^{I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Colgate.  I received a product sample for this review and a promotional item to thank me for participating.}

Most people say that your eyes are the window to your soul. I disagree. I think that your smile is the true indicator of your innermost depth and profundity. Hence, oral hygiene is of the utmost importance when it comes to my beauty routine. Although some consider my focus on my smile to be obsessive/compulsive, I steer clear of cavities, and my pearly whites actually stay white year round.

Here is a little insight into my strict yet effective smile preservation routine.

STEP ONE:

Brush after breakfast, lunch, and dinner with Colgate® Enamel Health™ Sensitivity Relief Toothpaste. If you experience routine tooth sensitivity from eroded enamel like I unfortunately do, Colgate is the way to go. Enamel insulates and is the strongest protector of your teeth, but it can chip, crack, and erode from daily use, such as chewing, grinding, biting, and crunching. Colgate’s new formula is enamel soothing, ie it replenishes natural calcium and polishes enamel with every use. Your mouth will be clean, fresh, and more protected from future erosion. Cha-ching.

Colgate Enamel Health Sensitivity Relief Toothpaste Testimonial from Stephanie Ziajka on Vimeo.

I also swear by my electrical Sonicare toothbrush. It’s the best hygienic device I’ve ever owned, and my mouth has never felt cleaner.

STEP TWO:

Floss in the morning and evening. Nobody likes flossing, ie making your gums bleed; however, the more you do it, the less likely you are to draw blood. The effects are undeniable, too, in the prevention of tooth decay and cavities. Floss is designed specifically to clean the tight spaces between the teeth, as well as the gap between the base of the teeth and the gums. If you don’t like traditional flossing, try my favorite alternative– Reach flossers.

STEP THREE:

Swish with Colgate Optic White mouthwash after breakfast and dinner. Keep an extra product at work to combat that mid-day dirty mouth feeling, as well. My super secret go-to beauty queen tip is to carry a travel-sized bottle around with you to use before you hit the stage; it literally illuminates your smile and cleans your mouth simultaneously.

STEP FOUR:

Drink your morning coffee through a straw. It’s not as weird as it sounds, and it’s a huge whiteness preservation tactic. If you’re opposed to drinking hot coffee through a straw (which I do every day), opt for iced coffee. Give it a week, and you’ll be amazed at how much whiter your smile looks and how much cleaner your mouth feels.

STEP FIVE:

Be conscious of your diet. Rule of Thumb: Foods that are bad for your diet are more likely than not bad for your teeth, too. Steer clear of excess sugar when possible, even limit common condiment addictions like ketchup. I’m by no means a dentist, so consult yours for specific dietary suggestions or substitutions. If you do choose to indulge, which we all do, drink water or brush your teeth afterwards to remove potential stains and cavity-causing bacteria. Throw some mouthwash into the mix, and you’re golden.

Easy enough, right? How do you keep your smile sparkling? Any tips I missed?