Grade 7. Picture day. My smile inspiration? Brooke Shields and Farrah Fawcett.
I strolled into the bustling, high energy photography studio (room off of the school library) with all the confidence of someone who knew they had a winning smile. A practiced smile.
After flinging my Icelandic sweater off my shoulders in the manner of a Vegas magician I took my place on the stool.
The mottled blue background with shrubbery was going to highlight my eyes in a way that would certainly go down in grammar school history. I was glowing. They'd surely be talking about this moment in the teachers lounge at lunch.
But I had more. I had the smile. And it was coming.
For a moment my photographer and I discussed the day's shoot. There would be no wardrobe changes, no fan and even worse, no smoke machine. I made a mental note never to work with this hack again.
When he got behind his camera and everyone was looking ... I broke out the smile.
With a single click it was done. That was all I needed I said as I held up my hand and gathered my things.
I quietly left the stunned room and for the next 2 months awaited the arrival of my ticket to Hollywood.
It was perfect. The clenched teeth, the bottom row of teeth showing. I had never smiled in such a professional manner before. It was golden. It didn't look entirely like me. You know, in the sense that my mother asked why the hell I looked like that.
But that didn't concern me. She knew nothing of Farrah Fawcett and her car crushing size of a smile.
Sadly, in a tragic turn of events, I had to abandon the lopsided, clenched smile in later years in favour of a more subdued grin due to an unprecedented case of TMJ.
I haven't given up my quest for the perfect smile. I've just changed tactics.
Once or twice I week I use Tooth Polish on my tongue and teeth. You know how your teeth feel after having your teeth cleaned at the dentist? This makes them feel that way all the time.
And you have everything you need to make your own tooth polish right now.
Ingredients
2 parts baking soda
1 part sea salt
drops of Peppermint essential oil (edible) or Peppermint extract
2 tablespoons baking soda, 1 tablespoon sea salt
add together
mix
add 2 drops essential oil
I tried cinnamon, which was gross ...
and peppermint. which was good.
the oil will sit on top of the mixture. don't worry. just take a spoon and cut it in, mashing out lumps.
The advantage to using essential oil over extract is the fact that the oil is much more concentrated. To get the same flavouring from extract would require a lot more of it so your powder has the potential to turn clumpy.
The disadvantage to using essential oil is it's about twice the price. Around $10 for a small bottle compared to around $5 for the extract.
So you're about 2 minutes and 50 cents away from your own dazzling, Brooke Shields smile.
All you need now is a label.
And a small gift from me to you ... you can download my PDF printable label for this tooth polish for free.
You only need to use this once a week or so. Anymore and you could actually brush your teeth right off.
Which never looks good in school pictures.
Patty
Late to the party, but your smile is worthy! Thanks for the recipe. 😁
Karen
LOL, thanks Patty! ~ karen
Marilyn
Where do I go to get your download on here.
Don't know if I missed it, so, ,can you please send it to .
Thanks
Karen
Hi Marilyn! If you click on the word "download" the pdf file will automatically download to your computer. Then it will either open automatically on your screen (in Adobe) or you can go to your download files and open the tooth polish file from there. Hope that helps. If you're still confused let me know. ~ karen!
Sunny Jane
Oh my word. This write up and the comments are hysterical. I also want to know what shampoo you used. Your hair was glamorous. I've used baking soda and peroxide on my teeth, and have been looking for a better recipe that what I've been doing. Trying this one! And tip: don't use the baking soda with a sonicare toothbrush. I did. Talk about ouch.
Marilyn
Oh my gosh, I have a picture that looks very similar. Bet you had no hair in the back because it was all pulled to the front to make it appear rich and thick. When I was that age, something called "Pearls" tooth polish was popular.
Jody
I have used b soda and peroxide to brush my teeth for years. Might be nice to add some cinnamon powder or do the peppermint....love the label, thanks!
Amanda Watkins
I LOVE clean teeth. Actually, I'm so passionate about clean teeth, I was enrolled to go to dental school before I married & became a mom instead.
Now I just obsess over cleaning my kids' teeth.
Getting my teeth cleaned, to me, is like a spa day.
Though I've never been to a spa, but still - I love it.
Thanks for this tip! I pinned it and will make it tomorrow.
PS: I love your funny shaped white bowls.
Stephanie
Oh, gotta try this, thanks!
Except I only like mint if it comes with chocolate. Brushing my teeth with cocoa powder doesn't seem like such a great idea if the goal is pearly whites.
B. Taylor
You could try mixing it with cocoa butter to form a paste. And cocoa butter is very chocolatey.
Gloria
I can't wait to try this! I have been trying to use peroxide and that tastes like...well, crap! Going to go whip up a batch right now!
Karen
Gloria - Hydrogen Peroxide will really whiten your teeth. More so than the baking soda/salt. And hydrogen peroxide is (contrary to popular belief) good for your tooth enamel. ~ karen!
Gloria
Thanks Karen...but peroxide still tastes like crap!
By the way...buying the peppermint essential oil is good because you can use it to keep ants away and also mice! You can also put a few drops on a cotton ball and inhale it to help relieve a stuffy nose!
LINDA
You can mix peroxide with mouthwash to make it more palatable. Also heals mouth sores like those from braces- or my invisalign.
Gwennie
My kindergarten picture was delivered home and MY mom asked why I looked like that, and I told her I was smiling like Marie Osmond. Of course I had all baby teeth, the size of chicklets, but I thought I was oh so glamorous, with both rows of top and bottom teeth showing, with my stick straight hair in a ponytail and my Holly Hobby dress on.
Karen
Holly Hobby!!! LOL!! ~ karen
Wendy Smith
Thanks for the tip - who doesn't want a whiter smile? I'd also take a BETTER smile...I'm cursed to always have a lopsided grin & look slightly constipated. Oh well, at least I have nice eyes.
magali
your hair is so gorgeous in that picture! I am quite jealous!
Tigersmom
I think we're overdue for a new Karen video. (I mainly want to hear you say "tooth polish" in your Canadian accent. Yes, you have one.)
So, how about one of you polishing your teeth, with a brief intro in which you say "tooth polish," of course?
Evalyn
I have used baking soda to brush my teeth for years. My hygenist thought I'd been using a sonic toothbrush (can't stand the vibration). I have never liked the sweet minty-ness of toothpaste or the taste it leaves in my mouth. Baking soda leaves no after taste. I am 63 and have all my teeth, so I must be doing something right.
Kasia
Everyone keeps mentioning how baking soda is so abrasive... I'd just like to point out that it has the lowest abrasivity by far compared to most toothpastes ( a rating of 7 compared to the 50-100 of common toothpaste brands). Baking soda is actually very gentle on the teeth. Look up "relative dentin abrasivity". :)
Karen
Kasia - You speak the truth. My grandfather was a dentist and he and my grandmother always used baking soda. ~ karen!
Kat
I first read the label as "safe and reusable." EWwwwww...
Christine
Haha I did too, after reading your post I had to go back and recheck the label.
Beth
This unprecedented case of TMJ.... does it kind of make you look like Jean Chretien? With lack of movement, but no actual drooping on the one side? Or do you have the accent too - the shawinigan curse?
My man has something like this, and has for the past 3 years... MRI clear, EMG clear, etc.
Any insight you can provide about your situation? I doubt you are a semi-pro trumpet player, although he's stopped playing and it hasn't really resolved his issue anyways (we have affectionately called it Ballz Face).
Kim from Milwaukee
Beth, I've dealt with TMJ over the past ten years and I've discovered it's connected to the tension in the shoulders and neck. Massage, chiropractic, nathprapath visits all have helped tremendously and I don't have issues anymore unless I let myself get very tight. Pushups off the wall, turning the head as you touch the wall with your cheek also keeps the upper body stretched and helps so the muscles don't pull the jaw out of place.
maribeth
My mom made us brush with salt and soda out of an old aluminum shaker thingy when I was little. I hated it, but, of course, we didn't get the essential oil flavorings! Now, If only someone could have helped me with the big giant zit on my nose in one of my school pictures!
Shauna
p.s., I must find a school picture of me when I was a kid - we could have been sisters. Funny enough, if you take a look at my little pic now, we even have similar hair - weird. although, I've grown mine out recently.
Shauna
How funny, I make a tooth polish too, only mine is made with coconut oil, castille soap, stevia leaf and essential oil (no baking soda due to the abrasiveness-I use it daily. I'm curious to read the comment section though because I'm sure this has been addressed.) and was just talking about it to friends and sent them the recipe on Friday. It's like you're always in my head. I would love to use/steal the use of your label, but alas mine isn't a powder.