Do you remember the “Friends” episode where Ross whitened his teeth? Instead of leaving the gel on for 1 hour, he left it on for 24 hours for the extra effect. The result was a blinding white smile that literally glowed in the dark. Not that we want to walk around glowing, but most of us would like to maintain a healthy white smile.
How do you maintain that bright smile?
1. Brush at least twice and floss once daily to remove all external debris.
2. Visit your dentist every 6 months for regular polishing of stain and tartar removal.
3. Limit the exposure to dark coffees, teas, soda and wines. While I can sit here and tell you to avoid these, realistically, I know that I would lose most of you at that recommendation. Instead try these tips: lighten your coffee with some creamer or choose a lighter colored soda or wine. My all time favorite trick, though, is to use a straw to drink your tea, soda and yes even coffee. Next time you are at the store, pick up a box of disposable straws to use at home. This allows those liquids to go directly to the back of the mouth and not coat the front teeth as it would without a straw.
4. Do not worry about using the “whitening” toothpaste or rinses. These are no more than a marketing gimmick. The actual color of a tooth comes from the inside layer of the tooth called dentin. The enamel, which is the outer layer of the tooth, is actually transparent. To say that these products are whitening your teeth is false, because they do not have the time to access the internal layer to whiten anything.
Thanks for taking time to learn more on caring for those pearly whites! Make sure to contact our office if you have any questions or to schedule a whitening treatment!