Things You Can Do To Whiten Your Teeth Or Prevent Further Discoloration

White teeth can help you feel more confident and attractive. If you cherish the whiteness of your teeth, there are several things that you can do to whiten your teeth or prevent further discoloration. Here are a few of them:

Skip or limit the dark foods and drinks.

Some of the darkest foods and beverages are often habitually consumed. For instance, many people drink several cups of coffee every morning or throughout the day. Likewise, it is common to have a nightly glass of wine after dinner. 

The color of a food or drink is typically due to chemical pigments within the substance. These pigments can be absorbed by your teeth. As the colorants accumulate, the teeth become progressively darker. If you would like to keep your teeth their whitest, it is best to limit your consumption of deeply colored foods and drinks. If you must consume some of these substances, be sure to rinse your mouth with water immediately following ingestion, so you can lessen the likelihood of the pigments being absorbed.

Chew whitening gum.

Gum can help you avoid dental discoloration. Some delicious varieties of sugarless gum are considered "whitening." Thus, you can enjoy great gum taste while whitening your teeth, and since the gum is sugarless, you won't be promoting tooth decay.

Whitening gum includes substances that either gently scrubs away recent dental stains or helps dissolves them. Baking soda and titanium dioxide are often included as mildly abrasive scrubbing agents, and malic acid, which is a natural component in vinegar and strawberries, is used to help dissolve stains.

For best results, the gum should be chewed immediately after eating to decrease the amount of time that stains are allowed to rest on the teeth.

Use a whitening mouthwash.

Whitening mouthwash can also help keep your teeth white. Most of these rinses contain peroxide, which whitens the teeth as it disinfects the mouth. If you would like to make your own smile-brightening mouthwash, simply mix equal amounts of hydrogen peroxide and water. Each day after brushing and flossing, rinse with the mouthwash for about a minute. 

Schedule a professional whitening session.

If you would like to remove years of dental staining, consider a professional whitening treatment. The dentist-performed sessions can whiten your teeth multiple shades quickly and safely using peroxide-based products and special dental lights.

To learn more ways to whiten your teeth and prevent further staining, schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist in your area. For more information, see a website such as http://suncoastdental.com.