Have you recently looked in the mirror and felt that your teeth were not white enough? If so, you are not alone. The majority of people feel like their teeth could benefit from looking whiter. The question is, how do you achieve a white smile and maintain it?
At Marlen Elite Dental Wellness, we have tons of best-kept secrets to whiter teeth and we’re ready to share them with you.
1. Avoid Food and Drinks That Stain
Your teeth are like sponges — they’re porous and will absorb anything they come into contact with. With that said, whenever you eat or drink something with a dark color, your teeth will absorb that color and stains will start to show up. The best way to avoid stains from food and drinks is to avoid certain foods and drinks. The foods and drinks most likely to stain your teeth include:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Red wine
- Cola
- Soy sauce
- Berries
- Fruit juices
- Tomato-based sauces
- Berries
- Beetroot
- Curry
- Balsamic vinegar
- Sports drinks
- Candy and sweets
If avoiding these foods and drinks isn’t a possibility, we offer other options listed below.
2. Drink With a Straw
If you just have to have your daily cup of coffee, tea, wine, or soda and don’t want to stain your teeth, drinking through a straw can help. When you drink with a straw, the liquid is less likely to coat the front of your teeth and therefore less likely to stain. As long as you’re not swishing the liquid around in your mouth after you sip it from the straw, you won’t have to worry too much about staining your teeth. You might feel a bit odd about drinking red wine through a straw, but when you’re able to maintain your glowing white smile with it, you won’t feel as weird.
3. Quit Smoking
If you’re still smoking or chewing tobacco and you haven’t quit yet, even with the health consequences, maybe putting an end to your stained and discolored smile will encourage you to quit. When you quit smoking or chewing tobacco, you will no longer have tons of chemicals coating your teeth and causing dark yellow stains. As a result, you are more likely to maintain a white smile.
4. Drink More Water
When food particles and plaque stick to your teeth, they will absorb any color from foods and drinks you might consume. Then, the color will rest on your teeth even longer than it would without plaque and debris on your teeth. When you drink a lot of water, the water helps wash away the plaque and debris that might stick to your teeth. This will help prevent stains on your teeth. Drinking more water can also reduce your risk for cavities and gum disease because it also washes away harmful bacteria from your mouth. You can also look forward to enjoying fresher breath!
5. Chew Gum
When it’s not possible to brush your teeth throughout the day, chewing gum is a great alternative. Make sure you opt for sugar-free gum so that you don’t cause more plaque build-up on your teeth. When you chew gum, the gum’s stickiness can help pull plaque and tartar from your teeth. Additionally, chewing gum helps increase saliva production which helps wash away bacteria from your mouth. The combination, therefore, reduces your risk of stained and discolored teeth.
6. Brush and Floss Regularly
If you haven’t caught on yet, removing plaque and debris from your mouth is one of the top ways to reduce your risk of stained teeth. With that said, brushing and flossing your teeth regularly is essential to avoid stains. You should brush at least twice a day and floss once per day for best results. Brushing can also help remove surface stains.
7. Never Skip Dental Cleanings
It’s not always possible to perfectly clean your teeth and under the gum line at home. That’s why professional dental cleanings are so important. When you visit our River Edge cosmetic dentist twice a year for cleanings, we will remove plaque and tartar from your teeth as well as polish them with our professional dental tools. This helps remove pesky surface stains that may have built up over time. Make sure to visit us if it’s been longer than six months since your last cleaning.
8. Get Professional Teeth Whitening
If you’re brushing, flossing, drinking lots of water, and you’re still not happy with the color of your teeth, professional teeth whitening can help. Unlike over-the-counter products, professional whitening offers guaranteed beautiful results. Dr. Martirossian can provide you with a fast in-office professional teeth whitening or a take-home teeth whitening kit you complete on your own time. Regardless of which option you choose, both can help remove years’ worth of stains and provide you with a glowing white smile.
9. Get Porcelain Veneers
If you’re searching for more permanent whitening results, porcelain veneers are the better option. Porcelain veneers are thin sheets of porcelain covering the front of your teeth and are completely stain resistant. This means that whatever teeth have veneers will maintain the color of the veneer regardless of how much coffee you drink. Best of all, veneers can last up to 20 years before they need replacement.
10. Contact Your Cosmetic Dentist in River Edge, NJ
If you need help achieving a white smile, our cosmetic dentist can help. Whether you need a dental cleaning, professional teeth whitening, or porcelain veneers, we will find a treatment solution that works for you. Contact our dental office at (201) 880-6736 to book an appointment today.
