How To Maintain Whiter Teeth For As Long As Possible

Having dull looking teeth isn’t inevitable and there are a number of things you can do to help avoid it.

The most popular cosmetic dental treatment is the teeth whitening procedure. Not only is this probably because it is one of the most affordable, but also because it makes an almost instant impact on your appearance. In a very short space of time, you can go from having dull or discoloured teeth to an attractive new smile. This is a successful and non-invasive way to have great looking teeth, but there are still some things that you can do yourself to maintain naturally white teeth for as long as possible.

As with problems like tooth decay, prevention is the key and good maintenance and a sensible diet will go a long way to keeping your teeth whiter for longer.

Smoking

One of the worst things that you can do if you want attractive white teeth is to smoke. Not only that, but you are putting both your oral and general health at serious risk if you do. Both oral cancers and gum disease are more likely if you smoke, and, with the knowledge and help now available, there really isn’t a good reason to continue to do so.

Brushing your teeth

Even with the ‘cleanest’ of diets, most of us will eat or drink certain things that can contribute to long term teeth staining. The most essential way to prevent or at least slow this down is to make sure that you brush your teeth well twice a day, with nothing but water being consumed after your pre-bedtime brushing. Make sure that your toothbrush has healthy bristles and that you use a reliable brand of toothpaste. If you choose to use a teeth whitening toothpaste, please be aware that some of these may contain additional abrasives that may also damage your teeth and, ironically, may even lead to worse staining over time.

Food and drinks to avoid

What food and drinks are best avoided if you want to have whiter and brighter teeth? The list is too long and extensive to list here but some foods are fairly well known. These include tea and coffee, red wines, soy sauce, curries, dark berries and many more. While it will be almost impossible to avoid eating at least some of these, moderating them or switching to, for example, herbal teas, will help to maintain the colour of your teeth for longer.

Acidic drinks

One thing that can really damage your teeth and is particularly likely to cause teeth staining is the consumption of highly acidic drinks. These may be ‘energy’ drinks, fizzy ‘pop’ or even fruit juice. All of these contain acids that can lead to enamel erosion, especially on the front surface of the front teeth, the very ones that are most noticeable when we smile. When the enamel erodes, it leaves a rough surface and this makes it much easier for staining ingredients to stick to. In addition to this, the damage to the protective enamel layer of the tooth may lead to sensitive teeth and even tooth decay.

Rinsing

One thing that is easy to do but which few of us probably do is to rinse our mouths out with water after eating or drinking anything but water. While this should never replace brushing our teeth, it is a very useful addition to our daily oral health regime. Not only will it help to dislodge tiny particles of food that have become trapped, but will also help to remove some of the staining food and drinks that are stuck to our teeth. This is a really simple but helpful action that all patients of our Ipswich dental clinic can take on a daily basis.

Medications

One harder to control issue that can cause stained teeth are certain medications. If you notice this happening, you should continue to take your medication but perhaps ask your doctor if there are alternatives that you could have instead. Always follow your GPs advice and if your teeth do stain, there are always options that we can help you with at the Foxhall Dental Practice.

Ageing

Becoming older means that our bodies change, and one of the ways that this happens is that the inner part of our teeth darken in colour and, in turn, this then shows through the translucent tooth enamel, causing them to look dull and discoloured. Unfortunately, this is not preventable but can be rectified by having a teeth whitening procedure at our dental clinic.

Discoloured and stained teeth then, can certainly be delayed by being aware of (and acting on) the advice given above. Where and when it does occur though, please contact our Ipswich dental team for advice. There are a number of ways that we can help you restore the whiteness of your teeth. We can book you in for an initial consultation to determine whether a teeth whitening procedure or porcelain veneers is the most appropriate way to restore your smile to its former whiteness.

To contact us about discoloured teeth or any other dental issue, please call the Foxhall Dental Clinic today on 01473 258396.