If you are like most people, you don’t want teeth that are yellow or stained. With that in mind, can you safely get a whiter smile? There are many solutions to that dilemma, but not all of them can be trusted. Keep reading for a handful of proven tips and treatments for safely whitening your teeth.
If you have tried the two-hour teeth-whitening strips and now have more sensitive teeth or gums, switch over to strips designed to stay on for only 30 minutes. It may take more time for your teeth to get eventually white, but sore gums are not a usual ‘side effect’ of teeth whitening.
Be careful using “home remedies” to whiten your teeth. Common home remedies like lemons, ash, or baking soda can actually do more damage than good. You should ask your dentist for “home remedy” suggestions if you cannot afford a professional procedure.
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!
Going to a dentist and paying to have your teeth bleached is very effective. Bleaching solution is applied to the teeth and it stays there for about an hour. Do not worry about taste or burns because they take precautions to prevent this from happening to you. Results can usually be seen after just one session.
Eating a diet with plenty of whole and raw foods is great for your teeth. Vegetables are great for helping clean your teeth. They also do not contain harsh processed ingredients that may stick to your teeth and cause unwanted tooth decay and discolorations.
Do not use teeth bleaching or whitening kits if you are pregnant. Swallowing even a trace amount of the chemicals and ingredients in these kits is enough to potentially cause harm to the fetus. Instead make sure that you wait until after your baby is born to try a teeth whitening program.
Increase the amount of foods in your diet that clean your teeth. These include high-fiber fruits and vegetables such as carrots, apples, celery, and cauliflower. These work to whiten your teeth by scrubbing off plaque as you eat. They also cause your mouth to produce more saliva, which results in healthier enamel and whiter teeth.
Avoid constant snacking through the day. If you need to have a snack, grab some fresh fruits or vegetables. They are very good for you and are going to cause far less damage to your teeth than many other kinds of junk food would. You should still take the time to rinse well with water when you are done.
Don’t wait to brush your teeth after a meal; do it right away. This will avoid discoloration. There are many different foods and beverages that can cause staining. However, this is preventable by brushing immediately after meals. Coffee is at the top of this list.
Floss your teeth twice a day. It’s best to do this to prevent plaque, which can discolor your teeth. Make sure you floss in the morning but, most importantly, before you go to sleep because this is when teeth are most susceptible to damage and plaque buildup. Flossing before you go to sleep will prevent this.
Sip through a straw to avoid staining your teeth with liquids you drink. A straw whitens teeth by decreasing the amount of time it takes your beverage to stain the teeth. The straw funnels the drink past your teeth and into your mouth and throat.
For whiter teeth, stay away from white wines. White wines generally contain more acid than red wines, which will eat away at the enamel of your teeth.
If you truly desire a whiter smile, you might want to rethink your dietary choices. Anything red, brown, or dark is almost guaranteed to stain your teeth. So is smoking. If you cannot limit or eradicate these items from your diet, try brushing after every meal, or even eating an apple!
Keep your expectations realistic when you whiten your teeth, whatever method you use. If you are expecting too much, you may be left disappointed by real, if modest, results. Always take certain things into account, such as the level of staining, and your age. Speak to your dentist before doing any type of whitening so you will know what you can expect.
Save yourself time and money by whitening your teeth with natural home remedies rather than buying expensive treatments that frequently provide the same results. Try making toothpaste from a crushed strawberry and some baking soda. The malic acid in strawberries acts as a natural tooth whitener. Another option is to make a paste using water and activated charcoal. Use gauze to rub it on your teeth rather than a toothbrush, and make sure to rinse thoroughly. Lemon juice also acts as a whitening agent. However, use this technique only occasionally, as the juice is acidic and can damage the enamel on your teeth if applied frequently.
If you are wearing a bright white shirt, it will only make teeth that are not so white look more dull and yellowed. Try for shirts that are more cream or off white in color so you can reduce the overall contrast of having a white shirt next to your teeth before they are at their whitest stage.
Try your best to reduce your consumption of soda and wine. These drinks can stain your teeth, so an easy way to get a whiter smile is by avoiding wine and soda. If you must drink either, brush your teeth immediately afterward to minimize the effect they have on your smile.
As previously was mentioned, there are a variety of options that can be used to help you whiten your teeth. By now you should have picked up a few useful tips on effective and safe methods for whitening your teeth. Implement the advice in this article and safely go about making your smile brighter.
