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How To Keep Your Teeth White

How To Keep Your Teeth White

Maintaining a healthy white smile is a daily commitment. So if you’re looking to diminish stains and whiten your teeth, our helpful team of Green Bay family cosmetic dentists is here to help. We want to give you the best tips for keeping your teeth white so you can tackle the day with a bright, confident smile!

What Causes Teeth to Yellow or Stain?

Teeth will naturally darken or turn yellow with age as the outer enamel layer of your tooth wears away. However, in addition to natural discoloring, a variety of factors may contribute to teeth turning yellow. These factors include stains from food, drinks, tobacco use, medications, or overall poor dental hygiene. In addition, if an individual has experienced trauma or oral health events, this may cause discoloration and darkening. 

How To Keep Teeth White At Home

Brush Your Teeth At Least Twice a Day

So how can you keep your teeth white? Well, it starts with proper home care. The most important steps that contribute to healthy white teeth are daily brushing, flossing, and mouthwash. This daily routine is a great way to keep superficial staining from occurring or even help remove the stains after they have occurred. 

Avoid These Foods & Drinks

Avoiding particular food or beverages can be helpful as well. Unfortunately, some of our favorite drinks can cause more harm to our teeth than good. Our Green Bay dentists recommend avoiding these types of foods and drinks if you want to avoid staining your teeth: 

  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Red wine
  • Soda
  • Dark berries
  • Energy drinks
  • Tomato-based sauces
  • Soy source
  • Balsamic vinegar
  • Beets
  • Curry
  • Food Coloring
  • Colored Candy

Use a Straw

Try drinking with a straw instead and rinsing with water after consuming anything that might stain your teeth

Avoid Smoking

Cigarettes and other forms of tobacco and nicotine are notorious for turning your teeth yellow. A study by The National Library of Medicine actually found that smokers reported a higher level of moderate and severe discoloration compared to non-smokers. 

Eat and Drink More of These

On the other hand, consuming certain foods and drinks can help brighten your smile including:

  • Strawberries
  • Apples
  • Celery
  • Broccoli
  • Carrots
  • Oranges
  • Leafy greens
  • Sugar-free gum
  • Water
  • Pineapples
  • Seeds & Nuts
  • Milk

Try Over-The-Counter Whiteners & Toothpastes

In addition to a consistent brushing and oral health routine, using over-the-counter whitening agents may help whiten your teeth. Most teeth whitening strips can be found at your local pharmacy or shopping center. Another helpful tactic to diminish yellowing or stains is to use an at-home whitening toothpaste. Most general-use kinds of toothpaste are great for keeping teeth white. However, be mindful of certain whitening toothpastes, as some are often more abrasive and can lead to the wearing of tooth enamel. Unfortunately, the abrasiveness can strip the enamel and lead to more yellowing. If you are using whitening toothpaste, consider using it with a light touch once a day. Ask your dentist if you have any concerns about which toothpaste to use. 

How Your Dentist Can Help

Regular Teeth Cleaning Appointments

While all of these tips will help keep your teeth whiter, maintaining regular 6-month dental cleanings is one of the best ways to eliminate yellowing and staining. Your dental hygienist can help remove developing stains between the teeth and other visible, but hard-to-reach areas. Once the stains are removed, it will be easier for you to manage and prevent stains in the future. In addition, if you’re struggling to keep your teeth white, your dentist’s office can recommend and dispense prescription strength teeth whitening agents that will produce whiter results in a shorter time. 

Professional Teeth Whitening

Professional teeth whitening may be the next step if you’ve tried at-home remedies for whitening your teeth and are still seeking solutions. Over-the-counter teeth whitening treatments work, but they can also be less concentrated, requiring more time to whiten teeth. In addition, they can be hard to maintain or place appropriately on your teeth. There are always hard-to-reach spots, and despite your best efforts, the over-the-counter whitening strips may not do the trick.  

Using professional teeth cleaning, your dentists will ensure the whitening tray is custom-made to fit your teeth, making it easier to apply evenly over your teeth and less likely to pool up on your gum tissue. In addition, the professional custom whitening tray uses a higher concentration of the whitening agent. Not only does this shorten the time required to wear the trays, but it also provides faster whitening results. While there is an initial upfront cost to make the custom trays, touch-up kits or additional whitening agents are generally cost-effective. 

Whether you choose to use at-home remedies or consult a dentist to help whiten your teeth, the general rule is that a healthy diet will keep your teeth white. In addition, living a healthy lifestyle while maintaining a healthy diet will significantly contribute to a healthy and happy whiter smile. 

Schedule an Appointment with Your Green Bay Cosmetic Dentists!

If you’re looking to brighten your smile, schedule an appointment with our Green Bay cosmetic dentists or give us a call at (920) 437-3376. 

Dr. Adam Koch, D.D.S.

About the Author

Dr. Adam Koch, D.D.S.

Dr. Adam Koch is proud to follow in the footsteps of his father and grandfather as a third-generation family dentist in Green Bay. He received his undergraduate from the University of Northern Iowa and earned his board certification and Doctor of Dental Surgery degree from Creighton University School of Dentistry. Dr. Koch is also a member of the advisory board for the NWTC Dental Hygiene Program. View Dr. Koch full bio>>

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