We all want perfect white teeth. Our dentist would like it for us too. There are ways to prevent staining of your teeth if not to completely avoid it.
When our teeth do require whitening, we can call on the services of a cosmetic dentist such as a member of the team at the Turkey Teeth Clinic who will be able to improve the appearance of our teeth.
Foods and Drinks
Certain fruits and vegetables, such as apples and potatoes, are known for staining teeth. The phrase “an apple a day keeps the doctor away” now seems rather misplaced. The dentist will certainly want you to avoid eating too many apples.
If you cannot resist certain foods that are bad for teeth, then just consider eating them in moderation as opposed to daily or frequently. They can then be considered treats and limited in their supply to you.
Keep the alcohol just for parties and special occasions rather than indulging in it every evening. That can be considered rather a habit and more likely to stain your teeth, not to mention damage your health in other ways. Perhaps a drink on a Friday or at the weekend may be better for you.
Smoking
The nicotine in tobacco will stain teeth, fingers, and the pages of books. If you chew tobacco this will stain your teeth just like when smoking it. Avoid smoking completely if you want your teeth to stay white naturally.
Medications
We should know that if we can avoid certain medications then we will prevent the discolouration of our teeth. This is where alternatives are available, so not to compromise overall health.
The antibiotics doxycycline and tetracycline are known to discolour teeth when they are given to children whose teeth are developing. This means children below the age of 8.
Antihistamines, such as Benadryl, blood pressure drugs, and antipsychotic drugs, have the side effect of staining teeth.
It is then worth asking your doctor or pharmacist if there are alternatives to the above if you are worried about staining your teeth.
However, it is better to protect your health in other ways and then have your dentist take care of your teeth whitening through laser treatment. Certain health conditions should be given the greatest priority when they might be life-threatening.
Poor Hygiene
You should brush your teeth regularly to avoid staining. Flossing between teeth is also to be recommended as this will remove plaque and any stain-producing substances at the same time.
We should ideally brush our teeth twice a day. This will mean at night, particularly, and after breakfast. We want to avoid any build-up of food on them. If you have gaps in your teeth, then make sure food is not getting trapped in them and rotting your teeth. Also consider that your gum health is as important as your teeth health, as it is the gums that hold our teeth in place.
Environment
Fluoride exists in water supplies and excessive amounts of this can cause discolouration of teeth. If you avoid drinking water directly from the tap then this can be avoided to a large extent.
Certain mouth applications such as rinses and toothpaste contain fluoride supplements that you should be aware of when it comes to the discolouration of teeth. Mouth rinses and washes that contain cetylpyridinium chloride and chlorhexidine can stain teeth.
So there you have it, 5 tips to keep our teeth relatively stain-free. We should, however, bear in mind the pros and cons of doing so when dentists can help with the staining that has been created on our teeth.
We have to balance whether we should avoid the foods or drinks that we enjoy, the pleasure of smoking that helps people to relax, or the medications that are important to life and living. We can certainly avoid poor hygiene and adopt a regular brushing and flossing routine for our teeth.
We all concern ourselves with the environment and fluoride is in many water supplies. This should be considered if we are drinking lots of water straight from the tap when we could be drinking bottled or purer water, in many cases.
Allow the dentist to compensate for you not following some of the above tips for whatever reason. They have techniques that can help improve your smile, whatever your age.
