The Joy of Gifting: Spreading Smiles This Holiday Season

There’s something magical about giving gifts during the holidays. The thoughtfulness, the joy of finding just the right present, and the look of excitement on your loved ones’ faces as they open them, it truly warms my heart every year.

For me, giving is a love language. I adore choosing gifts that are both meaningful and practical, and yes, the dentist in me can’t resist sneaking in a little oral care love! It’s no secret among my family and friends that I’m notorious for including oral care goodies in stockings or gift bags. From fancy electric toothbrushes to the latest nifty gadgets in dental care, I love giving gifts that promote health and happiness.

Whether it’s a sleek toothbrush that makes brushing more enjoyable or a stocking filled with useful (and stylish) oral care products, these gifts are a perfect reminder that self-care can be luxurious and practical at the same time.

Why Oral Care Gifts Are Perfect

Oral care may not seem like the most glamorous gift, but trust me, once someone tries a top-tier toothbrush or discovers a beautifully designed product they didn’t know they needed, they’re hooked. It’s a gift that’s thoughtful, practical, and encourages healthy habits. Plus, there are so many options now that combine functionality with style!

So, if you’re looking for budget-friendly stocking stuffers or the perfect little gift for a health-conscious friend or family member, let me help you out with some of my go-to ideas.

These affordable and thoughtful gifts are sure to bring smiles (literally!) to everyone on your list:

1. Quip Refresh Bag ($40)
   Keep your toothbrush clean and protected while traveling in style.

2. Toothpaste Tube Squeezer ($14)
   Perfect for squeezing out every last bit of toothpaste (or other creams and gels). A fun, practical addition to any bathroom counter.

3. Bamboo Toothbrush Set ($13)
   A sustainable, eco-friendly option for those wanting to cut down on plastic while keeping their pearly whites clean. I personally keep these in my guest bathroom and love that they are individually wrapped. My guests love them and get to keep/ take them home.

4. Fun Kids' Flossers ($6)
   Get the littles in on the fun with flossers in fun shapes and colors.

5. Toothpaste Tablets ($13)
   These innovative tablets are perfect for travel and offer a fresh, minty clean in a compact form.

   Most of these items cane found on Amazon here.

A Gift That Keeps on Giving

When you give the gift of oral care, you’re doing more than just filling a stocking, you’re giving the gift of health, confidence, and self-care. So, this year, as you’re putting together your holiday gift list, consider adding an oral care twist. Trust me, your loved ones will thank you (and their teeth will too)!

Happy gifting and happy holidays!

A Healthier Mouth With These Three Things from Smile Brilliant

You may recall in the past I reviewed Smile Brilliant's custom-fitted whitening system and was quite pleased with the results. My sister wore the whitening trays for a bit over 2 weeks and was happy with her visibly whiter smile.

Smile Brilliant

Custom fitted whitening system that you can safely do at home. Photos to the left taken two weeks apart.

Whenever an oral care company is founded and run by oral care professionals, it automatically increases my trust in them. Smile Brilliant was founded by a team of dental professionals who saw a need in the marketplace to decrease the amount of trips to the dental office, for whitening products and services in particular. They have a lab-direct process which makes achieving professional results at an affordable price pretty easy. In the last few years, they've taken this model and expanded their line of oral health products to include something for everyone - from the newest in the cariPRO line - a cordless water flosser that allows for easy and effective cleaning, to a custom night guard system to protect the teeth from nighttime grinding.

I have had the opportunity to use and test some of their products over the last several weeks and offer my honest feedback as both a consumer and a dental professional. The items I will be reviewing are their electric toothbrush, water flosser, plaque highlighter and dental probiotics. Here’s my breakdown:

TOOTHBRUSH HIGHLIGHTS

Their cariPRO electric toothbrush has some really impressive features that are unique to the brand and in my opinion, gives a dentist-style clean. Some highlights include:

2 - 4 replacement brush heads

Built-in timer and pacer for brushing

Wireless charging dock

60-day money back guarantee

2 year warranty

Free shipping

caripro Electric Toothbrush

SPECIFICS & IMPRESSIONS

• 40,000 vibrations/minute

  • This is 10,000 more vibrations than the top electric toothbrushes on the market. I do not know of any other toothbrush that has this many vibrations.

• Five (5) modes, some of which were a bit aggressive for me but I did especially like massage, gum care and sensitive modes. The 5 modes are:

  • clean - for optimal results

  • white - high speed polishing

  • massage - gentle stimulation

  • gum care - timed pulse & gemlike health

  • sensitive - ideal for sensitive teeth

• Waterproof

  • Safe for the shower or bath

• 7 x plaque removal

  • It boasts that it cleans 7 times better than a manual toothbrush and improves gum health within two weeks

• Ergonomic slim design with graphite gray soft-touch grip

  • The design is in line with other electric toothbrushes on the market. However, the graphite grey color and soft-touch grip are unique to their brand.

• One month battery life

  • In line with other electric toothbrush brands

• 2 year Warranty

  • If at anytime during the first 2 years the brush breaks or stops working, they will replace it for you free of charge.

• 60 day money back guarantee

  • You have 2 months in which you can try the toothbrush and if for ay reason you don’t like it, they will happily give you your money back.

CARIPRO Waterflosser

WATERFLOSSER HIGHLIGHTS

As an orthodontist, I recommend water flossers in my practice daily! While they are not a substitute for regular string floss, it is a great addition to your oral care routine. I really enjoyed using the cariPRO water flosser and have been recommending it to my patients. Here are some highlights:

4 floss tips

Auto-interval smart timer

5 hour rapid charge

USB adapter and universal charger

60-day money back guarantee

2 year warranty

Free shipping

SPECIFICS & IMPRESSIONS

• 44-75 psi floss jet

  • Comparable to top waterflossers on the market.

• Three (3) modes: normal, soft and pulse

• 45 second flossing time

  • comparable to top water flossers on the market

• Waterproof

  • Safe for the shower or bath

• 28 day battery life

• 2 year Warranty

  • If at anytime during the first 2 years the brush breaks or stops working, they will replace it for you free of charge.

• 60 day money back guarantee

  • You have 2 months in which you can try the toothbrush and if for ay reason you don’t like it, thy will happily give you your money back. Plaque Highlighters

Plaque Highlighters

How It Works:

These are otherwise known as oral disclosing tablets which temporarily highlight
plaque & tartar build-up for more effective brushing. They are quite nifty in helping to identify where plaque may be hiding so that those areas can be targeted with your toothbrush and water flosser. All you have to do is chew the tablet and wherever there is a concentration of plaque it will be bright pink. brush until the pink color goes away. I love that Smile Brilliant carries these for both adults and kids.

We typically use disclosing tablets for kids because let’s face it, they are not usually the best brushers. The disclosing tablets, once chewed, highlights the areas that has plaque build up so it’s easy to see where to concentrate your brushing. You would usually get these at your dentist’s office but Smile Brilliant carries them not only for kids, but for adults too. If you really want to see how well you’re brushing, these disclosing tablets will tell all the secrets. I haven’t considered using them for myself outside of the dental office, but it’s pretty cool having them at home. I definitely recommend grabbing a few of these plaque highlighters, it’ll help you to brush and floss better.

dental probiotics

Most of us have heard of probiotics for maintaining intestinal (gut) health, but probiotics have actually been shown to be very useful in many areas of the body, for skin care & dental care in particular.  Like other types, dental probiotics shift the balance of the existing bacterial composition (microbiome) toward an increased population of “good bacteria”, improving the overall health & fortitude of the area. What that means for us, is that our mouths are healthier.

Did you know there are over 700 species of both good and bad bacteria that populate our mouths? Our mouths have a diverse ecosystem of bacteria in it. The key to a healthy mouth is maintaining the right balance of bacteria where the “good” bacteria outnumber the “bad” bacteria. The bad bacteria are largely responsible for creating an acidic environment where they thrive. When your mouth becomes very acidic, demineralization, gum inflammation and cavities occur and when there is an overgrowth of said bad bacteria, plaque and biofilm begin to form. A healthy population of good bacteria is the key to creating an oral microbiome that eliminates bad breath, reduces plaque, tartar, cavities and gum inflammation. An added benefit to this is that this protection actually extends to our ear, nose & throat providing immune support & protection against viruses and developing infections. 

Have you ever found yourself wondering why, after doing everything your dentist tells you to do - brush, floss, rinse twice per day and see them for check-ups and cleanings every 6 months, you still have some lingering bad breath and even cavities? It happens to the best of us, and that’s because only 2% of the population actually have naturally occurring “good” bacteria enough to fight bad breath and create a healthy oral microbiome. For the rest of us, there are a myriad of things constantly disrupting our oral microbiome and causing bad breath, some as simple as not using the appropriate mouthwash, dehydration and diet.

BAD BACTERIA versus Good bacteria

The Bad - Bacteria such as Streptococcus mutans, Streptococcus sanguis, and hundreds of other species are constantly regenerating and populating the micro crevasses on your teeth and gums. They create a film on your teeth that leads to plaque and tartar. These bad bacteria consume sugar from your food and produce waste in the form of acid and volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs). The acid creates cavities and the VSCs cause bad breath.

Lack of brushing, poor quality foods/high sugar, lack of water, and dry mouth can lead to an over-population of bad bacteria.

The Good - Bacteria such as lactobacillus plantarum, streptococcus salivarius, and others fight the bad bacteria. They keep the bad bacteria population under control and keep the oral microbiome in a healthy state.

When you brush with toothpaste or rinse with an alcohol-based mouthwash, you are essentially sterilizing your mouth and that sometimes this kills both good AND bad bacteria. Unfortunately, the bad bacteria tends to grow back fast and often over-populate your mouth before the good bacteria has time to fight. (This is why we often hear stories of people who regularly use mouthwash but still have bad breath)

HOW DO YOU IMPROVE YOUR ORAL MICROBIOME?

Well, the obvious: Brushing your teeth is one of the most important ways to rid your mouth of plaque, tartar and the bacteria that is associated. Flossing, using a tongue scraper and rinsing with a non-alcohol based mouthwash also helps to further eradicate pesky bacteria. However, one thing that has not been historically included in your oral care routine is the use of oral/dental probiotics. Dental probiotics are chewable tablets with concentrated amounts of the healthy bacteria that your mouth needs. It is recommended to be chewed once a day before bed (after brushing, flossing and rinsing). The tablets populate your mouth with good bacteria and leaves less opportunity for the bad bacteria to take hold.

By repeating this process on a daily basis, studies have shown that you can truly change the microbiome of your mouth and increase the population of good bacteria while subsequently reducing the population of bad bacteria. This process is often referred to as Microbiome Rejevenation Therapy or Bacterial Replacement Therapy.

Studies have shown that clinical grade dental probiotics reduce plaque, cavities, gum inflammation and bad breath over brushing and flossing alone. Further, they help improve the upper respiratory immunity in both children and adults.

Giveaway!*

I have personally started using these dental probiotics several weeks ago and can report a noticeable difference with morning breath. I am very excited to share this new addition to my oral care routine and thus will be giving away a 30-day supply of dental probiotics for you to try.

To enter: Go here and come back to this page and leave a comment below about an interesting fact you learned about dental probiotics. I need at least 3 comments to activate this giveaway. You must be 18years or older and reside in the US, Canada or UK. Winner will be chosen one week from the published date of this article.

Don’t want to enter the giveaway but want to try these dental probiotics (or any other product), do so with a discount. Go to Smile Brilliant’s website and enter code: theunorthodoc20 at checkout for 20% off your purchase.

Professional Teeth Whitening At Home

White teeth are always in style! Everyone wants a sparkly white smile and if you read my previous post you will know that there are many culprits out there that may diminish the whiteness of your teeth over time. Some of those culprits include coffee, tea, red wine, sodas, curry, turmeric, cigarette smoke to name just a few.

To combat these I mentioned different things to do and different products that will help to achieve a pearly white smile. Now, I am an Orthodontist and deal with teeth all day long and besides the most common question of “when am I getting my braces off?,” the second most common question I get is “How can I get my teeth whiter?” This is why I was very excited when Smile Brilliant asked me to review their at-home whitening system. I am always open to trying new products, especially if it means helping my patients.

My beautiful sister happily volunteered to be my test subject, since she’s always trying to get a whiter smile.

The Process:

Smile Brilliant sent me their teeth whitening kit which included impression material, an impression tray, whitening gel and desensitizing gel. My sister took her impressions and sent them back to smile brilliant in the pre-paid package provided. From there her trays were fabricated and sent back to her. Within a few days she received her custom fitted whitening trays and her whitening journey began.

She wore her trays to bed at night for about 2-21/2 weeks to achieve the results below!

After a few short weeks of (conveniently) wearing trays to bed, a desirable result was achieved. My sister is very happy with the results and says based on the ease of the overall process and the results she would definitely recommend it to a friend.

Giveaway!!

If you’re thinking about starting your own whitening journey, you’re in luck! Smile Brilliant will be giving one of MY readers $149 in credit to use on their site. To enter, visit Smile Brilliant through this link and provide your name and email address. This is open to anyone is the US, UK, Canada, and Australia! The winner will be chosen randomly and contacted by Smile Brilliant directly.

If you’re feeling impatient and want to get started with your smile transformation ASAP, you can save 15% on your Smile Brilliant order now with code theunorthodoc at checkout.

Happy Whitening!

White Teeth Are Always In Style

We all want sparkly white teeth! Your smile is often times the first thing someone notices when they look at you so it makes sense to want to keep your teeth in tip top shape. However, there are some culprits that may prevent us from having and maintaining our pearly whites.

The Main Culprits to a White Smile:

These are some of the biggest contributors to our smiles fading over time.

• Coffee

• Tea

• Red Wine

• Soda

• Smoking

I am a BIG tea lover. I have a cup several times per day so it goes without saying that my teeth gets stained pretty quickly. Here are some products (some of which I use) that helps in keeping your teeth perfectly white:

Whitening ToothPaste - These toothpastes contain 1-1.5% carbide peroxide (a whitening agent) that is capable of removing surface stains. Some of my favorite whitening toothpastes are Crest 3D White, Crest 3D White Brilliance, Sensodyne true White (for the with sensitive teeth).

Whitening Strips and Gels - Whitening strips and gels contain a concentration of carbamine peroxide roughly six times stronger than toothpastes (6-10%). This amount of solution is enough to start penetrating your dental pores and lifting deeper stains. Although stronger than whitening toothpastes, strips and gels need to be applied carefully and evenly. Some of these strips and gels (and there are many) include Crest White Strips, Smile Brilliant, Bright White to name a few.

Professional Teeth Whitening - Custom whitening trays can be done by your dentist. These whitening systems usually contain an even stronger solution of carbamide peroxide (10-15%). You get the trays to take home and use as directed. However,  the most efficient, fast, and safest way to whiten you teeth is at a dentist’s office. With in-office treatment, the dentist uses a solution that usually contains ~35% carbide peroxide to get you instantly white teeth.

Tips for Maintaining Your Pearly Whites:

Now that you have obtained your pearly whites, you will want them to remain this way. A few things you can do to minimize staining are:

• Instead of coffee, tea, red wine and other beverages that stain your teeth, try drinking more water or other clear drinks as alternatives.

• If you are like me and must have tea (or coffee) try drinking from a straw. This will reduce the surface area that the beverage covers and thus reduce staining.

• Brush daily (at least 2x) with a whitening toothpaste, and floss!

• See your dentist regularly.