5 Tips to Whiter Teeth

Many people are concerned with the color of their teeth. Some people feel that with age, their teeth have become yellowed. Others want to look their best for an approaching event. Whatever the reason, it’s hard to deny that a bright smile can make anyone look younger, healthier and more attractive. There are a number of ways you can create whiter teeth.

1. Determine Why Your Teeth are Discolored
There are a number of reasons you may have yellowed or discolored teeth. Some of the top culprits include:

• Smoking or tobacco use
• Heavy consumption of coffee, red wine, or dark soda
• Heavy consumption of sugary foods than can lead to tooth decay
• Age - As we get older the enamel thins and the darker colored dentin underneath starts to show through more
• Genetics

It’s wise to take a look at some of these factors and honestly ask yourself why your teeth aren’t quite as white as you would like. Obviously genetics cannot be controlled, but it is helpful to understand the underlying reason. If one or both of your parents have discolored teeth while having good oral hygiene, this may be the cause.

2. Consistently Practice Good Oral Care
The best thing you can do for your teeth is obey the general rules of oral care.

• Brush after every meal with whitening toothpaste
• Use an alcohol-free mouthwash
• Floss everyday
• Visit a dentist twice a year

3. Create a Healthy Diet
Another way you can have whiter teeth is by having a healthy diet. Eating fruits and vegetable as opposed to sugary foods will have positive results in your oral health, as well as your heart health and waistline.

Cutting back your consumption of dark liquids can also help. Just as red wine or coffee can stain a white tablecloth, dark colored drinks can really stain your teeth. This is also the case for dark-colored sodas. Sodas also have a high sugar content making them quite the enemy when striving for white teeth. Try to drink a lot of water. Water has very positive effects on your mouth. The hydration element keeps dry mouth, or xerostomia, at bay and the rinsing factor can get rid of food particles stuck in your teeth.

4. Use Teeth Whitening Products
For the quickest teeth color transformations, teeth whitening products are available. While many dentists offer in-office teeth whitening procedures, this option can be quite costly. A great alternative is in-home teeth whitening products & systems. At the Center for Breath Treatment, we offer Opalescence trèsWhite Teeth Whitening Kit. This kit comes with 10 sets of pre-loaded moldable trays making the process very simple.

If you have whitened your teeth and want to ensure that they keep their bright glow, we recommend the Zoom! Tooth Whitening Touch-up Pens. These pens are for touch-ups and should be used for less than a minute day or night.

5. Live a Healthy Lifestyle
Another tip for getting those pearly whites is to kick bad health habits that are taking a toll on your teeth, gums and entire body. Bad habits like smoking or going to sleep before brushing can really affect your oral care. Knock those bad habits and start seeing whiter teeth!

About the Author: Dr. Anthony Dailley is a practicing dentist specializing in bad breath and patients with halitosis. Earning his Dental Degree from the University of the Pacific School of Dentistry, Dr. Dailley not only practices dentistry, but engages in on-going research on methodologies for getting rid of bad breath and operating his bad breath clinic. Through his online website, he also offers a wide range of oral care products including bad breath remedies.