How to Protect Your Smile Online

To a cosmetic dentist, the smile is a very special thing. It is a beautiful thing. It is something to be cherished, and protected, and kept in good shape. Many people feel the same way about their own smiles, but they have a specific kind of problem.

You see, whenever you buy a new car, it comes with a manual. The manual tells you when to change the oil, what kind of fuel to buy, and how to replace a headlamp if something goes wrong with the original. Our teeth don’t come with a manual. Our parents taught us how to care for our smile, and their parents taught them, and the dentist told them all to brush and floss, and still cavities happened.

But now the Internet is here.

Can The Web Save Your Smile?

The beautiful thing about the Internet is the absolute quantity of information on display. Not only that, but there are entire communities of people with the best intentions, ready and willing to share their ideas with you. There are so many good examples to follow, and it is not rare to find an idea that can really help.

The trouble with the Internet however, is the absolute quantity of information on display. There are well meaning people with bad information. There are financially motivated men and women who will say anything to sell a product. There are myths, legends, misquotes, and outright lies on the web. This makes it incredibly hard to trust articles that promise you the “5 Fastest Ways To Get A Whiter Smile”, or “Julia Roberts’ Secrets to Straighter Teeth”. If the answers you find sound too good to be true, they may just be.

Please do not try brushing your teeth with Coca Cola.

Communicate With Your Dentist

If you find yourself reading articles like the ones mentioned above, be open and honest with your dentist. Write down the ideas that excite you most. Can you really whiten your teeth just by eating more strawberries? Is baking soda healthier for your teeth than Colgate? Your dentist will have answers to these questions, and (here’s the big surprise) he will be so pleased you asked.

Your dentist should want the very best for your teeth, and for you. What’s more, your dentist will be able to provide you with the unique perspective of a trained dental professional who has actually seen your smile. If your dentist ever makes you feel uncomfortable about asking these types of questions, I highly suggest looking for a new one.

Never be ashamed to learn more about your dental health! We need more people in this world who are as interested in looking after their smile, as they are in looking after their new iPhone.

Hope everyone enjoyed the holidays!

And Remember… Smile!