Having sparkling white teeth is a sign of good dental health that everyone desires. After all, who doesn’t want to have a beautiful, brilliant white smile? Having sparkling pearly whites signifies that you care for your appearance. However, stained teeth can happen with age due to some common drinks, food, and even mouthwash that stain teeth.
Luckily, some DIY remedies can help whiten teeth, such as avoiding substances that stain teeth to prevent further discoloration. Understanding teeth whitening treatment options can help you get the whitest teeth possible quickly. Here are the top secrets to whiter teeth.
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1. Brush after every meal
This may be challenging for most people, but it’s actually one of the best. You must be persistent and remember to brush your teeth after meals. Reducing plaque and debris from your teeth is one of the top ways to minimize the risk of stained teeth. If you can’t keep up with the routine, then at least brush and floss your teeth twice a day. Brushing also helps to remove surface stains.
2. Avoid food and drinks that cause stains
Teeth are like sponges; thus, they’re porous and absorb everything they come into contact with. They absorb the color and stains anytime you eat or drink something with a dark color, and it’ll start to show. The best way to keep your teeth white is to avoid food and drinks such as:
- Coffee
- Red wine
- Tea
- Cola
- Berries
- Soy sauce
- Fruit juices
- Beetroot
- Tomato based sauces
- Sports drinks
- Curry
- Balsamic vinegar
- Candy and sweets
Avoiding drinks, as mentioned above, and food will effectively prevent yellow teeth. If you can’t avoid them, the options listed below might be good for you.
3. Drink with a straw
If you can’t avoid the drinks mentioned above, drinking with a straw can help prevent staining. When you use a straw, the liquid from coffee, soda, or tea will less likely stain your teeth. This is especially so if you’re not swishing the liquid around your mouth and only sipping from the straw. Using a straw to drink something like red wine may seem odd, but you’ll not have to worry about staining your teeth.
4. Quit smoking
Smoking and chewing tobacco stains your teeth. If you haven’t stopped the habit yet, even with the many health consequences, then ending your discolored and stained smile might encourage you to quit. Smoking and chewing tobacco add tons of chemicals to the coat of your teeth, causing dark yellow stains. You need to abstain from the habit if you want to maintain a white smile.
5. Drink plenty of water
Food plaque and particles stick to your teeth, absorbing any color from drinks and food you might consume. The color will remain on your teeth longer than it could have without the debris and plaque on your teeth. Drinking water helps to wash away the debris and plaque stuck on your teeth, thus preventing stains. Drinking water also helps reduce the risk of gum disease and cavities as it washes harmful bacteria from the mouth.
6. Chew gum
Chewing gum is a perfect alternative if you cannot brush your teeth throughout the day. Sugar-free gum is the best as it doesn’t cause plaque buildup on your teeth. The stickiness of gum pulls tartar and plaque from your teeth. Chewing gum also helps increase saliva production, which washes away bacteria from the mouth. This combination helps to reduce the risk of discolored and stained teeth.
7. Schedule dental cleanings
Cleaning your teeth and under the gum line perfectly isn’t always possible at home; thus, professional dental cleanings are important. Scheduling two dental visits per year should be enough to remove tartar and plaque from your teeth and get them polished with professional tools. The procedure helps to remove stubborn surface stains that may have developed over time.
8. Seek professional teeth whitening
If you’re practicing all the methods mentioned above, including flossing, brushing, and drinking a lot of water but still need to be more pleased with the color of your teeth, professional teeth whitening might help. Professional teeth whitening guarantees beautiful results, unlike over-the-counter products. You can either visit your dentist for the procedure or get a DIY kit that you can complete on your own time. Both options are sufficient to remove long-standing stains and give you a glowing white smile.
9. Get porcelain veneers
Porcelain veneers will provide you with a more permanent result. These thin sheets of porcelain cover the front of your teeth with a totally stain-resistant coating. The color of the teeth with veneers will remain white regardless of how much tea, coffee, or red wine you drink. The best veneers have a lifespan of up to 20 years before you replace them.
10. Whitening pens
Whitening pens are suitable for touch-ups. They can be kept in your purse or desk. Although the contact time might be limited, they help by delivering an intense amount of hydrogen peroxide to the teeth. This is especially so if you have many crooked teeth that get isolated staining.
11. Electric toothbrush
Electric toothbrushes have more bristle strokes, thus cleaning your teeth better. This means less tartar buildup and fewer stains across your smile. Some models have built-in whitening modes that help reduce surface stains.
12.Whitening strips
Tooth-whitening strips can help to get rid of stains. These thin and virtually invisible strips are coated with a peroxide-based whitening gel. They’re worn for a few minutes a day for a week or more. The results can be visible in just a few days and last for at least a year. Although the results of whitening strips are less dramatic than whitening kits, they’re easy to use and undoubtedly foolproof.
Conclusion
Getting and keeping a great smile requires practicing good oral hygiene actively. The food and beverages you consume are as important as how often you floss and brush your teeth. However, even the healthiest smiles require a little help to maintain, so seeking professional help is essential. You’ll have peace of mind once you partner with a dentist to help you maintain good dental health.
