Everyone wants to look their best. Making a good first impression is important, and the first thing many people notice about a person is their smile. Good oral health, including regular visits to your dentist, is a vital part of an attractive smile. Also, a bright, stain-free smile is dazzling and good looking. Avoiding the four substances below will help prevent tooth staining and keep you looking young and healthy.
Coffee
The morning cup of coffee is a Canadian tradition, but it certainly promotes tooth stains over time. You don’t have to forgo your daily java, but consider brushing your teeth after breakfast to help remove stains and prevent buildup.
Coffee also contains oils and acid that wears away your enamel, which makes your teeth more prone to staining as well as decay. If you drink coffee throughout the day, you may be doing some significant damage. Consider cutting back to just a cup or two in the morning.
Red Wine/Dark Fruit Juices
If you’re a wine enthusiast or regularly drink dark fruit juices, such as grape, blueberry, or cherry, you could be staining your teeth daily. Fruit juices contain a large amount of sugar, which leads to tooth decay, and the dark pigments cause stains. Red wine isn’t much better. It also can lead to darkened teeth and an unattractive smile.
Aside from cutting back on these dark beverages, you can also mitigate damage by brushing your teeth after your wine or juice. The sooner you scrub away the sugar and pigments, the better for your teeth.
Tobacco
Of course, smoking is horrible for your health. It causes cancer, leads to wrinkles and premature aging, and damages just about every part of your body. Your teeth are no exception. Nicotine stains your smile and can result in several types of oral cancer.
Smokeless tobacco is also not a good alternative to smoking. You’ll still get the nicotine stains, and while chewing or dipping tobacco probably won’t cause lung cancer, it can still lead to cancer of the mouth, tongue, and esophagus. When it comes to tobacco, the only smart option is to completely quit.
Tea
Unfortunately, tea can stain teeth almost as badly as coffee. Black tea varieties are the main culprits, while green and white teas are not as big of a threat. Again, if you drink tea throughout the day, consider cutting back. Brushing your teeth after a cup will also lessen the damage.
Whitening Options
Luckily, you don’t have to live with stained teeth. There are several whitening options available. However, some over the counter products, like whitening strips and toothpastes, are not very effective and can take a long time to produce results.
Your best answer for teeth staining is a dentist who offers cosmetic whitening services. Dentists have access to very concentrated whitening solutions not available to the general public. They’ll work with you to develop a whitening plan based on your individual situation. This may consist of in-office treatments or a take-home whitening tray. Either way, you’ll have taken a good first step to a brighter, younger-looking smile.
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