6 Everyday Ways to Whiten Your Teeth
Patients often ask Newberg dentist Dr. Jennifer McLeod and the team at Newberg Family Dental how they can keep their teeth white for a bright, healthy smile. Fortunately, there are a variety of things you can do every day to help. Here we’ll discuss six easy things you can do every day to help keep your teeth white and healthy. Read on to learn more.
Brush and floss daily. This is the single most important thing you can do to keep your teeth bright and your smile healthy. Dr. McLeod highly recommends you brush twice a day and floss once a day, the latter preferably in the evening before bed. However, if you’re brushing daily and your teeth are still yellowish, try brushing more often, especially after eating or drinking. Remember, consistency is key to great oral health. Note: After consuming acidic foods or drinks, it’s best to wait 30 minutes to brush. This helps protect your tooth enamel from being eroded by the acids.
Sink your teeth into these helpful foods. There are a variety of foods you can eat to help whiten your teeth naturally, including calcium-rich foods (for example, dairy products, leafy greens and nuts) which help strengthen your tooth enamel. Pineapple has an enzyme called “bromelain” that can help remove stains and promotes tooth whitening. Strawberries, which contain malic acid, can help remove discoloration on your teeth and make them appear whiter.
Improve your saliva production. Consuming crunchy fruits and vegetables like celery, apples, and carrots stimulates your saliva production, which helps clean food debris off your teeth and neutralizes the acid that causes tooth decay. In between meals you can chew sugarless gum – it offers the same benefit.
Avoid tooth discoloration. Blueberries, tomatoes, dark sodas, red wine and coffee – these common foods can stain or discolor teeth due to a combination of acids and pigments. They can also weaken your tooth enamel over time. To prevent further staining, consider cutting back on these foods and drinks. That said, if you don’t want to give up your daily cup of coffee or glass of wine, try drinking it from a straw to help prevent enamel staining.
Try whitening toothpaste. Another great way to give your smile a boost is on the dental aisle of your local pharmacy or grocery store. Specially formulated whitening toothpastes help teeth maintain their natural whiteness while also strengthening enamel. There are also gels and rinses available to help remove some surface stains. Many of these products contain mild abrasives, chemicals or polishing agents.
Get help from the pros. If none of these at-home remedies seem to work for you and your teeth, it might be time to let Dr. McLeod help. From professional whitening treatments to enamel shaping, we offer a variety of comprehensive cosmetic dental services designed to help your smile look and feel its best.