That's Fit

We all want a set of beautiful pearly whites, don't we? But a white smile goes well beyond appearances; strong, healthy teeth are important for your overall health.

For sparkling white teeth, in addition to proper oral hygiene, avoid foods that can stain. The general rule of thumb is if it can stain a white t-shirt, it can stain your teeth. Coffee, red wine, and tea are common culprits.

But there are plenty of foods you can add to your diet to improve the health of your teeth. And -- bonus! -- the foods that are good for your teeth are good for your general health as well. Check out the gallery for a summary of the foods mentioned in the video.

In this video, Fitz tells how your dedication to your teeth can affect both your body and your life! Enjoy more of these Fit Kicks on the Active Heatlh Network at SportsHeatlhExercise.Org.

I tell my kids we eat nutritious snacks to keep our bodies healthy. I often neglect to tell them that good-for-you-foods are also key for healthy teeth. We're all about keeping our teeth in tip-top shape here in our house -- we brush lots, floss, and visit our dentist several times per year -- so it seems we need to remember which healthy foods will keep our mouths in fighting shape.

Sticky snacks and sugary drinks are definite no-nos. Fortunately, we steer clear of all juices and try to limit the sticky stuff as much as possible. Tara Gidus, a dentist in Orlando, Florida suggests a snack like a small turkey roll-up with a slice of cheese and a piece of lettuce. The cheese is key -- some studies suggest cheeses like aged cheddar, Swiss, Monterey Jack, mozzarella, and processed American (yes, processed), may protect against cavities. It's the calcium, phosphorus, and casein (a protein found in dairy products) that give cheese the power of prevention.

Other great snacks and drinks:

If you're concerned about your dental health (and I hope you are), one of the best investments you can make is in an electric toothbrush. Research has shown that the circular motion made by electric toothbrushes is more effective than the up and down motion made by a standard hand-held brush.

Years ago, owning an electric toothbrush meant shelling out a pretty penny, but that's no longer necessarily the case. You can get a battery powered toothbrush for under $10, although you certainly can still spend over $100 for a good rechargeable one.

Consumersearch.com has some of the top ranked toothbrushes -- click through the gallery to see which might be the best match for your mouth. After all, while it's great to have toned abs and firm thighs, a beautiful, healthy smile is often the first thing people notice, and you owe it to yourself to keep it that way!

The debate over whether energy drinks have health implications usually centers around heart-related issues. But, a new study published in the journal General Dentistry reveals yet another compelling reason for oral argument.

Citing the General Dentistry study, Women's Health reports that drinks like Red Bull and Amp have the same acidic effect on our teeth as sodas. The article states that these power-up drinks restrict our saliva's natural ability to neutralize acids-which thereby allows this acid to take up temporary residence in our mouths, where it is then able to penetrate our gums.

To fight back against these tooth-tarnishing energy drink villains, the folks at Women's Health suggest using straws (aim your drink toward the back of the mouth), rinsing with water to dilute acids, and not brushing your pearlies for 30 minutes after downing energy drinks, for the scrubbing can remove enamel ­weakened by acidity.

Ever been caught with remnants of food stuck smack dab in between two teeth? Not so bad if you're alone and make this discovery. But when caught with a pal, in public, or while trying to make an good impression, a chunk of lodged spinach, while a healthy adornment, can be quite embarrassing. So, what should you do about this sticky situation? Good Housekeeping offers these options. Try to pick the correct solution -- then check your answer after the break.

1) Use a fingernail, a toothpick, a fork, or a matchbook to pry it out.
2) Cover your mouth with your napkin, then use your fingernail to work it out inconspicuously.
3) Politely excuse yourself to go to the bathroom.
4) Leave it until after the meal -- after all, you'll survive.

A breath mint is another coffee breath killer, but it will only work in the short-term. Consider it a hold-over until you can round up your toothbrush and paste. Can't get to a mint or the bathroom sink? In a pinch, you can fill your mouth with water and give it a good swish.

Want whiter and brighter teeth? Look no further than your food. Grab an apple, some carrots, a cucumber now and then and you'll scrub your stains away. It's the abrasive or crunchy quality of these foods that do the trick, says Elisa Mello, DDS, a cosmetic dentist in New York City. Items to avoid: Red wine, coffee, and cola, which may darken your pearly whites.

Another cleaning trick, says Mello for Woman's Day magazine (July 8, 2008), is to sip staining beverages through a straw and then chase with plenty of water to prevent them from leaving a mark.

For more tips on eating for healthy teeth, check out fatfreekitchen.com.

Too much of a good thing ... yeah, this saying applies to exercise, too. While it is very important to always push yourself hard during workouts, going TOO far (or too often, too long, too much, etc.) can lead to over-training.

When this happens, you actually start regressing. Muscle wasting occurs, body fat storage can increase, and immune suppression can lead to sickness and infection. One of the major reasons for these physiological responses to over-training is the release of excess amounts of the stress hormone cortisol. And while coritsol's body-busting affects have been known for quite some time, new research shows that it may also have a negative effect on your gums.

A study published in the Journal of Periodontology (a must for all summer reading lists) indicates that cortisol can worsen elements of gum disease. Bad bones, bad body, and now bad teeth? Man, that cortisol is some nasty stuff.

I adopted my son at age 10. Since he was at an age that I felt was capable of self-care skills, I didn't do more about his dental health than remind him to brush and floss. Then, one morning, I happened to be brushing my own teeth at the same time as he was brushing his. Well, the word "brushing" doesn't really apply to what he was doing. Rather than brushing, he did a quick swipe across the surface of his teeth and called it good. Needless to say, we've had a few lessons on how to properly care for your teeth and I supervise him more closely now.

A recent survey by the British Dental Health Foundation shows that lots of kids may not be getting the daily dental care that they need. The survey revealed that more than one in five children under five were left unsupervised when brushing their teeth. Odds are, these unsupervised kids were doing a lick and promise type of tooth-brushing like my son was. In addition, the survey showed that 1/4 of parents thought brushing once a day was enough, and 67% thought that a minute of brushing was sufficient (two minutes are recommended).

Proper dental care is so important for kids. Check out the gallery for some ideas to help care for your kids' teeth.

My kid got a cavity. Just had it filled recently. It cost me a bundle and makes me rethink getting dental insurance. It also makes me rethink what I need to do to ensure my two little guys do the very best they can with their pearly whites.

Of course, they need to brush. If I had it my way, they'd brush after eating, every time they eat. But this is hard since they spend a few hours each week day in school and I can't realistically mandate classroom brushing after snacks and lunch. I can be vigilant at home, though. I can hover like a helicopter over them, judging their respective techniques. Let's face it: Kids left to their own brushing devices will cheat, even if unaware their form is not exactly right.

My boys can floss -- and they do -- but as a team, we can do better. We can also swirl around a little mouthwash. And use this cool pink solution the dentist gave us (well, sold us) that marks the hiding places of food bits. And my favorite: We can cut down on sugary, sticky, sweet treats. We've got them down to a pretty good minimum but there's always room for improvement.

What can you do to treasure your kids' teeth? Visit this American Dental Association site for age-appropriate practices.

Is your smile looking, shall we say, less than healthy these days? If so, regular brushing and flossing may not be enough. That's where yogurt comes in.

Yes, the same yogurt you usually eat as a healthy snack; evidently, yogurt eaters are less likely to suffer from gum disease and tooth loss. According to RealAge.com, researchers speculate that the bacteria in yogurt helps protect teeth and gums by balancing out the bad bacteria in your mouth, similar to the way they do in your digestive system.

In a related story, you can check out which cities were listed as having the worst teeth in America by clicking HERE. Clearly, most of the worst cities on this list didn't hear about this yogurt research!!

Brushing and flossing have apparently fallen to the wayside for certain U.S. cities, especially Lubbock, TX. According to Men's Health, the Hub City has the dubious distinction of having been crowned the city with the worst teeth in the nation.

Appearing in the current edition of the magazine, the list takes a look at 100 cities across the U.S., paying specific attention to respective residents' pearly (or not-so-pearly) whites. To arrive at their conclusions, the editors analyzed statistics from a myriad of medical sources, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here are the worst 10 cities, as they appear on the Men's Health list:

100 - Lubbock, TX

99 - Philadelphia, PA

98 - Spokane, WA

97 - Salt Lake City, UT

Losing weight isn't a race. After all, you don't put 10 extra pounds on in a week, so why would you expect to lose it that quickly? Most experts recommend a 1/2 pound to 2 pound weight loss per week for best results. In keeping with this healthy pace, Prevention has 52 ways to lose a pound per week, including:

• Stopping the "all or nothing" line of thinking
• See a dietitian for professional advice
• Build on success, and keep raising the bar
• Use a symbol to remind you of your goal
• Buy fresh foods instead of processed, packaged items
• Don't skip breakfast
• Watch out for empty calories
• Read labels for nutrition information
• Get outside and exercise
• Lift what you've lost to remind yourself of progress
• Brush your teeth when it's time to stop eating
• Phone a friend for support.

Take a quick read through Prevention's tips and find some ideas that will work for you. For more information on weight loss, check out AOL Body.

I love the mini lessons my kids get at school about health, nutrition, and fitness. What they learn is not abundant by any means but when words of wisdom come their way, I'm truly thankful for them.

Yesterday, my first grader came home with his February Weekly Reader. It happens to be Dental Health Week at many schools across the country and so this issue was all about Terrific Teeth. Here's what my grade schooler learned.

Brush
Brush your teeth at least two times a day. Brush the outside and the inside of your teeth. Gently brush your tongue too.

Floss
Floss your teeth once a day. Ask a grown-up to help you.

Get Checkups
Visit a dentist two times each year.

Eat Healthful Foods
Eat foods that are good for your teeth. Drink a lot of milk too.

My preschooler learned a thing or two as well. He even had a dentist visit his classroom and was gifted with a new toothbrush, floss, and a timer so he can monitor how long he brushes. Two minutes is the goal and already, my littlest guy is watching his pink sand drizzle to the bottom of its hourglass while he brushes and brushes and brushes.

If you find you can borrow from this elementary dental lesson, please do. If your kids would benefit from it, please pass it on.