Your smile is one of the first things that people notice about you, so when it is stained, discolored, or unattractive, your self esteem can take a big hit. Having a smile that you can feel confident in showing off will make a big difference in your lifestyle and interactions with others. However, no matter how white or attractive our teeth are, they can easily become stained or discolored from everyday activities or foods. There are several ways to keep a white smile though, whether it be through habits you develop or dental treatments your dentist performs.
At-Home Ways to Keep Your Smile White
Having a white, attractive smile begins at home with what you eat, drink, and how you take care of your teeth. The simplest way to ensure your teeth stay free of stains is to continue to brush and floss them at least twice a day. This habit will remove buildup of tooth-staining plaque and cleanse your tooth enamel of staining foods or liquids. Also, monitoring the foods and drinks you consume can help tremendously. Liquids like coffee, tea, and red wine can easily stain teeth. Drinking these in moderation, and immediately cleaning teeth afterward can help prevent excessive staining. As for foods, the same holds true with tomato-based sauces, curry, and soy sauce.
Professional Treatments to Brighten a Dull Smile
If your smile already has stains that are proving difficult to remove from home treatments, your dentist will often have professional solutions. The most basic way to improve the health and color of your teeth is to schedule a routine hygiene cleaning. This removes all the excessive buildup from the enamel of teeth and keeps them strong for another six months. Many dental offices also offer professional teeth whitening treatments. These professional options can brighten teeth by several shades in just one appointment! And for those with severely stained or damaged teeth, porcelain veneers are an effective option. Veneers cover up imperfections and give the teeth the appearance of a perfectly white, straight, and healthy smile.
What About Whitening Strips from Stores?
While over the counter whitening strips can be effective at brightening a smile, they requires regular and proper use. You will likely find yourself buying multiple boxes of whitening strips every month just to see a slight change in coloration. And often, if they strips are not placed in the same place, teeth can have an uneven coloration. With professional in-office whitening, all the hard work is done in just one sitting. Professional whitening can brighten your teeth significantly more than over the counter options, and in the long run, is often cheaper since it just requires one appointment for months of white teeth.
Schedule a Tooth Whitening Consultation
Don’t let stained teeth hold back your smile. Reach out to your local dentist, Dr. Andrew J. Weber, in our office in San Antonio, TX and set up a consultation.
