Teeth Whitening

It is true that your pearly whites lose their luster as we age. Some common foods, drinks and even mouthwashes can stain teeth. But, Do-it-yourself remedies can help whiten teeth, and avoiding substances that stain teeth can stop further discoloration.

Use these steps to whiten your teeth:

• Home teeth whitening – Talk to your dentist about at-home tooth whitening products like kits, strips and toothpastes may lighten stains. But, for deep stains, you may need to seek your dentist’s help.

• Home remedies – Some people prefer the age-old home remedy of baking soda and a toothbrush to gently whiten teeth at home. Also, some foods such as celery, apples, pears, and carrots trigger lots of saliva, which helps wash away food debris on your teeth. Chewing sugar-less gum is also a tooth-cleansing action.

• Tooth whitening and dental work – Approach tooth whitening with caution if you have lots of bonding, fillings, crowns, and bridges. Bleach will not lighten manufactured teeth, so they will stand out among newly whitened natural teeth. In order to match your whiter teeth, you may need new dental work, including veneers or bonding.

• Preventing teeth stains – As we age, the outer layer of tooth enamel may wear away. The underlying layer, called dentin, is yellower. That’s why it is important to try to avoid staining teeth. If you take care with foods and drinks that discolor teeth, the results of whitening can last longer.

• To keep teeth white, don’t light up – Smoking is one of the worst offenders, when it comes to staining teeth. Tobacco causes brown stains that penetrate the grooves and pits of tooth enamel. These stains are hard to remove by brushing alone.

• Foods that cause teeth stains – Some common foods, which discolor teeth, are coffee, tea, dark sodas and fruit juices. These teeth stains develop slowly and become more noticeable as we age. Deep color fruits and veggies such as blueberries, blackberries and beets leave their color on teeth as well. Eat them for your health and prevent tooth stains by brushing teeth and rinsing mouth immediately after eating.

• Think as you drink – A glass of red wine, cranberry juice or grape juice also stains teeth easily. Remember to rinse your mouth after you have these drinks.

• Don’t forget daily maintenance – One simple strategy can help maintain white teeth: brush. Brush at least twice and floss at least once daily. Brushing helps prevent stains and yellow teeth, especially at the gum line.

• Visit your dentist – See your Calgary dentist for regular checkups and professional cleaning. The abrasion and polishing methods dentists use can remove many teeth stains caused by food and tobacco.