FIT - All Teeth, Blinded By Tthe Ligtht Print article

Teeth just don't get the respect they deserve.

While people spend hours sculpting their bodies in the gym, the only thing pearly whites get are a couple of swipes in the morning and at night-with an occasional floss-if they're lucky Yet your '" teeth are one of the first things people notice about you: According to a study by the Academy Of General Dentistry and Oral-B Laboratories, 40 percent of people polled ranked a smile as the first physical feature they notice about a coworker. Of course, vanity shouldn't be the only thing driving you to your dentists chair. When your teeth are unhealthy, your whole life is affected (ever had to chew on one side of your mouth because you had a cavity?). Fortunately, keeping teeth healthy and white isn't as tough as you may think...

Blinded By The Light

While maintaining the health of your choppers is all fine and good, more and more people are visiting their dentists with another agenda: whiter teeth. "Whitening is the most popular cosmetic demislty request today," says Jan Linhart, D.D.S., a cosmetic dentist in New York City. "I've been whitening teeth ror the past 17 years. and in the past five years more people than ever are coming in for whitening.

"The latest in the whitening world are lasers, which are popular because of the immediate results. "Most patients prefer the laser," says Linhart. "The laser works better than traditional whiteners and the results are immediate. 'wiith the tray system. one arch takes a couple of weeks and then you do the other arch, so it takes four weeks altogether compared to two hours with the laser. Even though it costs more, most people choose the laser."

Keep in mind, not everyone is cut out for laser whitening: "Someone with gum problems or a lot of dental work wouldn't be a good candidate for laser whitening," says Linhart. "I want to see some healthy surrounding area before I whiten." According to the Academy or General Dentistry. you will benefit more from whitening if your teeth are darkened with the color of yellow, brown or orange as a result of age, coffee or tea-effects are less noticeable if you have gray stains caused by nuorosis. smoking or tetracycline.

Do Toothpicks Grow On Trees?

Kind of. According to the Academy Of General Dentistry, most toothpicks in the United States come from "toothpick trees" in Maine (A.K.A. the white birch tree, which is cut into thin sheets of wood). Although toothbrushes have now taken over dental duties, the toothpick once enjoyed a long reign of tooth-eleaning monopoly. Among its claims to fame:

• Toothpicks date back to 3,500 B.C., when the earliest known oral hygiene set (which included a toothpick) was discovered.
• In 536 B.C., the Chinese recorded that armies suffered from bad breath, so Buddha encouraged his people to use toothpicks.
• In the Old Testament, it states "One may take a splinter from the wood lying near him to clean his teeth with."
• In the 17th century, toothpicks were served with dessert in France, often stuck directly into the fruit. After they were used, it was common to wear your toothpick behind your ear (you never know when it could come in handy, after all!).