A brighter, whiter smile is what half of America is searching for. Some have found it, some have not. The key is not in these high dollar teeth whitening treatments that you can buy at the store; the key is in how you take care of your teeth by what you eat, drink, and if you properly clean them. Below are some tips on what to avoid and what to take up when trying to whiten your teeth.
You should keep in mind that teeth whitening only works for your real, natural teeth. It will not work on any crowns, veneers, implants, or fillings you have in your mouth. So if you have a lot of these, it may not be worth the expense of trying to whiten your teeth.
Using baking soda is one of the oldest and best ways to whiten your teeth. Take your baking soda in a small container and mix it with water to make a paste type solution. Use it to brush your teeth and then follow up and rinse with peroxide and brush with toothpaste!
Drinks such as tea and coffee are notorious in ruining and discoloring your teeth. Make sure to keep a bottle of water handy to rinse while you are drinking tea or coffee and afterwards. Drinks such as colas and wine can also stain your teeth. Avoiding or limiting these drinks can improve the whiteness of your smile.
The first step in obtaining the pearliest whites you can imagine is simply to brush your teeth every day, two times per day. It may seem obvious, but many people put all of their faith in tooth whitening products when simply brushing your teeth often is usually the first and best course of action.
To help in the prevention of teeth stains, carry a small toothbrush in your purse to use after eating. These food items stick to your teeth easily, and can stain your teeth or make the stains worse. After you have eaten your snack, brush your teeth for a short amount of time. You don’t even necessarily need toothpaste, if you scrub and rinse well with fresh water.
See your doctor before taking any steps toward whitening your teeth with store-bought products. It might be that you simply need a professional cleaning. Your dentist can tell you if your gums are healthy. If you have any inflammation it is wise to wait on the whitening treatment until your gums are in better condition.
One way to get the smile that you have dreamed of is to use a teeth whitening tray and gel. These processes have been shown to give you a whiter smile. However, these processes take a while to work. If you have time, make sure you check out this teeth whitening option.
Floss your teeth. You should floss thoroughly at least twice a day. Flossing removes food and helps to fight the build-up of plaque. Most people do not bother to floss at all. Neglecting to do so can damage your teeth. To keep them looking their best, remember to floss.
For the most effective at-home teeth whitening, call a few local dentists’ offices and ask for the name brand of the whitening products they use in their office or what they send home with patients to use. Most often, all of those products are readily available online for a much less expensive price than through your dental care provider.
Most smokers already know that smoking leaves their teeth dull looking and discolored. Smokers will always have a much harder time in whitening their teeth than non-smokers. Stopping smoking will improve the color of your teeth drastically. Not to mention, not smoking is just better for your health.
If you are in need of a whiter, brighter smile, then you try rubbing wood ash on your teeth! Amazingly, wood ash contains content that will help to bleach your teeth. Additionally, wood ash is coarse to it helps to scrap off excess plaque on the surface of your teeth.
If you feel any discomfort after you have whitened your teeth on your own, stop the whitening process immediately. Teeth whitening products can increase the sensitivity you feel in your teeth, and can even cause inflammation, which are both very uncomfortable. Consult your dentist if you experience new sensitivity, inflammation, pain or discomfort.
Just as you don’t expect to have a perfect body after one day at the gym, you shouldn’t expect to have a great smile after just one attempt at whitening. It can take several treatments by either laser or whitening strips to get the smile and color that you are really looking for.
Teeth that were recently whitened will absorb color from foods very easily. You want to try not to eat or drink a lot of things with strong colors like juices and sodas for a little while after having your teeth whitened. Or you may find that instead of pearly white teeth, you now have blood red teeth.
As the famous saying goes, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”. This includes dentists. Apples are crisp and smooth when you bite into them and biting an apple actually cleans your teeth. Apples also contain properties that can kill most of the bacteria that sits on your teeth.
One important teeth-whitening tip is to stay away from fluoride as much as possible. While it had been used as a way to strengthen teeth and even added to drinking water, it has now been discovered that it can stain teeth. Many toothpastes may also contain fluoride.
As previously stated, white teeth are in high demand by most of America. There are costly ways to go about whitening your teeth, then there are smart ways. Of course, the smart ways are best. The costly ways may be easier, but could hurt your teeth in the long run, not to mention your bank account. If you follow the aforementioned teeth-whitening tips, then you should be well on your way to achieving those beautiful pearly whites you have always dreamed of.