Your smile is one of the most important parts of your appearance, and helps you make a good first impression. If you’re uncomfortable with the way your teeth look, it can interfere with your ability to interact with others and can affect your quality of life. However, there are ways you can keep your teeth white and your smile bright.
Everyday Hygiene for Clean, White Teeth
Everyday dental hygiene is the first step in maintaining a bright, clean smile. Brush and floss daily to prevent decay and to remove staining agents from the surfaces of your teeth. You can also avoid foods and beverages that can discolor your tooth enamel, including:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Dark-colored fruits and vegetables
Tobacco is also a major staining agent, and can cause numerous other dental issues that can detract from the look of your smile.
If your teeth tend to develop mild discoloration over time, a whitening toothpaste can help remove these stains. This type of toothpaste usually uses baking soda as a gentle abrasive to remove discoloration. This is effective for stains on the surfaces of the teeth. Other types of staining should be evaluated by a dentist to determine the best approach for treatment.
What to do If Your Teeth Are Stained
If everyday cleaning, even with a whitening toothpaste, does not restore your smile, ask your dentist about other forms of treatment. In-office, professional-strength whitening is a popular and highly effective approach that can lighten your teeth five to ten shades in a single, hour-long treatment.
If your teeth do not respond to whitening treatment, or if you have intrinsic staining, you might consider dental veneers. Intrinsic staining affects the deeper layers of the enamel and usually does not respond to whitening. It’s usually caused by exposure to certain antibiotics or to excess fluoride while your teeth were developing. Talk to your cosmetic dentist about options that can give you a white, welcoming smile if your teeth are affected by intrinsic staining.
Contact our dental office today for more tips and tricks to clean teeth!
