How To Maintain White Teeth

Whitening your teeth is one thing, making sure it stays white is a different issue altogether. It is much better to maintain your teeth's color after a whitening session than to let them discolor and keep whitening them after every short period. Here are some of the tips you should use to maintain white teeth:

Avoid Tobacco Products

Tobacco is one of the most dangerous products as far as teeth discoloration is concerned. The discoloration occurs in two main ways. First, nicotine (a colorless chemical) turns yellow when it reacts with oxygen in your mouth. The yellowish substance then leaches into the microscopic openings on your enamel, causing discoloration. Another major staining chemical in tobacco is tar, which also leaches into your enamel via the same microscopic openings. Therefore, avoid tobacco products if you want to maintain your white teeth. As an added benefit, avoiding tobacco products will also lower your risks of diseases that have been linked to tobacco, such as cancer and gum disease.

Rinse Your Mouth after Taking Discoloring Foods

Food and drinks are some of the most common dental staining agents; after all, everyone must eat and drink. Some foods are more dangerous in this respect than other others. Examples of most staining food include tea, red wine, and berries, among others. It may help to limit your intake of these foods and rinse your mouth (or brush your teeth) after taking them. This will prevent the staining agents from lingering on your teeth and discoloring them.

Use Straws When Taking Staining Liquids

It may not be practical to avoid staining liquids, but you can keep them away from your teeth as much as possible. A good way of doing this is to use a straw whenever you are taking a drink that is likely to stain your teeth, such as soda.

Maintain Good Oral Hygiene Practices

Regular brushing and flossing also play a part in keeping teeth stain free. These oral hygiene practices help by getting rid of food particles that may stain your teeth or feed the bacteria on your teeth. Don't forget that the accumulation of bacteria on your teeth (plaque) may harden into tartar, which will turn your teeth yellowish.  

Hopefully, the above tips will help you maintain perfectly white teeth for as long as possible. If your teeth get discolored, however, consult a cosmetic dentistry office to help you whiten them and diagnose the cause of the discoloration to avoid a repeat in the future. 

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