cariPRO Water Flosser from Smile Brilliant (Review)

Disclosure: Smile Brilliant sent me a complimentary cariPRO Water Flosser to review.  As always all thoughts & opinions are my own.

I previously reviewed and tested out Smile Brilliant's At-Home Whitening and their CariPRO Ultrasonic Toothbrush so I was excited to try another one of their products to up my oral care game after my latest dentist appointment. Yes, I still get nervous at dentist appointments and my worries were validated when I was told that I had no cavities (yay!), but I did have some gum recession and plaque build up at my gum line. 

I trust Smile Brilliant’s oral care products because they are custom-formulated with the latest research to improve oral care and now have an expanded product line including their cariPRO cordless water flosser, a custom night guard system and temporary oral dye Plaque Highlighters.

Aside from the recommendation to use my electric toothbrush, I was told I really need to focus on flossing. I’m someone who uses floss picks because I find it hard to use dental floss (despite my dental hygienist telling me every time that regular string floss is better but something is better than nothing). Sometimes my gums bleed, and I worry about brushing too hard on my gums. I know flossing is important, but I just find it hard to do so I was excited to try a water flosser/water pick.

The water flosser uses a long tip to shoot water in between your teeth which makes it gentle and easy to use. Just like the cariPRO toothbrush it even has interval timing so you do not have to think about how long is long enough to be flossing each area of your mouth. I like this feature because it forces me to not to rush through my oral care. Once you fill the reservoir with water, you basically just turn it on and aim it all your gum line in between your teeth. 

This easy flosser has been shown to result in 99.9% less plaque in treated areas. It is also waterproof so you can use it in the shower. It even has 3 different floss modes and 4 specialty tips for those with braces or restorations such as crowns. 

(Credit: Smile Brilliant)

My bathroom is already pretty cluttered so I like that it is cordless and holds a 28 day battery charge (from full charge).  I’m really excited to keep this electric flosser in my oral care routine with regular flossing and brushing my teeth with my electric toothbrush-hopefully this improves my gum health!

Check out more details on the cariPRO Water Flosser here.  Each cariPRO product comes with a 2 year limited warranty and 60 day trial period with easy returns. Smile Brilliant also ships worldwide!

Treat yourself this holiday season (or find that last minute gift!) and save 20% off with my coupon code: breathedeeplyandsmile20

Last-Minute Father's Day Baltimore Gift Guide

Disclosure: I was invited to visit Hammer & Nails and received a complimentary service for my boyfriend as well as a gift card. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own. 

Just a heads up, Father's Day is this Sunday. Yes, we are already in the middle of June (HOW?!). Sometimes I have trouble figuring out what to get for my father but know that local Baltimore eats, spirits, or golf balls are always a great option. Have no fear, if you still have not picked up a gift for your dad, here's a list of 5 great options that are all available in the Baltimore area. 

1. Sagamore Rye, Sagamore Spirit ($45)

If the father in your life enjoys whiskey, pick up a bottle of local Sagamore Rye from the Sagamore Spirit Distillery. It's a smooth rye that is super drinkable. I gave a bottle to my dad for Christmas, and he loved it! You can find it in many local stores-check out their locator for the retailer closest to you. 

2. The John duffle, Treason Toting Co. ($100)

Treason Toting Co. is a Baltimore company that makes durable and classic bags for "the travelling craftsman." Their The John duffle bag is made from water-resistant canvas with brass hardware for a classic look perfect for any adventure. Let's also put a Treason Toting Co. bag on a list of gifts people can give to me as well. 

At-Home Teeth Whitening for a Coffee Drinker

Disclosure: Smile Brilliant sent me a complimentary whitening kit to use. My before & after photos are not retouched or filtered. As always all thoughts & opinions are my own.

Something that I haven’t really shared with anyone is that I’m self-conscious of my teeth. They are nice and straight after many years and lots of money as a child/teenager with top & bottom palate expanders and then braces (thanks Mom & Dad). However as someone who loves coffee and tea and other staining foods (like beets and red wine!) my teeth are kinda yellowed. This has come more apparent in the age of selfies and posting photos online. Also the increase in coffee consumption with graduate school and studying for my board exam did not help! Who doesn’t want whiter teeth when showing of those big happy smiles? Don’t worry coffee, I still love you.

I was really happy to recently try out Smile Brilliant, an easy custom fitted whitening system. This post is obviously sponsored because Smile Brilliant was nice enough to send me complimentary product, but I also truly did have a good experience. At first I was skeptical about the product, but then I actually saw fellow pal and running blogger Hollie’s results and knew I needed to take advantage of this opportunity to help my smile. 

How does Smile Brilliant compare to other teeth whitening systems?  

Smile Brilliant is a custom whitening treatment for your teeth that you can do at home. Many of the options out there are largely temporary-like the whitening strips I used in high school & college. Unlike strips, charcoal is not ADA-approved and can be abrasive for teeth while also being temporary.  The Smile Brilliant method uses custom molded trays which is similar to the treatment at a dentist but way less expensive. It’s more expensive and a longer process than say whitening strips, but it is better at removing stains more permanently.

Adult-ish Things #1: Dry Cleaning {ZIPS Dry Cleaners giveaway}

Disclosure: I have received promotional consideration from ZIPS. As always all thoughts and opinions are my own. 

This week I'm turning 29 which has me thinking a lot about adulthood. It's weird to be turning the age that I will say I am for the next 10 years (haha).  I mean I don't know how I got to be almost 29, when I feel like I just turned 25 (what did happen in years 25-28 besides running a few marathons?!). Alas, in the past few couple of years I've figured out the big secret to life is that no one ever feels like they know what they are doing. No one ever "feels like an adult". I just find myself doing (or trying to figure out) adult things. 

Ya know, like setting up a retirement fund. Doing your taxes.  Attending weddings and bridal/baby showers. Going to get your car's oil changed. Calling the dentist to make an appointment voluntarily. Getting excited about finding sheets on sale at Target. Also getting excited about a Sunday involving going to Home Depot, a crockpot dinner, and laundry. 

One other adult-ish thing is having clothes that actually need to be dry-cleaned. My wardrobe does involve a lot of spandex. Years dressing casual as a researcher in a lab didn't require much professional clothing. Now I have multiple wool sweaters, shirts, and dresses that are supposed to be dry-clean only. And honestly it's been years since I've dropped something off at a dry cleaners.  

Literally this is what my laundry bin consists of: 

#runnerproblems #fitgirlproblems

So I was really excited when ZIPS Dry Cleaners reached out to me about checking them out. I had recently seen their new TV spot that launched in March. ZIPS helped me dry clean some dresses I've worn to a couple weddings, a couple winter sweaters, and my bed comforter (which REALLY needed to be cleaned because yikes, I don't think I ever washed it). 

ZIPS started with 8 dry-cleaners in the Baltimore-Washington area in 1996 and now is the largest chain of retai dry cleaners in the Mid-Atlantic. I had no idea it had such local ties.  They provide affordable services for their communities and operate on premise with a "in by 9, out by 5" promise. ZIPS Dry Cleaners even uses 100% biodegradable plastic bags and donates thousands of unclaimed garments annually to charitable organizations. 

I dropped my items off at the new ZIPS Dry Cleaners location in Harbor East right on the corner at 1325 Eastern Ave. There is metered parking right outside which was convenient, but honestly I was literally in and out.