1 Brush and Floss your teeth
Persistence shows that if you brush and floss after you eat something that your teeth will remain healthier and cleaner and that means whiter too.
However just remember that coffee, red wine and smoke will discolour your teeth and if you just don’t want to give up your favourite vice then a professional clean could do wonders.
Floss, floss, floss! I am still amazed at how many people underestimate the importance of flossing. Flossing will help to remove staining from between your teeth. Flossing helps to sooth angry, red swollen gums. Healthy looking gums help your teeth to look healthier. Brush at least twice a day and then floss and hey presto healthier whiter looking teeth!
2 Brush up a storm with Baking soda
Baking soda has properties that can help remove surface stains – a chemical reaction between the baking soda and the water help to lighten stains. There is some talk about bicarbonate of soda being too abrasive to use everyday however testing has shown that many toothpaste are actually more abrasive. And for really stubborn stains come and see your friendly dentist at the Dental Pod for a professional bicarbonate air polish, scale and clean.
3 Crunch into fruit and vegetables
An apple a day might not keep the dentist away but crunchy fruit and veggies are nature’s natural toothbrushes. Foods such as carrots, apples and celery all have enough abrasiveness to clean tooth surfaces without doing any harm to the enamel while helping to lift stains from your teeth.
4 Go on, go Nuts!
Nuts are packed with calcium and minerals that help to replenish tooth enamel. If you chomp on a few nuts after a meal it help can re-mineralize your teeth and potentially help to prevent tooth decay.
5 Strawberry fields forever………
Strawberries contain malic acid, which can help to remove discolouration on the surface of the teeth. There’s a small amount of anecdotal evidence that indicates strawberries may promote whiter teeth by buffing the enamel helping to create a smoother and brighter appearance.
6 Olive Oil
What’s good for us to eat must be good for our teeth, right? Olive oil is good for you so one might think it’s good for your teeth too. Again there is a small amount of anecdotal evidence to indicate that olive oil may help to whiten teeth. Add a few drops of olive oil to your toothbrush, after you have brushed your teeth, gently rub the oil into your teeth and gums. At the very least it can’t hurt.
7 Sugar-free gum or mints with xylitol
Plaque loves regular sugar feeding on it and causing harm to your teeth but plaque cannot digest xylitol. Xylitol is a natural sweetener that helps to neutralise acid levels in your mouth and increase saliva production and saliva is like having a natural cleaning lady in your mouth who gets into all those hidden places that you normally miss. Saliva does a good job at cleaning away old food and debris but it can also carry bacteria around the mouth too – SO brush twice a day, floss regularly and watch your processed sugar intake.
8 Drink through a Straw
If whatever we drink doesn’t come into contact with our teeth then we can avoid the stains that come with the beverage. To avoid as many stains as possible, use a straw to suck the beverage into the back of your mouth helping to miss your teeth and prevent staining. The less contact your teeth have with damaging substances, the whiter they will be.
9 Peroxide
Hydrogen peroxide is an anti-bacterial agent used to clean wounds and reduce bacterial infections. That is why it also works as a mouth and gum cleaner AND teeth whitener too. First brush your teeth and then swish some diluted peroxide and water mix around in your mouth remembering to rinse thoroughly afterwards with plain water. Warning: Concentration of solution should not be more than 1% peroxide and long term use can lead to gum irritation and sensitivity.
10 Ladies your lippy Shade really does matter……..
Warmer hues such as yellow, orange and brown worn close to your mouth bring out the yellow in your teeth. Wearing cooler blue based lippy shades such as red and pinks, as well as darker clothing will help to make your teeth appear whiter.
So, recapping on how to maintain a bright white and healthy smile…………
– Brush and floss twice daily
– Eat healthy crunchy nutritious foods
– Be careful not to overdo any of these treatments, teeth are fragile so go easy on them.
– Keep it simple and natural and use these tips in moderation
Oh, and make an appointment at the Dental Pod to see Dr Matthew Clougher for advice BEFORE using chemical teeth whitening products ! 03 6234 5114