September 11, 2007

Fabulous Finds: "Soleful" Purpose Something to Smile About

by Christine Spehar

Though I don’t like to admit it, I find guilty pleasure in flipping through the occasional celebrity gossip magazine. Recently, while indulging in my hidden habit, I noticed one thing was jumping out at me even more than the headlines: teeth. Everyone seemed to have teeth whiter than snow, so much so that I began to wonder if the big sunglasses trend was merely a solution to encountering blinding smiles around every corner. I also found myself envying celebrities and their dazzling teeth and wondering how I could obtain them naturally without spending my whole paycheck at the dentist.

If you’ve ever tried to whiten your teeth, you know that it’s not always the most smile-inducing process. Most whitening products use ingredients like hydrogen peroxide, silica and chalk to get the job done, high concentrations of which can leave teeth and gums feeling sensitive and tender. Of all the conventional whitening methods on the market, the American Dental Association only gives its seal of approval to treatments that contain 10 percent or less peroxide. At home bleaching trays and strips can contain up to 22 percent peroxide and in-office treatments can have up to 30 percent of the abrasive substance. This got me thinking…do white teeth necessarily mean healthy teeth?

What I found out is that whiter teeth can be achieved in a healthier way. That’s right; it’s time to turn that frown upside-down with some natural whitening alternatives. Natural whitening toothpastes, for instance, are gentle on teeth and gums and are effective, although it might take slightly longer to see results. While some natural whitening toothpastes do use silica and hydrogen peroxide, they only use safe amounts of these ingredients. The Natural Dentist’s (www.thenaturaldentist.com) toothpaste, for instance, contains the finest grade of silica available and works by gently and safely abrading off stains caused by coffee, tea and wine. And, if “hippie” toothpastes make you nervous, this one tastes and looks the most like good old-fashioned Crest, an added bonus.

Natural companies also use other potent, yet nontoxic ingredients to enhance their products’ efficacy. Eco Dent (www.eco-dent.com), for instance, carries a whitening toothpowder with the highest baking soda content in the category. If you can get past the consistency, you’ll be seeing gleaming results after your first week of brushing because sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) is abrasive enough to polish off tooth stains. Finally, Xlear, a xylitol product company, produces Spry (www.xlear.com/spry) toothpaste, containing a high amount of xylitol, which is plant-derived and extremely effective in fighting bacteria, which, believe it or not, can also cause a grimy grin.

So, I figure what we have here is the best of both worlds—bright teeth achieved healthfully, without harsh chemicals or an unpleasant afternoon in the dentist’s chair listening to Kenny G with gauze in your mouth. Now that’s something to smile about!

Any comments?