LilSugar

Hello Nasty: Jewelry Made Out of . . . Human Teeth and Hair!

FabSugar — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 07:50:22 -0800

People fashion some crazy things, and human teeth and hair jewelry are the latest materials being used. But Australian Polly van der Glas has some fans - she received the Craft Victoria Fillipo Raphael Fresh! Award for her work. All sterling silver pieces are hand-made in Melbourne and the designer is currently taking donations for teeth, since they're hard to come by. But don't fret, the molars are sterilized and the hair is locally donated or sourced from India or China. Does that put your mind at ease? If you can stomach it, proceed.

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When Did Your Lil One Lose Her First Tooth?

LilSugar — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:00:46 -0700

The tune "All I Want For Christmas Is My Two Front Teeth" may have a special meaning for Shiloh Jolie-Pitt this holiday season. When the 3-year-old beauty was spotted visiting a toy store in France, she was sporting a rather authentic-looking pirate costume - including a missing front tooth.

The tooth fairy doesn't tend to start visiting lil ones until they reach the ripe old age of 6, though some get a visit up to two years earlier. According to doctors, teeth tend to fall out in the same order in which they appear, with the front two bottom teeth falling out first, followed by the top two. When a wee one loses a tooth before its usual time - either due to an accident or tooth decay - they don't usually rush off to the dentist in search of a veneer or bridge like their parents do. Instead they must wait until the permanent tooth grows in, often a few years later.

Brad and Angie's little blondie will likely be flashing her gap-toothed smile for a few years now. When did your youngster lose her first tooth?

Confused About Floss - Which Type Is Best?

FitSugar — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 03:00:40 -0700

Brushing your teeth removes food particles and tartar from the surfaces of your teeth, but we need floss to clean in between your teeth. "You cannot effectively vacuum a house with only one attachment," says American Dental Association spokesman Richard H. Price, DMD. "You need other attachments to get into the nooks and crannies. That's what floss does.”

When picking up floss at the store, it's astounding how many varieties there are. If you're confused about which one works best or is right for your teeth, read more.

Unwaxed: This floss is perfect for teeth that aren't too tight together.
Waxed: If the spaces between your teeth are tight, waxed floss will glide easier.
Tape: This ribbon-like floss is meant for those who have wider spaces between their teeth.
Ultra floss: If the spaces between your teeth vary, this floss is right for you. This yarn-like floss stretches thin to fit between tight teeth but also springs back to be slightly thicker for teeth that have wider spaces.
Flossing picks: If it's tough to reach your back teeth or it hurts your fingers to wrap the floss around, these picks have convenient handles to make flossing easier.

The bottom line is that it really doesn't matter which type of floss you use - as long as you use it. Choose one you like that doesn't damage your gums and use it at least once a day. Flossing not only removes leftover spinach and pesky poppy seeds from in between your chompers, but it's also essential for healthy gums. So the next time you go to the dentist, ask for some samples of different kinds so you can try them out and see which you like best.

Do You Brush Your Teeth at Work?

FitSugar — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 04:30:57 -0700

Brushing your teeth regularly is a great habit to start. I'm sure you brush in the morning and before bed at night, but what about when you're on the job?

Brusha, Brusha, Brusha: Deliciously Weird Toothpastes

BellaSugar — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 11:00:26 -0700

Every one of us brushes her teeth multiple times each day. But for something that's such an integral part of our health and beauty routines, there's surprisingly little diversity in the flavors and ingredients on drugstore shelves. It's usually mint, mint, or mint. I find this mediocre selection not only damnably dull but altogether intolerable. Why can't brushing be a varied experience, like eating or applying makeup, instead of a monotonous chore? To that end, I've searched out some wild alternatives that work just as well as Crest and will undoubtedly make for good times in your mouth. Click through and start your very own oral hygiene adventure.

Salt Toothpaste w/ Baking Soda by Weleda - $6.00	Peppermint Tooth Fiber by Peelu - $9.98
Red Tooth Powder by Dabur - $5.50	Fresh Umbrian Clay Toothpaste - $20.00
Mitoku Dentie Toothpaste by Mitoku - $11.18	Meswak Toothpaste by Meswak - $5.95
Phyto Shield Lemon-Myrtle Toothpaste by Phyto Shield - $8.95	Neem & Pomegranate Toothpaste by Himalaya - $4.99

Mind the Gap: 10 Celebs Who Look Great With Gap Teeth

BellaSugar — Mon, 27 Jul 2009 11:00:07 -0700

Every day we're confronted with images of celebrities who've had their teeth capped, veneered, zoom whitened, Invisaligned, and any number of other surgical and chemical processes - smiles that no real person has and that run into the thousands of dollars to create. Which is why it's refreshing when a little bit of naturalness peeps through. There's no case where this is more true than with gap teeth, which, prior to our symmetry and straightness-obsessed age, were a sign of seductive prowess (anybody remember the Wife of Bath in the Canterbury Tales? In Merry Olde England, gap teeth were quite the hot thing- kinda like Marilyn Monroe and Cindy Crawford's moles). And despite the prevailing culture, the ladies I've put together still look sexy as hell, no dentist required. So c'mon, get gappy and check these famous spaces out.

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Tooth Fairy Pillow Alternatives

LilSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 13:30:28 -0700

All it takes is a little wiggle and a pull before your child's first baby tooth is history. Kids eagerly anticipate the bounty the tooth fairy will leave them, but how that pearly white is left out varies from house to house.

When the frilly or traditional pillows don't do the trick, there are plenty of alternatives. Lil pirates will be saying "aye, aye" to the Tooth Captain ($12) that includes a swashbuckling pirate atop a chest designed to hold the mouth jewel. There are felt pouches, door hangers and custom plates available too. Check out some of our favorites.

Life Saving Stem Cells Found in Baby Teeth

LilSugar — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 09:43:04 -0700

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Your child's baby teeth may be worth more than money from the tooth fairy. New research shows that baby teeth contain some of the same potentially life-saving stem cells as the cord blood that new parents bank upon their children's births. The use of tooth stem cells has only been tested in animals, but researchers say that the 10-20 stem cells each tooth can provide may be the key to curing many life-threatening ailments. Last year, 40 percent of lilsugar readers said they would be willing to pay the thousands of dollars it costs to collect and store cord blood, but with the baby tooth option costing half of that, more moms and dads may be willing to test it out. Would you?

Test Your Baby Teeth Knowledge!

LilSugar — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 07:00:28 -0700

Children of all ages love to show off their pearly whites – whether it's grinning from ear-to-ear or opening wide for a rebel yell. We've tested your teething knowledge, but how much do you actually know about the actual teeth once they are all in? Take this quiz to see if you're in the know about your lil one's teeth.

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How Long Do You Spend Brushing Your Teeth?

FitSugar — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 14:23:55 -0700

You treat your body right by exercising and eating well, but are you spending enough time ensuring your mouth is healthy? According to NYC-based dentist Dr. Nancy Rosen, a sufficient dental hygiene routine includes brushing your teeth for two to three minutes and one to two minutes of flossing. Could you use brushing up on your brushing sessions?