Sparkling white teeth are not only a sign of great health and hygiene but are also incredibly attractive.

Taking good care of your teeth can go a long way in improving your overall appearance.

It’s not me who’s saying this. I’m not the expert, so check this out.

A survey conducted by Match.com of 5,500 of its online members revealed that straight, white teeth was the number one characteristic in a date for both men and women.

If the “matchmakers” don’t know who’s more attractive, then who does?

But being able to smile and show off white teeth to the girl you’ve been staring at across the bar is not the only reason you should take care of them. Well, it’s a good reason but maybe not enough. Or maybe it is.

Anyway…

According to the NHS, the state of your teeth can say a lot about your body’s overall health. Gum disease has been closely linked to increased chances of stroke, diabetes and heart disease in the past. Dr. Nigel Carter from the British Dental Health Foundation believes that the link between body health and oral care has been firmly established by scientific research in the past.

What do you think now? Are you still thinking of skipping the night session of teeth brushing?

How can you whiten your teeth and maintain them this way?

Most dentists now offer a variety of teeth whitening services. These procedures are very effective at polishing your teeth and making them look pearly white. To be honest, I haven’t tried any of the teeth whitening methods.

Man brushing his teeth maintaining his teeth white

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One of my best friends is a dentist and the procedure involves the patient’s teeth being painted with hydrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent, and then exposure to lasers to speeden up the process. Unfortunately, these effects are not permanent and to maintain the whiteness of your teeth you may need to have the treatment done once or twice every year. The whiteness of your teeth may begin to fade within the very first month or two after the treatment depending on your lifestyle.

Another option for whitening teeth could be the use of special whitening toothpastes instead of normal ones. These sort of toothpastes tend to cost more mostly because they have hydrogen peroxide added to them. The hydrogen peroxide present in these toothpastes can bleach your teeth once the tough stains of food and drink have been removed entirely from the surface of your enamel.

However, there are dangers involved with this sort of home whitening remedy. The bleaching agent is potentially carcinogenic and could be weakening teeth by wearing away the surface enamel. House-use bleaching kits have been accused of the same drawback. So better do your research well before you go ahead with such whitening procedures.

So, what are the ways in which you can maintain the whiteness of your teeth in the most healthy, natural and sustainable way? Here’s a list of some of your options:

Avoid Eating Foods Which Stain Your Teeth

Prevention is better than cure, as always. It is best to avoid staining your teeth in the first place rather than seeking some temporary solution to bleach or polish them later. So, to maintain the whiteness of your teeth it is vital that you understand which foods and drinks can cause the teeth to change color and how you can avoid this.

A general rule of thumb, according to dentists, is to remember that anything that can stain a shirt can stain your teeth. This includes coffee, tea, dark sodas and dark fruit juices. Red wine is another major culprit of stained teeth. Beets, blackberries and blueberries will cause trouble too. Remember to rinse your mouth thoroughly after eating or drinking any of these.

The effects of these foods do not appear overnight and can take a long time to show. Generally the discoloration becomes more pronounced by prolonged use as we age.
As we age the outer layer of enamel on our teeth wears away slowly. Dentin, the layer underneath is much yellower than the top most layer. This is why the results of teeth whitening treatments from your dentist may last longer if you restrict the staining foods in your diet.

Visit The Dentist Regularly

Of course, visiting the dentist regularly could help you detect issues with your teeth and treat them as soon as possible. Your dentist may be able to spot erosion or abrasions and treat them with professional cleaning and polishing to maintain your pearly whites for longer. Don’t forget to check up.

Quit Smoking, Yesterday

Besides getting your teeth yellow, smoking is potentially one of the worst lifestyles habits you could have. Not only it’s a leading cause of cancer and detrimentally bad for your overall health, but it’s the primary reason for tooth discoloration as well.

The tobacco in cigarettes can deeply penetrate the pits and grooves of your tooth enamel and cause brown stains. The longer and more frequently you smoke the worse these browning and staining effects tend to get. Removing these stains may not be possible through brushing and flossing alone, you may need more thorough treatments to solve the issue. But its better to simply avoid the stains altogether by quitting.

Pay Attention To The Medication You’re On.

Surprisingly, some forms of medication can change the color of your teeth. Tetracycline, an antibiotic, can cause children’s teeth to lose color due to the lack of development in kids teeth. Some antibacterial mouthwashes can also change the color of teeth if they contain compounds such as cetylpyridinium chloride or contain chlorhexidine.

Iron, excess fluoride, blood pressure medications, antipsychotic drugs and antihistamines can also severely discolor teeth. Some of these medications may be unavoidable depending on your health and circumstances. In this case speak to your dentist about alternatives such as dental bonding to preserve the whiteness of your teeth.

Brush and Maintain Oral Hygiene

The most obvious way to avoid permanent discoloration and damage to your teeth is to brush twice a day, everyday. Flossing is important too and must be done at least once a day along with your brush. Stains and yellowness can be prevented at the gum line by regular brushing.

If you can invest in a electric or sonic toothbrush your results may be much better due to their ability to brush the teeth more times per minute than you would do with a normal toothbrush.

Avoid Sports Drinks

Sugar is about the worst agent for your teeth. There’s a reason you were told to avoid sweets and chocolates as a kid to protect your teeth. Excess sugar causes tooth decay and bad breath.

A lot of people may be aware of the harmful effects of sugar but may still be unaware of the amount of sugar in soft drinks, especially sports drinks. Long term drinking of sports drinks may be worse for your enamel than regular soft drinks according to a study published in General Dentistry.

To maintain the whiteness of your teeth try to avoid these drinks altogether or rinse thoroughly after drinking.

Use Home Remedies to Whiten Teeth Up.

Any natural home remedy could be used to whiten your teeth at your convenience. Use baking soda and a brush to lightly whiten the teeth at home.

Another trick is to trigger your mouth to create saliva which can naturally wash away food debris in your mouth. Eating foods such as celery, apples, pears and carrots can help this.

Also chewing on sugarless gum can help you salivate more. Saliva is about as natural a remedy as you can get and it also helps fight tooth decay.

What’s your secret in keeping your teeth white and healthy?

 

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