Up until my early 20s I was something of a soda junkie, downing maybe five or so cans of Coke in a day (gross). I’ve had no new cavities since I cut back, which may not be a coincidence: A new study from the journal General Dentistry suggests that “exposing teeth to soft drinks, even for a short period of time, causes dental erosion—and prolonged exposure can lead to significant enamel loss.”

But swapping out your regular soda for root beer might do your mouth much good. Since the stuff’s noncarbonated and contains no teeth-harming acids, the study’s authors note, it’s much less likely to give you dental trouble.

One of the all-around healthiest root beers out there comes from Santa Cruz Organic: Not only is their root beer made with organic cane juice and organic vanilla, it also delivers 100 percent of your daily vitamin C needs. For a brew that will likely leave you forever turned off by “the bland national chain stuff they sell at the national chain grocery stores,” according to esh, try Americana Cream Style Root Beer. Or brew your own with the root beer kit recommended by teboj27, who’s particularly fond of the product’s recycled plastic bottles.

One more reason to finally start flossing: A new study from the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggests that gum disease might increase your risk for pancreatic cancer, the fourth-leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Researchers from the Harvard School of Public Health studied data on about 48,000 men, finding that those with periodontal disease had a 63 percent higher risk of developing pancreatic cancer than those with healthy teeth and gums.

To safeguard your gums and possibly lower your cancer risk, use a ThisNext-approved floss each time you brush your teeth. Some smart choices: superminty Glide Comfort Plus Floss, GUM Eez-Thru Flossers (dubbed “as good as [flossing] gets” by Caryl Chinn), and AP-24 Gentle Action Dental Floss (“Never had a cavity, don’t plan on getting one!” boasts shopcaster Hannah Teter). Or try the recently ThisNext-blog-featured Reach Clean Paste Floss, of which Matt Nando says: “I doubted, but am converted. This kicks major butt.”

Why is flossing so hard? Are we really all such tragically lazy creatures, or are we simply lacking in inspiration? Maybe one of staceyag’s latest picks can help us out in the latter department: She suggests getting your hands on some Johnson & Johnson’s Reach Clean Paste Floss, a toothpaste-infused product that can give you extra-fresh breath while removing all that gross plaque from between your teeth. “Who recommends dental floss? I just used this product for the first time, and I am sold!” says Stacey. “I love that just-been-to-the-dentist feeling of clean, and the minty fresh taste.” Keep it stored in your handbag to promote actual usage, and then you’ll be all set for any spontaneous makeout sessions that should arise.

If you’re anything like me, the majority of post-holiday nights culminate in a little curling up on the easy chair with a fuzzy throw blanket, a newly scored DVD, and lots and lots of yummy candy. And when you’re all wrapped up in such a happy little cocoon, it can become very nearly impossible to unfurl yourself and stumble over to the sink to rid your teeth of all that fabulous sugar. Luckily there’s a whole world of luxe new dental products that make shining up your choppers an almost glammy endeavor. I’m feeling most inspired by the Fresh Umbrian Clay Toothpaste spotlighted on Three2Seven, an organic, clay-based product that gets its zip from wild mint and lemon. “If you’re sick of the white/green lather try this for a departure,” says blogger Carmen Foxx. “It feels a bit more earthy than your old standby and has added value by stimulating circulation in your gums!”

...continued: Fancy teeth

There’s so much to adore about sweet-but-never-saccharin, holiday-perfect Stranger Than Fiction: Will Ferrell’s all-around awesomeness, the groovy soundtrack, some screen time from Arrested Development’s amazing Tony Hale. But there’s a tiny detail in the movie’s first few moments that completely wins our little Earth-loving hearts: That toothbrush with which lead character Harold Crick obsessively brushes his choppers for the same number of strokes each and every boring day? It’s none other than the ThisNext-featured Preserve Toothbrush from Recycline, Inc. We made that discovery at the blog Vestal Design, who explain that the Preserve’s “made from at least 65% post-consumer recycled polypropylene, from Stonyfield Farms yogurt containers.” What’s more, “the Stonyfield-origin plastic is acquired via consumers who wash and mail back clean containers at their own expense to Stonyfield.” And, ThisNexter Heidrun adds, “when you are done, you send the toothbrush back to the company for further recycling, in a postage paid mailer which they supply.” Heidrun digs the brush’s lack of superfluous features like “rubber grips, plastic decoration, glow-in-the-dark swirls,” while pinkmirage is all about the “awesome design [that] allows you to reach those back teeth.”

...continued: Brusha brusha brusha

Ever since first discovering Breath Palette’s product line at Le Pink a few months back, I’ve noticed a fun little trend emerging in the generally unfun world of dental health. Companies like Breath Palette – whose toothpaste flavors include Indian curry, café au lait, Japanese plum, and lavender – are bringing a little glamour and style to the uber-mundane task of keeping your pearly whites nice and bright. Here, some very toothsome ThisNext picks – some fancy, some a little more practical - that just might inspire us to finally start flossing with some regularity and make our dentists damn proud.

...continued: Mouthing off on ThisNext

Dori and Val over at More Hip than Hippy take an energetic, funny and ultra-cool look at the green lifestyle. Where else will you get recs in a single blogpost on ale, chocolate, and children’s toothpaste (as well as a reference to a serious articles about the future challenge of running your car on chocolate.) Their current “back to school” entry focuses on a number of great green products for kids, including Weleda’s Children’s Tooth Gel. A great green resource.

Although we do strongly believe in taking good care of our pearly whites, dental health maintenance has never really been much cause for excitement. Until now. Susan’s Spa has discovered a line of toothpaste that takes a sort of Baskin Robbins approach to brushing up: Breath Palette’s got 31 flavors of teeth-cleaner, ranging from the sweet (caramel, honey, cola) to the spicy (Indian curry, cinnamon) to the just plain weird (monkey banana, sweet salt, pumpkin pudding). Because I like pretty things, I’m most curious about the rose and lavender, but the Japanese plum and white peach also sound quite divine.