When we think of “beauty trends” our minds often gravitate toward makeup, new nail styles, trendy haircuts, and wild fashion. Over the last few years, the rising profile of oral beauty products and best practices has also entered this space.
Oral beauty is all about projecting a beautiful and healthy smile to the world. While twice-a-day brushing and once-daily flossing will keep cavities away, these oral care mainstays won’t always provide you with a smile that you love. Issues like severe staining and dental crowding are impossible to correct on your own. Fortunately, oral beauty products have made obtaining a perfect smile easier than ever before.
Here at Beverly Hills Orthodontics, we take oral beauty seriously. After all, part of being an excellent orthodontist is understanding how to combine health care and aesthetics to produce amazing results for your patients. We know how important it is to feel confident and beautiful when you smile, and that’s why we keep a close eye on oral beauty trends. If you’re looking for ways to improve your smile, consider these:
Oral Beauty Trend #1: Collagen Supplements
Collagen peptide supplements have grown increasingly popular in recent years. Typically used to produce food, beverages, healthcare, and cosmetic products, the global collagen market is growing for many reasons, including its popularity as a supplement.
Collagen is a naturally-occurring protein that your body needs to produce various connective tissues, including cartilage, bones, tendons, ligaments, skin, and teeth. Collagen provides strength and elasticity, and as we age, our bodies start to lose collagen, resulting in sagging skin, aching joints, and receding gums. Research suggests that taking collagen supplements may provide numerous benefits, like:
- Reducing fine lines and wrinkles
- Promoting joint health
- Improving bone strength
- Supporting muscle growth
In addition to these benefits, collagen products are shown to promote gum health by improving elasticity and strengthening the underlying bones. Altogether, collagen has the potential to improve your appearance in a variety of ways.
Oral Beauty Trend #2: Watch Your Saliva’s pH Levels
Although we don’t often like to think about our spit, saliva is essential to healthy living. Every day, we rely on saliva to:
- Moisten our mouths so that we can clearly speak, laugh, and eat
- Begin the food digestion process
- Protect our teeth from enamel-eroding acids and bacteria
Beyond these roles, saliva also helps your mouth maintain a neutral pH level. You may remember this from chemistry class: the pH scale measures how acidic or basic a material is. It ranges from 0 (most acidic) to 14 (most basic).
Healthy saliva has a pH range of 6.5 to 7.5. If the pH level falls below pH 5.5, it can cause tooth enamel demineralization and increase the risk of decay. Conversely, levels above ph 7.5 promote plaque formation, leading to gum disease and other problems. To keep your saliva at a healthy pH range, we recommend:
- Brushing twice daily and flossing at least once a day
- Limiting your consumption of acidic foods and drinks (e.g., citrus fruits, berries, tomato sauce, pickled foods, candy, soda, alcoholic beverages)
- Chewing sugarless gum to stimulate saliva production and aid acid neutralization
- Staying hydrated by drinking plenty of water every day (eight glasses a day, according to the Mayo Clinic)
Oral Beauty Trend #3: Using At-Home Teeth Whitening Products
Everyone loves a brilliant white smile, but it can be hard to keep your teeth looking bright. Certain foods and beverages, aging, genetics, poor oral hygiene habits, and other factors all work together to gradually discolor our teeth over time. Thankfully, it has never been easier to whiten your smile.
In-office bleaching is still the gold standard in the world of teeth whitening. During these treatments, dental professionals carefully apply powerful whitening gels to patients’ teeth in order to dramatically improve the brightness level. Although at-home treatments are not as effective, they are safe, easy to use, and extremely convenient.
Beverly Hills Orthodontics currently offers two whitening products:
- The BHO Teeth Whitening Pen, a compact whitening stick that you can use up to four times a day to freshen your look and improve your breath.
- BHO Cloud, a Teeth Whitening and Aligner Cleaner Combo, is a foam product that you spread across Invisalign aligners to both eliminate staining on the tray and improve the whiteness of your teeth.
By using these products as instructed, you can quickly improve the look of your smile without leaving the house!
Oral Beauty Trend #4: Lip-Plumping Products
Fashion trends change constantly, but a simple glance at what’s trending on social media will tell you that plump, pouty lips are not going away. One of the easiest ways to increase your lip volume—without seeing a plastic surgeon—is to use lip-plumping products.
These products are available in different forms, including balms, masks, creams, and glosses. What makes them unique is that they contain ingredients that stimulate increased blood flow to the mouth. Lip plumpers contain substances like cinnamon, capsaicin, menthol, and ginger extract that cause the lips to swell slightly upon application. As a result, the lips may look fuller, rounder, and of course, plumper (temporarily).
Many modern lip plumpers also contain collagen and peptides to promote healthy skin. These ingredients aid moisturization and minimize the tingling sensation that usually accompanies lip plumpers. While these products are safe, you should always scan the ingredient list for potential allergens and use them as directed to avoid serious skin irritation.
Oral Beauty Trend #5: Diverse Orthodontic Treatment Options
Gone are the days when braces reigned supreme in the world of orthodontics! Even though we still love braces for their simplicity and reliable results, we know that they are not ideal for everyone. Many orthodontic patients today prefer the discreet look and lack of dietary restrictions provided by Invisalign.
Invisalign is the biggest name in clear aligner treatment. Over the last 20 years, millions of orthodontic patients have obtained perfect smiles with the help of Invisalign aligners. In that time, advancements in Invisalign’s hardware and software have widened the pool of eligible patients. While Invisalign was previously restricted to treating mild orthodontic cases, orthodontists today can use clear aligners to treat even severe misalignments.
At Beverly Hills Orthodontics, we craft our treatments to fit the needs and lifestyle preferences of each unique client. Depending on the specifics of your case, our care plans may include:
- Braces
- Invisalign
- Accelerated orthodontic measures
- Hybrid approaches (e.g., combining Invisalign + oral surgery for severe alignment issues)
With today’s technology, getting the orthodontic treatment you need is easier and more convenient than ever before!
Oral Beauty Services from Beverly Hills Orthodontics Can Give You a Smile You Love
The products and services listed above are a great way to make your teeth shine brighter. However, if your smile requires a little more work, it might be time to consider professional treatment. At Beverly Hills Orthodontics, we offer holistic solutions for all sorts of alignment problems, including:
- Impacted teeth
- Overcrowding
- Crossbite
- Overbite/overjet
- Underbite
- Open bite
- Spacing issues/smile gaps
Led by Ivy League-graduate Dr. Monica Madan, Beverly Hills Orthodontics uses the latest technology to create customized treatment plans to fit your lifestyle. Call one of our offices in Beverly Hills, Studio City, Alhambra, or Downtown LA to schedule a consultation with a Smile Specialist today.