If you thought keeping your teeth clean involved nothing more than squeezing some paste onto a brush, scrubbing for two minutes, then using some floss to get between your pearly whites, you’re technically right. However, some of the most famous celebs in the world use some methods that might seem a little strange to the rest of us. Here are some of the various ways in which people like Ryan Reynolds, Julia Roberts, and Dylan McDermott keep their teeth clean.
Baking Soda
Baking soda has been a staple in oral health since the turn of the century, and there are numerous commercial products made with this stuff even today. Baking soda, known in the scientific world as sodium bicarbonate, is a mild abrasive that can do wonders for keeping your teeth sparkling clean and stain-free. In fact, Julia Roberts, one of the world’s most iconic famous actresses, swears by it. Despite the presence of baking soda, commercial toothpastes contain other ingredients – including fluoride and other common toxic chemicals. Baking soda is a wonderful addition to an all-natural toothpaste, though.
Electric Toothbrushes
A few celebs, including the well-known Ryan Reynolds of the famous Deadpool franchise, use a very popular electric toothbrush with a spinning head. Though these toothbrushes can be nice and save you a bit of elbow grease, the truth is that they are unnecessary expenses. The American Dental Association (ADA) has repeatedly said that there is no real advantage to using an electric toothbrush over a manual one unless you have severe dexterity issues that make it difficult for you to get the most from your manual brush.
Tongue Scrapers
The tongue scraper might seem like a new invention, but it has been around for centuries in some form or another. Essentially, a tongue scraper forcefully removes buildup on the back of the tongue, which is thought to help prevent numerous infections that could lead to everything from tonsillitis to tooth decay. Celeb Amanda Chantal Bacon swears by it and says it’s an important part of her oral care routine, making her mouth feel clean. There is some evidence showing that after a week of failing to clean one’s tongue, the strep bacteria that causes plaque increases tenfold, so it is important to regularly clean your tongue in order to keep your teeth clean. To do this you don’t need a fancy copper Ayurvedic device, all you need is your trusty manual toothbrush.
Breath Mints
Bevy Smith, famous for Fashion Queens on Bravo, swears by her tin of wintergreen Altoids – in the miniature size, of course. She says that being on the red carpet talking with others leaves her feeling a little less-than-fresh, and the strong minty flavor of Altoids breath mints helps with that. It is important to remember, though, that you should never use breath mints to hide or cover persistent bad breath, which is often a sign of tooth decay. You’re safe if you’re just using them to cover up that garlic and onion powder you put on the pizza you had for lunch, though –you should brush first then use a mint.
Though most famous people wake up and put on their pants – or in this case, brush their teeth – just like everyone else, there are a few who have some routines that are a little more involved than most of us. From baking soda to breath mints and from electric toothbrushes to tongue scrapers, the truth is that all you really need is a good manual toothbrush, all-natural toothpaste, and biodegradable dental floss to keep your mouth clean.
