Everyone wants a sparkling, white smile. In fact, when the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry asked people what they’d most like to improve about their smile, the most common response was whiter teeth. But, unfortunately, diet, aging, and oral hygiene can lead to teeth yellowing, making it difficult to keep (or get) those pearly whites like you want.

What You Can Do For Whiter Teeth

There are some things you can do proactively and reactively to improve the quality of your smile and the whiteness of your teeth. Today, we bring you five of our best tips.

Cut back on foods and beverages that are known to stain teeth: Generally speaking, if it can stain your clothes, it can stain your teeth. This one isn’t easy, but if you want whiter teeth, consider avoiding:

• Coffee, tea, and wine. The tannins in your favorite beverages can stain and discolor teeth.
• Acidic foods. Lemons and tomatoes are healthy for your body, but the acid in them can erode enamel and expose the yellow-colored dentin underneath.
• Sugary foods and drinks. Sugar feeds bacteria on your teeth, which can cause tooth decay. That tooth decay can cause discoloration.
• Richly pigmented fruits like blackberries and pomegranate.

Use a straw when you drink: Cutting out coffee, wine, and soda seems like a tall order. If this is the case for you, consider using a straw when you drink. They might not have them at Starbucks, but you can always carry a few in your purse! Using a straw keeps the discoloring agents away from your teeth. Also, make sure to brush or rinse immediately after eating tooth-staining foods or beverages.

Practice good oral hygiene: You can’t fake healthy teeth. There’s no way around it—you need to brush twice a day, floss once a day, and see your dentist for regular cleanings and checkups.

Quit all tobacco products: If you don’t quit smoking or chewing tobacco to potentially save your life, at the very least, do it to keep your teeth from turning brown. The nicotine and tar in tobacco products leach into openings in your enamel and leave a yellow/brown stain. Professional teeth whitening is the most effective way to remove these stubborn stains. If you have trouble quitting, get the support you need to quit tobacco products.

Get teeth whitening from us: While over-the-counter products are inexpensive and easy to use, dentist-supervised teeth whitening remains the safest, most effective way to get a sparkling smile. At Potomac Dental Group, we offer Zoom® laser teeth whitening treatment. Read more about Zoom® laser teeth whitening on our blog.

Teeth Whitening with Potomac Dental

Are you ready to get back your sparkling smile? Now’s a perfect time! Contact us to make an appointment as soon as possible, so we can get started!

At Potomac Dental Group, our promise to patients is to educate them about their teeth so they are empowered to make more informed decisions about their oral health and aesthetics. To schedule your next visit to our office, please contact our team at 301-983-2165.