Have you caught yourself cringing when you see someone with yellow teeth? You do not want to end up like them, right? Here are the top eight habits you should incorporate into your lifestyle to ensure your teeth stay shiny white!
Keep away from refined sugars
Food items with high content of refined sugar are damaging to your teeth. They leave behind a sticky residue that is very difficult to eliminate.
Quit nasty habits – smoking and vaping
Smoking, vaping, and chewing tobacco leads to discoloration of teeth. It leaves a yellow-to-brown stain that is quite resistant to brushing.
Hydrate
When your mouth is dry, it can lead to dry gums and teeth. This deteriorates the sheen and reduces teeth whiteness.
Drinking dark beverages through a straw
Drinks like dark colas, sports drinks, and energy drinks contain dark pigments. They also have acids that can cause grave harm to the enamel of your teeth. You can avoid teeth discoloration by using a straw when you drink such dark beverages.
Use a professional teeth whitening kit
You can pick up a professional tooth whitening home kit like Dental T’s Opalescence. It is an easy-to-use product. It contains carbamide peroxide (in options of 15 to 35% concentrations), fluoride, and potassium nitrate that can tackle the most difficult stains.
Here is what you will need to do – Take the whitening trays and put a little drop of whitening product for each tooth on the trays. Then brush and floss your teeth properly before inserting the whitening trays in your mouth. Make sure you do not get any gel on your gums. If you do, carefully wipe it away using a cotton swab.
Keep the whitening trays in your mouth overnight, and use this consistently for 10-15 days to get perfect results. If you are unable to keep it on overnight, use it for 2 to 4 hours, two times daily. Store the leftover product in a cool and dry place so you can use it for touch-ups once every six months.
If you observe increased sensitivity, reduce the use of trays, and a fluoride rinse in your routine. Minimize red wine, coffee, tea, and tobacco intake, as these are detrimental to the teeth-whitening process.
Make a habit of choosing whitening oral hygiene products
Kinds of toothpaste that contain carbamide peroxide, hydrogen peroxide, pyrophosphates, and silica are suitable for teeth whitening as they are effective bleaching agents. Make conscious choices to pick oral hygiene products which facilitate stain removal.
Invest in an electric toothbrush
An electric toothbrush is a must-have oral care product. It will help you clean your teeth much better than a traditional toothbrush in half the time.
Incorporate calcium-rich foods
Having a diet rich in calcium is beneficial for your teeth as well as your bones. However, please remember to consult your dietician or physician before making any significant nutritional changes. It would be best if you also took your dentist’s suggestions before you start taking any vitamins or supplements.
Start by making changes in your snacking habits. You can identify what you like and make it a part of your regular diet. A few food products that are rich in calcium are milk, milk products, soy, figs, salmon, green leafy vegetables, baked beans, flour tortillas, etc.
Professional dental cleaning
You should visit your dentist and book a professional dental cleaning once every six months. Increase the frequency if you have teeth or gum issues. Dental work can be overwhelming, but make it a habit to take appointments in advance and keep those appointments to maintain your pearly whites.
Our diet, lifestyle, and bad practices can result in poor oral hygiene. Consciously developing the habits listed above will help you protect and maintain healthy white teeth. A little time and effort are all it takes from your side to keep your teeth white and smile with confidence.