Beauty is supposed to be in the eye of the beholder, but - let's face it - a lot of beauty is in the smile of the beheld.

If you don't smile because your teeth or gums make you feel self-conscious, people pick up on that insecurity and wonder why you're not outgoing - or laughing along with everybody else.

A genuine, engaging smile catches everyone's eye and is even more dazzling when your teeth and gums are healthy.

If your teeth are crooked or have gaps, of course, you need a dentist or orthodontist's professional care.

However, there're many things you can do to add sparkle to your smile.

1. Brush and floss at least several times a day - including just before bedtime

Sure, this is the standard advice - which many of us ignore when it's inconvenient.

It's also the basic advice of the "alternative" dentist Robert Nara, though he promoted being more effective at keeping your mouth clean than most dentists. 

One of the greatest causes of tooth decay is the growth of harmful bacteria in your mouth. They feed on the particles of food left behind when you swallow, so you obviously can't stop that. You need to eat too.

By cleaning your mouth well - ideally, 30-60 minutes after every time you eat - you'll drastically reduce the chances the harmful bacteria can grow enough to corrode a hole in your teeth, which is a cavity.

If your flossing/brushing routine can't be ideal, at least make sure your mouth is clean before you go to bed at night. Otherwise, the bacteria have all night to flourish.

Nara also advised using dental tape instead of floss, brushing long and thoroughly (2 minutes), and using a water pic to clean your mouth even more effectively.

TIP: Studies have shown it's most effective to floss before brushing, not after.

2. Brush so you clean and massage your teeth.

Too many people buy a toothbrush with hard bristles, then bear down with all their strength as though they're sandpapering varnish off their floor.

Hard and medium bristles should be illegal. All dentists recommend against using them. Buy only brushes with soft or extra-soft bristles.

Then rub your teeth softly. You're not trying to scrub old grease from a frying pan with a Brillo pad. You're just removing food matter from the surface of your teeth. 

You don't want to wear away the tooth's enamel.

Instead, hold the brush at a 45-degree angle to the gum line, and stroke gently. You want to clean the teeth and massage your gums.

3. Protect your gums

Most people aren't going to spot most of your cavities, which is why we pay dentists to look for them.

However, they can see when you're "long in the tooth." That is when your gums recede. They creep down, revealing bare tooth enamel that used to be below the gum line. Sometimes you can even see the unsightly roots of someone's teeth.

That's gingivitis, and it's caused by the bacterial inflammation in your mouth and the buildup of plaque. 

Also, brushing with a hard-bristled toothbrush makes your gums recede because that inflames them.

If your gums bleed when you brush your teeth, you already have some gingivitis.

When the bacterial inflammation worsens, it corrodes the connective tissues holding your teeth to your jawbone. When those connective tissues weaken, you can lose teeth.

The bacteria cause the inflammation, but your diet plays a role in how generally inflamed you are. Studies have shown: people who eat higher levels of saturated fat (which is inflammatory) have more periodontitis. 

A study in Japan found that people who ate a low-fat, high-fiber diet improved their periodontal disease markers. One done on 20 women in Germany who had periodontal disease encouraged the women to eat more plant foods - and their levels of inflammation went down by as much as 75% - without any change in their brushing or flossing habits.

4. Eat lots of antioxidants

Toothpaste, brushes, and floss are modern inventions. So, how come many fossilized teeth from ancient people show no evidence of cavities?

Researchers found a group of people willing to go without brushing or flossing for four weeks - and without eating modern processed foods - survivalist security guards.

They spent those weeks practicing their survival skills in the wilderness, eating only what they could hunt and gather. The result? With no toothbrushes available, their placque DID increase. But their gums actually GREW BACK. 

Despite the placque, their dental health was better after the four weeks than when the study began.

Maybe it was the lack of sugar? Maybe - except they DID eat honey. These scientists believe their dental health improved because they ate lots of dark green leaves, berries and other high-antioxidant plants.

The antioxidants prevented the placque and bacteria from damaging their teeth and gums with free radicals.

In a study done in Korea, men with high blood levels of Vitamin C had healthier gums than those with low levels of that antioxidant.

Obviously, I don't suggest you stop brushing and flossing. But you can also eat many more foods high in antioxidants, to prevent free radical damage to your teeth and gums. Almost all unprocessed plant foods contain antioxidants. The more color, the better.

5. Clean your tongue

That funky white stuff holds the bacteria that cause bad breath.

You can use a u-shaped tongue scraper - or just brush the top of your tongue with your toothbrush.

Before you pay a dentist a lot of money for a "whitening" treatment that might weaken or corrode your teeth's enamel, make sure your teeth and gums are as naturally healthy as possible.

https://www.amazon.com/Money-Mouthful-Robert-Nara/dp/0933420005/

https://www.healthline.com/health/is-teeth-whitening-safe

https://www.aarp.org/health/conditions-treatments/info-2021/dental-health-tips.html

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/how-to-treat-periodontitis-with-diet/

https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/gingivitis-periodontal-disease

https://nutritionfacts.org/video/best-food-for-periodontal-disease-and-gingivitis/