6 Ways You Can Help Brighten Your Smile
Your smile is naturally beautiful. But all those tannins in coffee or tea, all those fruit juices and tomato-based sauces, all those sweet foods can stain your teeth over time.
That doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy your favorite foods and drinks, though. Here are the most effective ways to brighten your smile.
1. Brush Your Teeth More Often
Brushing your teeth after your meals can help brighten your smile. To do this, you’ll need a toothpaste formulated for whitening that you can use more than twice a day.
Consider also using a toothbrush with softer bristles to prevent damage to the enamel that covers your teeth and your gums. Brush your teeth gently, careful not to apply too much pressure on them.
2. Eat Some Celery
Celery is a natural tooth cleaner you can count on in between brushing sessions. It stimulates the production of saliva, which cleans your teeth naturally.
This also makes celery easy to chew, it won’t tax your jaw muscles. More than cleansing your teeth, celery’s crunchy texture will massage your gums and leave your mouth feeling fresh.
So, make sure to have a stalk or two of celery at home. Your teeth will be happy to chew on it.
3. Drink Less Coffee or Rinse Your Mouth After
Coffee has tannins, which stain your teeth. While it’s nowhere near as bad for your teeth as say fizzy drinks or fruit juices with added sugar, coffee can still yellow your teeth over time.
This doesn’t mean you have to give up coffee, though. After all, coffee can boost your concentration and alertness and have other health benefits.
But you can try to reduce your coffee intake, especially if you’re in the habit of drinking multiple cups throughout the day. Another thing you can do is rinse your mouth with water after you drink coffee. This will help remove some of the tannins that can yellow your smile.
4. Chew Sugar-Free Gum
Chewing gum without sugar also increases saliva production. What’s more, it can help dislodge bits of food stuck between your teeth.
Some gum is specially made for brightening teeth. But make sure to always check the ingredients. You don’t want any sugar in your gum, and it’s best to avoid preservatives and other additives as well.
Look for natural, sugar-free chewing gum. It’s not available in all stores, but you can find it online as well as in some pharmacies.
Made with ingredients sourced from trees, natural chewing gum is plastic-free and doesn’t come with the drawbacks of common chewing gum.
5. Give Up Tobacco
If you smoke or use tobacco-related products, your teeth will inevitably yellow. Just pay attention to the teeth of smokers and you’ll easily notice this.
To make matters worse, smoking increases the rate at which you’ll lose your teeth as well as the risk for gum disease and oral cancer. Unfortunately, there is no fix for this other than to give up smoking.
6. Get Professional Teeth Whitening
A professional tooth whitening treatment provided by your dentist is often the quickest and most effective way to whiten your teeth. It provides better, longer-lasting results than over-the-counter products.
Often, it’s also customized according to your needs, which makes it more effective. With a professional tooth whitening treatment, your smile will be brighter and more confident.
Smile Brightly
There’s a lot you can do to brighten your smile, whether that means sacrificing an extra cup of coffee, chewing some celery, or getting your teeth professionally whitened. And the good news is that in the process, you’ll often improve your oral health. A healthy mouth, a bright smile!
Your Dentist in North York
It’s important to talk to a dentist experienced in cosmetic dentistry like Dr. Queiroz at Lawrence Park Dental in North York. Don’t hesitate to ask questions and be clear on all parts of the procedure and the results. You can call us at 416-488-7454 or use our convenient contact form.
In the end, your smile should gladden you and those around you. If it doesn’t, cosmetic dentistry may be able to fix it.
