The demand for cosmetic teeth whitening is on the increase. Teeth discoloration and staining are common problems people experience at some point in their lives. Many people use at-home and professional teeth whitening services to achieve their dream smile. Having stained or yellowish teeth can affect self-esteem, making you feel uneasy when smiling. You must take proactive steps in caring for your teeth and gums to obtain and maintain a bright smile. A bright smile can enhance your self-esteem and confidence.
The common ways to keep your teeth pearly white are:
Using Activated Charcoal
Dentists recommend activated charcoal for cheaper and effective teeth whitening. Charcoal absorbs plaque and tartar and removes mouth toxins. It also prevents the teeth from turning yellow by removing stubborn stains. Activated charcoal is a popular at-home teeth whitening solution, with many people preferring it because it has no smell or flavor. Your teeth appear brighter, and you will not experience bad breath if you use activated charcoal. This can give you the confidence to talk and smile in public.
Activated charcoal is made by crushing charcoal into powder. Insert your brush in water to wet the bristles and dip it in the powder. Brush your teeth and wait for a few minutes before rinsing. This allows the crushed or activated charcoal to absorb tartar. Your teeth will be sparkling white if you repeat this procedure for several days.
Coconut Oil Pulling With Baking Soda
Oil pulling involves swishing oil in your mouth. This method has been used traditionally to whiten teeth and remove toxins and microbes. Microbes are bacteria that multiply in the mouth, causing plaque. Plaque accumulation causes tartar and the yellowing of teeth. You can prevent the accumulation of plaque if you exercise oil pulling. This practice can help you maintain sparkling teeth.
Most people use coconut oil to maintain good oral hygiene and remove bacteria from the mouth. Coconut oil is good because it has a good smell. It also removes toxins from the mouth, preventing bad breath. It also has lauric acid, which is effective in fighting germs and maintaining healthy white teeth.
During oil pulling, coconut oil acts as an antiseptic that promotes dental health. The oil removes harmful bacteria, preventing plaque accumulation that causes teeth to yellow. It also prevents bad breath and tooth decay.
You could be wondering about how oil pulling works. Pour into your mouth one tablespoon of coconut oil, then swish. Give the oil some seconds to melt because it is often solid at room temperature. Swish the oil for 15 to 20 minutes before spitting. Do not spit the oil in the sink because it can harden quickly and block the drainage. You should spit the oil into a trash can.
Coconut oil has no harmful acids or chemicals that can affect the enamel. You can pull or swish daily for some time without harming your teeth. The oil removes plaque and kills harmful bacteria, whitening the teeth and giving you the smile you desire.
Dentists recommend that you brush your teeth with soda after pulling. The appropriate way to brush with baking soda is to pour the powder on the brush that has toothpaste. The powder will remove stains on the teeth that cannot be removed by brushing because it is a mild cleanser. Your teeth will be sparkling white if you brush with a combination of your preferred baking soda and toothpaste.
Baking soda is also alkaline, providing an ideal environment that prevents the multiplication of harmful bacteria. Usually, combining pulling and brushing with soda will not whiten your teeth immediately. The whitening is slow, and you will likely experience the results after several oil pullings.
Turmeric Whitening Toothpaste
Using turmeric toothpaste is also another way to naturally achieve sparkling white teeth. This often constitutes droplets of peppermint, powdered turmeric, and coconut oil. Mixing these ingredients helps to remove plaque and makes your teeth white. This mixture is also anti-inflammatory and antibacterial. A combination of these ingredients keeps your teeth healthy by fighting harmful bacteria and gives you bright teeth. The results are, however, not instant. You should use the toothpaste regularly, and you will realize the positive outcome over time.
Avoid Smoking And Vaping
Smoking tobacco is a common behavior that affects people’s daily efforts to achieve and maintain pearly white teeth. Tobacco has nicotine that produces tar, which causes yellowing of teeth. Tar penetrates the grooves of the tooth enamel, staining the teeth and leaving you with a flawed smile. If these stains are not removed quickly, it will be challenging to remove them, unless you undergo a deep dental cleaning.
You likely have a dull smile if you have smoked for many years. You should quit smoking if you desire to restore your original smile and healthy teeth. Smoking can also cause bad breath apart from giving you a dull smile. Your immune system could also become weak, increasing the risk of gum disease, gingivitis, and periodontal disease. Heart and lung complications and oral cancer are also elevated by smoking.
Even if vaping is considered a cleaner alternative to smoking, it can still stain your teeth. Like smoking, vaping also increases the risk of gum disease and bad breath. Therefore, quitting vaping will not only give you a bright smile but also benefit your oral health.
Visit Your Dentist Regularly
It is important to schedule regular appointments with your dental expert for exams and check-ups to keep your teeth bright and healthy. Visiting your dentist regularly gives the dentist a chance to examine your teeth and the whole mouth. This will enable the dental expert to establish if you are at risk of cavities or other dental problems that can affect your efforts to keep your teeth pearly white.
The dental expert can recommend cosmetic dental treatment during your regular dental check-ups. Cosmetic dental treatments often play a major role in whitening the teeth or maintaining your smile’s aesthetic appearance. These treatments include:
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Dental Implants
Your dental expert can recommend a dental implant if you have lost one or several teeth. A dental implant is a small titanium screw that is surgically placed in the jawbone where you have lost a tooth. The titanium screw serves as a root for a temporary crown. A dental implant will fill the gap between your teeth once placed. This will restore the aesthetic look of your smile.
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Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening encompasses the application of hydrogen peroxide or a teeth whitening gel on the stained tooth to enhance its aesthetic appearance. Your dental expert can perform this procedure in less than an hour, depending on the number of affected teeth.
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Tooth Contouring
Your dental expert will remove small pieces of your enamel during this procedure to modify the shape of your teeth to enhance the appearance of your smile.
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Porcelain Veneers
These are made of small shells that are placed on the front surface of the teeth to conceal or cover cosmetic flaws like discoloration, stains, cracks, and chips. Often, porcelain veneers are replaced after ten years.
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Dental Bonding
Dental bonding involves placing tooth-colored composite resin on the tooth enamel to cover or conceal stains, cracks, craze lines, and other cosmetic imperfections.
Mix Toothpaste And Powdered Milk
Powdered milk helps to keep your teeth white, while calcium removes the stains from the enamel and keeps it strong and healthy. Milk removes blemishes and discoloration on the teeth, giving you bright teeth or smiles at a pocket-friendly price. Pour milk powder on the toothpaste and brush your teeth for at least two minutes if you are interested in this treatment. Repeat this procedure twice a day, and you will have brighter teeth.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide To Brush Your Teeth
Like baking soda, hydrogen peroxide has natural bleaching properties that can help whiten your teeth. Hydrogen peroxide also kills bacteria in the mouth, minimizing the chances of developing oral and dental issues like cavities. Cavities can negatively affect the aesthetic look of your smile.
Most tooth whitening products have hydrogen peroxide. Dentists claim that toothpaste containing hydrogen peroxide is more effective than other conventional toothpastes. Toothpaste containing hydrogen peroxide removes stains and discolorations due to beverages like coffee.
Stick to a Healthy Diet That Whitens and Strengthens Your Teeth
Your dietary choices can have a great impact on the health and brightness of your teeth. The following are some of the foods and beverages that can brighten and protect your teeth from bacteria:
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Water
Water prevents stains from forming on your teeth and keeps you hydrated. Swish water in your mouth after eating or drinking foods or beverages rich in pigmentation to keep your teeth and smile bright and healthy. Water also prevents damage to the enamel by reducing the acidity in the mouth. Avoid consuming sparkling water, particularly flavored types, because they contribute to enamel erosion over time.
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Watermelon
Watermelon has malic acid that enhances saliva production. Saliva washes away food particles and whitens the teeth.
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Papaya
Papaya has enzymes that digest the protein in the pellicle layer, removing stains and preventing plaque formation.
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Pineapple
A layer of salivary proteins, or pellicle, covers the teeth. Salivary proteins protect the teeth, but they also absorb food pigments that cause discoloration. The bacteria also stick on the pellicle and teeth, causing plaque accumulation and teeth staining. However, pineapples have bromelain enzymes that digest proteins naturally, including those in the pellicle.
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Crunchy Foods
Crunchy vegetables can help keep your teeth white, apart from being a great source of nutrients your body requires to stay healthy. They are not alternatives or substitutes for brushing your teeth, but celery and vegetables can scrub your teeth as you chew. This prevents plaque buildup and other discolorations that affect the aesthetic look of your smile.
Crunchy fruits like strawberries have malic acid that removes discolorations in addition to providing you with important minerals like calcium and magnesium. They also clear stains from the teeth. However, you should rinse your mouth with water thoroughly after eating these fruits. This will help remove any sugar residues from your teeth and mouth.
Eating crunchy vegetables and fruits also stimulates the salivary glands to produce sufficient saliva that keeps your teeth bright and healthy. They do so by removing acids, sugars, and food particles from your mouth after meals.
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Dairy Products
Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and cheese strengthen teeth because they have calcium. They also reduce the chances of developing cavities and staining since they enhance the pH level in the mouth.
Floss And Brush Your Teeth Regularly
Brushing your teeth is important because it keeps your teeth looking healthy and white. Regular oral and dental hygiene practices are vital for maintaining the brightness of your teeth. You should brush your teeth twice daily or after every meal to help remove plaque buildup and stains from the tooth enamel.
Buy a toothbrush that can address the specific teeth or oral health problems you have to maintain your dental health. For example, use a soft-bristle toothbrush if you have sensitive teeth. A hard-bristle toothbrush could be detrimental to sensitive teeth. Brush your teeth for at least two minutes to clean them effectively.
You should brush your teeth with fluoridated toothpaste because fluoride helps to strengthen the enamel, preventing cavities. Apart from brushing, flossing can prevent plaque buildup and remove discoloration between your teeth and gums. This reduces the likelihood of developing cavities and gum disease. Do not push the dental floss vigorously because it can irritate your teeth or cut your gums.
Avoid Medications That Can Stain Your Teeth
You should consider the effects of some medications you use to manage certain health conditions while pursuing pearly teeth and a flawless smile. Tetracycline is one of the drugs that can cause gray tooth discoloration in children. This is an antibiotic often given to children when their teeth are popping. The following drugs can also cause teeth staining:
- Blood pressure drugs
- Antipsychotic medication
- Iron supplements
- Antihistamines
Unlike stains stemming from beverages and food, it is hard to remove stains caused by drugs. Drugs often affect the tooth’s internal structure; it can be a challenge to remove stains in hidden areas.
Consult your dental expert for treatment solutions that can help you keep white teeth while continuing treatment. If you are on drugs that cause discoloration, dental bonding is the best treatment for whitening teeth. Your dental expert will put an adhesive material on the discolored tooth, covering the discoloration and giving you a beautiful smile.
Avoid Taking Foods And Drinks That Can Discolor Your Teeth
Avoiding foods and beverages that can stain your teeth is one of the best ways to keep your teeth white. Coffee and red wine are the common drinks that can stain your teeth. However, if you must take teeth-staining drinks to quench your craving, you should use a straw to prevent the drink from interacting with your teeth. This will protect the aesthetic appeal of your smile.
Certain foods, particularly fruits like blueberries, cranberries, and strawberries, can also stain teeth. You should brush within an hour after taking stain-causing foods to prevent these stains from setting in.
Avoid taking Sugary Drinks
Skipping or reducing consumption of sugary drinks can also help maintain healthy and bright teeth. Sugar is the main source of cavity-causing bacteria, which thrive on the yellowish or brownish biofilm and plaque that sticks on the teeth. Plaque build-up creates a conducive environment for harmful bacteria in the mouth. It also affects the aesthetic look of your smile and promotes the development of cavities.
Consuming sugary foods and beverages regularly can prolong the time your teeth will remain exposed to cavity-causing acidic secretions produced by the harmful bacteria. This can happen if you consume sticky food that can adhere to and stick to your teeth.
Certain beverages like energy drinks and soda are acidic in addition to being sweet. The acidic component can erode the enamel, causing cavities. Dentists claim that reducing sugar by as little as 10% can reduce the likelihood of suffering from tooth decay.
Using A Straw
Using a straw can greatly prevent stains from drinks and foods because it does the following:
- Promotes hydration — You will likely drink more when you use a straw. Drinks wash away bacteria and food particles.
- Minimizes surface contact between the staining agents and your teeth
- Bypasses direct contact — The drink will come into contact with your frontal teeth when you sip directly from a cup or bottle. This increases the likelihood of staining. However, the liquid will bypass your front teeth if you use a straw. This will significantly reduce the exposure of your teeth to agents of staining.
Consider Professional Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening should also be among your strategies for keeping your teeth pearly white. Here are some of the benefits of professional teeth whitening:
- With the proper after-care practices, professional teeth whitening provides long-lasting results. It can keep your smile bright for several months or even years.
- The application of teeth whitening agents by your dentist is safer than at-home teeth whitening. There is a lower chance of enamel damage or tooth sensitivity.
- Professional teeth whitening provides faster results than other teeth whitening methods. You will realize positive results after only one treatment session, while it could take time to achieve a bright smile using other methods.
Find a Dependable Dentist Near Me
When people meet you, especially for the first time, the first thing they will likely notice about you is your smile. When you have pearly white teeth, you will be confident to interact with people without worrying about what they think about your smile. If you have always desired a beautiful smile, call Beach Dental Care Anaheim. Contact us today at 714-995-4000 to talk to one of our dentists.
