Beauty: The secret of reality TV stardom

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Thanks to reality TV, talent in acting or singing is no longer necessary to win the nod of Hollywood producers these days. The ability to keep the people interested with one’s affairs, no matter how mundane they are, will earn a celebrity lots of projects and product endorsement deals.

A perfect example of this would be Kim Kardashian. She has become a Hollywood darling despite constantly being criticized for her lack of talent. However, her strength is in knowing how to play the game and greatly investing in her looks.

Aside from having the ability to entertain the public by letting them follow her personal life, Kim Kardashian is aware of how important one’s physical appearance is when working in the entertainment industry. She also knows that the competition to stand out from numerous reality TV stars is tough.

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This has influenced her to undergo various cosmetic procedures for appearance enhancement. She even posted a tweet about her visit to a cosmetic dentist once.

Just like Kim Kardashian, other reality TV stars also have the desire to look flawless. This, perhaps, is among the factors that led to the establishment of not just cosmetic surgery clinics but also of cosmetic dental clinics, like the Kevin Sands Dental Inc. and California Smile Design, which offer a wide range of cosmetic dental procedures.

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For more information on the cosmetic dentistry services offered by California Smile Design and reviews of its successes, visit its website.

Food and great smiles go together (in more ways than one)

Traditionally, people see good food as having a terrible effect on their teeth. After all, people brush their teeth to get rid of the food stuck in between them. Recent studies, however, show that what people eat have both negative and positive effects on their overall oral health. Incorporating foods that benefit the teeth and gums can go a long way in helping prevent long-term oral health problems.

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A healthy diet benefits the health of a person holistically, teeth and gums included. However, specific foods have been discovered to give specific positive boosts to oral health. Many of these positive effects not only include helping build healthier teeth and gums, but also prevent tooth decay and gum disease, respectively. These foods are as follows:

• Citrus fruits. The body needs vitamin C to repair connective tissue. Eating food rich in vitamin C, such as citrus fruits, can help prevent periodontal diseases such as gingivitis.

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• Crisp fruits and vegetables. Crunchy and crisp fruits and vegetables act as a detergent on teeth, stripping off bacteria from their surfaces. In addition, they also require a lot of chewing, which stimulates saliva production and helps lower the amount of bacteria in the mouth.

• Tea. Despite the staining that tea is known to do, compounds in tea have been known to suppress the growth of cavity-causing bacteria.

Certain foods, such as gummy and hard candies and soda, remain high on the dentists’ list of things to avoid. Moreover, even food that benefits teeth contain sugars, and brushing, flossing, and biannual dental checkups remain important aspects of oral health.

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Those who want a healthy and aesthetically appealing smile can seek the services of dental clinics like California Smile Design to help keep their teeth healthy and beautiful. More information is available on this website.

5 Ways to Naturally Whiten Your Teeth

This article appeared in the Nov. 21, 2012 online edition of Dental Health Magazine. It provides some solutions on how to naturally brighten one’s smile.

Everyone wants beautiful white teeth. Unfortunately, many of the modern whitening techniques used by dentists can be harsh and abrasive on your teeth; causing more harm them good in the long term.

A Tip for When You Sip
Did you know that an inexpensive plastic straw may hold the power to keeping your teeth beautiful? The first tip for preserving the natural whiteness of your teeth has nothing to do with what you put on your teeth, but rather what you don’t put on them. Using a straw when you drink creates a barrier from beverages depositing directly onto your teeth.

A straw funnels your drink directly into your mouth without letting it linger over your teeth. This cuts down on the contact your teeth have with sugary or acid drinks that cause the breakdown of your tooth’s enamel.

Refresh Your Mouth with Baking Soda
Many popular toothpaste brands boast baking soda in the list of ingredients. Using baking soda as a rinse on occasion can bring out the natural whiteness of your teeth. Since baking soda is mildly abrasive, you should avoid using it as a daily solution.

In addition, avoid rigorously brushing the baking soda directly over your teeth, as the grit can cause abrasion that wears down your enamel. A splash of all-natural baking soda will leave your mouth feeling clean and refreshing.

Oil Pulling
Oil pulling is an ancient technique that has become a hit in modern times. Using either coconut oil or sesame seed oil, simply swish the oil around in your mouth, over teeth and gums, for up to fifteen minutes. This process removes bacteria and promotes a healthy mouth free of tooth decay that causes yellowing or staining of the teeth.

Eat Your Veggies
Your mother told you vegetables were good for you, and she wasn’t lying. Turns out, veggies can also boost your smile. That’s because naturally crunchy foods such as lettuce, broccoli, and apples actually act as natural tooth cleansers.

As you bite and gnaw your way through your favorite freshly-picked snack, the crunching acts an effective method of picking away plaque and debris in between and on your teeth that cause a yellow appearance.

Calcium 
You already know that calcium helps build strong bones and protects you against osteoporosis. As if that wasn’t enough to make calcium intake a priority in your diet, now it turns out that consuming enough calcium can help keep your teeth white too.

That’s because just like with bones, teeth depend on calcium to maintain their structure and durability. Healthy teeth are white teeth, so the more fortified your teeth are with calcium, the more likely they are not to yellow.

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Bridging the gap: Dr. Hawary and diastema

A diastema is the extra space between two or more teeth. Dentists like Dr. Hawary of California Smile Design explain that the front teeth on the upper jaw is where diastema is most frequently seen. This article discusses why diastema occurs and shares some of the treatment options for this oral condition.

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Diastema, or the open space between the upper incisors (front teeth), happens when there is an unequal relationship between the size of the teeth and jaw. It may also be caused by missing teeth or an oversized labial frenum, or the tissue that extends from the inside of the lip to the gum tissue where the upper two front teeth are located. Other known causes of diastema are oral alignment issues such an overjet or protrusion of the teeth.

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Dr. Hawary and other cosmetic dentists note that for some people, diastema is not seen as a dental problem, unlike halitosis. In fact, some people, particularly women, see the gap between their teeth as a “beauty mark.” Instead of fixing their teeth, famous personalities such as pop queen Madonna, actress Anna Pacquin, model Lauran Hutton, and former US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, proudly sport a midline diastema. In Ghana, Namibia, and Nigeria, a gap in a woman’s teeth is a sign of beauty and fertility.

However, for those who want their diastema corrected, treatment options include:

• Orthodontic procedure to move the teeth and close the diastema
• Porcelain veneers
• Crown and bridge work or teeth implants (for adults only)

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A consultation with a dentist such as Dr. Hawary is essential to determine which procedure is the right option to correct your diastema. Visit this website for more information.

Bringing back smiles: Dr. Hawary and tooth replacement

Lost teeth can have a number of ramifications for the patient both in terms of aesthetics and function. Teeth replacement from dentists like Dr. Hawary take on many forms but would result in a full set of teeth that have the same look, feel, and function of the missing teeth, which would restore not only the smile that had been lost but also the function of chewing.

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Missing teeth are usually thought of as a primarily cosmetic affair. After all, who would want to smile with tooth gaps? However, the changes that take place following tooth loss are another compelling reason for tooth replacement to be sought. Over time, other teeth move to fill in the gap left by a missing tooth, and eventually, the jawbone surrounding the socket atrophies.

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To prevent further damage, seeking the help of dentists like Dr. Hawary should be in order. There are many ways that he and many other dental specialists can replace missing teeth. Options include implants to replace missing individual teeth and dentures. Additional support, such as porcelain veneers on badly damaged teeth, can also be sought.

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The addition of implants to replace missing teeth is an important step to preserving the integrity and function of the jaws. More information on tooth implants and replacement can be accessed from Dr. Hawary’s website.

California Smile Design: Enhancing dental aesthetics through porcelain veneers

Porcelain veneers are used to create biocompatible, life-like dental crowns and bridges for patients. California Smile Design Dental Group, an Irvine, CA-based dental clinic, offers a wide range of dental procedures, including dental ceramics.

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The first porcelain veneers were invented by Charles Pincus, a dentist from California. At the time, veneers were only held on by denture adhesive, which made them uncomfortable for use. Today, with improved cements and bonding agents, porcelain veneers can already last up to 30 years or so. However, they may need a replacement in this time due to cracking, leaking, chipping, discoloration, decay, shrinkage of the gum line, and damage from injury.

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Porcelain veneers are one of the best ways to improve the appearance of the teeth. They usually show clean mimicry of a natural tooth’s surface composition and lasts for a long time. Dentists such as those in California Smile Design use porcelain veneers for people who have badly positioned teeth or have wide spaces between them. The material can close these spaces, elongate short teeth, fill black triangles caused by gum recession, provide a uniform color, shape, and symmetry, and make the teeth appear straight. In addition, some porcelain veneers are fused with a semi-precious metal or precious metal such as gold, for extra strength.

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Porcelain veneers are stain-resistant. Unlike other cosmetic dental bonding materials, porcelain is a smooth, impermeable ceramic, and therefore will not pick up permanent stain from cigarette smoking or from richly colored drinks and food products.

Additional information about California Smile Design’s dental services can be accessed at www.calsmiledesign.com.

Lined up: California Smile Design and the Invisalign tooth alignment system

People who seek to have the alignment of their teeth corrected often have to wear unsightly braces; as a result, adults tend to avoid them. Some dental practices, like California Smile Design, offer an alternative system to tooth alignment that does away with the unappealing traditional brace and replaces them with a removable and nearly invisible orthodontic device.

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Invisalign is a revolutionary new type of orthodontia that straightens teeth without using the wires and brackets of the traditional brace. The system relies on a series of clear calibrated plastic trays that are custom-made to contour with the patient’s teeth. These trays are removable and slowly adjust the alignment of the teeth, week after week, to the prescribed position over time, with the next one taking over where the previous left off.

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Practices that offer this service, such as California Smile Design, understand the benefit it gives to patients. First off, the Invisalign system is semi-transparent and, unlike regular braces, it is unobtrusive, which makes it particularly attractive to adults who have been put off by the unappealing appearance of orthodontia. Second, unlike braces, which are attached and tend to be uncomfortable when tightened, the Invisalign calibrated trays are removable and relatively comfortable.

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More information on Invisalign and other cosmetic and family dentistry services from California Smile Design can be accessed from its official website.