Hoping to celebrate International Kissing Day by planting a sexy smooch on your partner? Follow our tips for a kissable mouth and your sweetie just may want to set the new record for locking lips:
- Banish bad breath. While it’s important to brush your teeth with fluoride toothpaste at least twice a day, brushing your tongue and roof of your mouth can also help remove odor-causing bacteria. If you want to be overly cautious, you can also pop a breath freshener a few minutes before you smooch.
- What makes lips stand out more than a pearly white smile? Sparkling white teeth are the perfect complement to kissable lips. If you’re worried your smile is yellower than you’d like, there are plenty of teeth whitening options available, including over-the-counter products, in-office dental bleaching and at-home bleaching kits.
- Soft and smooth lips are the most inviting to kiss. Exfoliate your lips with a lip scrub designed specifically for your pucker. Or just brush your lips lightly with a soft bristle toothbrush every night before you head to bed.
- Stay away from cigarettes. Smoking can give you bad breath, leave brown tar stains on your teeth and lead to vertical lip lines and wrinkles. As if that’s not bad enough, smokers are at a higher risk of developing oral cancer.
- Moisturize your pout with a hydrating lip balm. Reapply throughout the day to prevent flaky, chapped lips.
- Before you pucker up, pop in a piece of xylitol gum. Gum increases saliva production, which rinses your mouth while freshening your breath. If you can’t find xylitol gum, look for sugarless gum that has the ADA Seal of Acceptance, like Dentyne Ice, Extra and Orbit.
