Humans have been obsessed with the aesthetics of their smiles for millennia. From ancient cultures bleaching their teeth with various concoctions to modern smile makeovers, people love to create beautiful smiles. But who decides what a beautiful smile is? Well, scientists of course! Using polls, tests, and research data, they have honed in on the traits of great smiles.

If you want to learn about these traits and how they add up to a gorgeous grin, continue reading.

People can sometimes put their appearance before their health, and this can affect the teeth as much as it affects the body. Even though our culture seems to think your smile should always be radiant, whiter teeth are not always healthier teeth. Here’s what you should know about what color teeth should be and why it’s important to keep seeing your dentist no matter how white your smile is.

Gum disease is a nasty, uncomfortable, and devastating health condition, but like many unpleasant things, it can make for some interesting reading. Even if you enjoy learning about periodontal disease, you can rest assured that the more you know, the more you’ll want to avoid it. In honor of Gum Care Month this September, here is a short list of interesting facts about gum disease to help you stay motivated to practice excellent oral hygiene.

While having a dentist you can trust is vitally important to sustaining your oral health, some of the best things you’ll do for your teeth will happen outside their practice. That means that most oral health professionals are interested in not only helping patients smile brighter, but also in understanding more about what kinds of issues could affect their teeth.

Oral health problems are unfortunately exceedingly common, though some more than others. Here are a few of the most prevalent ones that you ought to watch out for.

Every parent wants their child to succeed in academics, and for that reason tends to be reticent to pull them out of school. That’s part of why so many parents struggle to get their kids regular dental care. A lot of the time, dental checkups necessitate taking your child out of school to get them to the dentist’s office.

However, if you really want your child to succeed academically, research shows that making these regular preventive visits is a better move in the long run—here’s why that is.