10 Steps to a More Kissable Lips and Mouth

10: Brush Your Teeth
at least twice a day, in the morning and at night. And don't just focus on your teeth; you should spend 2 to 3 minutes each session brushing all surfaces of the teeth, your tongue and your palate

9: Floss Every Day
To keep your mouth thoroughly kissable, you'll need to do more than just brush. Floss at least once a day. It's good for removing plaque and food particles between teeth and between teeth and gums. Use a long piece of floss: 18 to 24 inches (45 to 60 centimeters). 

8: Prevent Bad Breath
If you're cozying up for a kiss, you'll want to avoid bad breath. Easier said than done? Not if you understand what causes it. The sweetness of your breath is affected by your diet, your brushing and flossing routine, tobacco use and your health status. Strong foods such as onions and garlic are digested and carried through the bloodstream to the lungs; their scents are noticed when you exhale. In addition, if you don't floss and brush regularly, food stays in your mouth, decomposing and harboring bacteria.

7: Minimize Sugar Consumption
What's worse for a kiss (and your health) than a mouthful of decaying teeth? Every time you eat, you're providing fuel to the bacteria that attack your tooth enamel. Try to minimize the foods that are primary contributors -- added, refined and natural sugars.

6: Visit Your Dentist
See your dentist regularly; every six months is the usual recommendation. 

5: Avoid Tobacco
Smoking or chewing tobacco products can ruin the kissability of your mouth, leading to stained teeth, bad breath and receding gums. So if you want a healthy mouth, don't use tobacco.

4: Prevent Stains
Keeping your teeth healthy is great, but, to enhance kissability, teeth should be as white as possible. There are several ways to reduce stains. Going to the dentist twice a year can help enormously.

3: Use Fluoride
This next tip may be as easy as drinking a glass of water: Use fluoride to reduce cavities. Fluoride is often found in municipal drinking water. If you don't drink fluoridated water because you have a well or use bottled water, you may want to speak to your dentist about supplements.

2: Avoid Gingivitis
Who wants to kiss a mouth full of bloody gums? Gingivitis, the first stage of gum disease, is characterized by swollen and bleeding gums. It is uncomfortable and can be the first step toward tooth loss. Gingivitis is caused by plaque irritating the gums.Regular brushing, flossing and professional cleaning can prevent gingivitis.

1: Use a Mouth Rinse
Now that you've done everything else on the list to make your mouth truly kissable, there's one last, quick refresher. In addition to brushing and flossing, your dentist may recommend a therapeutic mouth rinse. Such rinses have been judged to be safe for consumers and effective for specific uses, such as controlling gingivitis, delivering fluoride and controlling bad breath.