot or become discolored.  The connection between eating healthy, non-sugary foods and healthy smiles is clear.

3. Brush your teeth 2-3 times per day for about 2 minutes each time.  Use a soft toothbrush, angled at 45 degrees.  An excellent option for brushing is the Sonicare toothbrush.  Sonicare works well because it has a sonic vibration that loosens debris you can’t see.

4. If you absolutely cannot brush your teeth after a meal, chew gum.  After a meal, the pH levels in your mouth are more acidic, which can cause decay.  Chewing gum balances the pH in your mouth.

5. If your smile already shows signs of aging, you have many cosmetic options to improve the look and health of your smile, including whitening, orthodontics and procedures to lengthen teeth that have been ground down due to stress (many people actually grind their teeth while they exercise or sleep – which ages your smile).

6. Crown lengthening adjusts the gum line to make it smooth and even, which is a crucial aspect of a beautiful smile.

7. If you chose at-home whitening, make sure you chose a name brand.  Whereas many off-brands have compromised the integrity of their product, name brands put a lot of effort into managing the pH of their product.  This ensures their products are safe for tooth enamel.

8. Whatever your smile situation, there is usually a cosmetic solution.  Remember, cosmetic dentistry is not simply about aesthetics; it is also about health.  Beautiful smiles are healthy smiles.