If you’re self-conscious about the color of your teeth, then a professional teeth-whitening treatment might be a good choice for you. This kind of treatment can help you get your teeth to look their best, but it’s not a permanent solution. Since we use our teeth every day, there are many chances for your teeth to get stained and discolored. Going back for repeated whitening treatments can get expensive and time-consuming. Fortunately, there are a few simple habits you can adopt to help keep your teeth white.
Avoid Tooth-Staining Food and Drink
Foods that are highly acidic or colorful can contribute to the discoloration of teeth. Drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, and soft drinks are the most common culprits when it comes to tooth staining. Cutting back on these drinks, as well as foods that are stain-inducing, is a good way to keep your teeth white. If you find that you can’t quit your coffee, tea, or soft drink fix entirely, you can use a straw so that your drink bypasses your teeth entirely.
Eat Foods That Promote Tooth Whiteness
Not all foods are harmful to tooth whiteness. Some foods can actually help keep your teeth clean and white. Here are a few examples:
- Cheese: chewy foods like cheese cause your mouth to produce more saliva while eating, which cleans your teeth as you chew. Cheese is also rich in calcium, a mineral that fortifies tooth enamel.
- Strawberries: many berries contain colorful compounds that can stain teeth. However, strawberries can actually be beneficial to the appearance of your teeth. They contain malic acid, which is a natural tooth whitener.
- Apples: the crunchy, fiber-rich composition of an apple scrubs your teeth as you chew it. This cleans particles from your teeth and helps keep them white.
Brush Immediately After Eating And Drinking
Brushing your teeth immediately after you finish a meal or drink a stain-inducing beverage helps to clean off the harmful substances that lead to teeth stains. You should be brushing at least twice a day anyway to maintain good dental health. If you time your daily brushing routine to occur right after your meals, you can have a greater impact on the aesthetic appearance of your teeth.
Use A Whitening Toothpaste And An Antiseptic Mouthwash
Whitening toothpaste contains special ingredients to clean particles from your teeth and keep them white. Any local grocery store or pharmacy is likely to have a shelf full of whitening toothpaste varieties. Pairing a whitening toothpaste with an antiseptic mouthwash gives you a double dose of cleaning action. There are many options available, and any reputable brand will do. Look for toothpaste and mouthwash products that have the American Dental Association (ADA) seal to ensure that you’re getting a product that dentists find effective.
Schedule Regular Whitening Treatments With Your Dentist
Even if you follow all the right precautions, additional tooth staining is inevitable. With good habits, you can mitigate the damage that food, drink, and disease do to your teeth. However, you’ll still need professional dental work to make sure your teeth look their best. Talk to your dentist about setting up regular whitening treatments on a schedule that works for you.
Conclusion
Teeth whitening isn’t something that you can do once and be done with. It requires a change of habits and a commitment to dental health. We hope that this blog post has given you a good roadmap on how to keep your teeth white. And if you need to set up a teeth whitening appointment in Vancouver, WA, contact Dr. Bowyer today!