A Beautiful White Smile is Easier Than You Think!

Feb 6, 2017

One of the first things that people notice about you is your smile. Having a bright, white smile is an easy way to make a wonderful first impression. And it’s not just whitening trays or products that can give you a brighter smile. Here are a few easy ways to keep your smile luminous once your braces come off.

  1. Floss Every Day. For a white smile, great oral hygiene is a must. Healthy pink gums are the backdrop of a beautiful smile and will make your teeth appear brighter. Also, if you don’t floss, you actually miss 35% of each tooth surface! Allowing food, plaque, and bacteria to build up between your teeth will make it easier for food and drinks to stain your teeth.
  2. Watch Out for Food and Drinks that Stain. If you do decide to use whitening products, be carful what you eat and drink during treatment. Carbamide peroxide and similar whitening agents open up pores in your teeth, which means they will easily absorb anything. Stay away from coffee, red wine, tea, ketchup, mustard, and chocolate during your whitening regimen. Once you’ve reached your ideal shade, you may resume your normal eating and drinking habits. But remember, these foods and drinks do still stain and avoiding them will keep your teeth whiter for longer.
  3. Don’t Guzzle Energy Drinks. If you need an afternoon pick-me-up, you are doing damage to your teeth with energy drinks. The acid they contain can have the same eroding effects as eating citrus fruits but this time, your teeth are bathing in all that acid! If you can’t get through the day without an energy drink, make sure to consume it through a straw to help protect your teeth.
  4. Choose Crunchy Foods & Snacks. Obviously, crunchy foods are something we ask you to avoid while you have your braces on for fear they’ll damage your brackets. But once your braces are off, snacking on hard, raw fruits or vegetables (like apples and carrots) helps produce more saliva. Saliva helps wash away food and bacteria from between your teeth. Saliva battles the effects of acidic foods and beverages, keeping your teeth looking bright.
  5. Swap Out Your Toothbrush. A whiter smile might be as easy as throwing your old toothbrush in the trash. It’s recommended you replace your toothbrush every three months as worn down bristles cannot properly clean your teeth.
  6. Brush Your Tongue. Brushing your tongue doesn’t just help give you fresher breath, it helps prevent staining. Your tongue accumulates bacteria which can lead to discoloration.
  7. Rinse Your Mouth After Eating Acidic Foods. We know you’re not always near your toothbrush, but if your go-to snack is citrus fruits such as oranges, you could be eroding your tooth enamel quickly. Eroded enamel means your teeth will stain more easily. To fix this, make sure to rinse your mouth out with water after eating your favorite citrus fruits to wash away that destructive acid from your teeth.

 

You’ve got a gorgeous, straight smile now! Just follow these tips to enhance it even more and keep that glowing grin bright and white.