How to Prevent Teeth Stains
How to Prevent Teeth Stains
Everyone wants to have a bright, stain-free smile. When you have white teeth, you radiate confidence from the inside out, and you and your friends can see the benefits of good oral health and dental hygiene in your smile.
Tooth discoloration and tooth stains are common occurrences that can happen for various reasons, but they are often an obstacle to a confident smile. The good news? Many of these stains can be treated and prevented.
Why do teeth stain?
Have you noticed that your teeth are not as white as they used to be and maybe not as white as you would like? It's not that teeth should be white. The natural color of teeth is light yellow to light yellow-red. But as you get older, your teeth tend to darken even more.
Over time, the surface enamel cracks and erodes, exposing the dentin, the less dense tooth interior, which absorbs the color of food. Tooth stains also adhere to plaque and tartar buildup on and between teeth, anchoring in crevices.
Many things can cause your teeth to lose their brightness. But there are just as many ways to reverse tooth stains and prevent them from occurring in the first place. Here are some tips to keep your smile healthy and bright.
What causes tooth stains?
Watching your teeth lose their whiteness or become subtly stained is no fun. Understanding what causes these teeth stains can help you eliminate them in the future.
Many things can stain your teeth; the foods you eat and your habits can dull your smile over time. Coffee, tea, wine, cola, smoke, acidic juices, certain medications, and highly pigmented foods can take their toll on pearly whites.
The good news is that many of the most common dental stains - coffee and cigarette stains - can be removed between professional cleanings. The yellower the stains on your teeth, the easier they are to remove.
Through proper technique and good dental hygiene, there are ways to reduce the impact of these foods and products on the shade of your teeth.
How can you prevent stained teeth?
If your teeth look a little dull, there are many things you can do to prevent future staining. Here are some ways to keep your teeth from becoming more yellow.
Stay away from tobacco
Chewing or smoking tobacco is one of the worst things you can do for oral health. Numerous studies have shown that smoking causes oral cancer, increases the risk of developing gum disease, and prevents gums and teeth from healing naturally.
Cosmetically, just a few months of cigarette smoking can turn your teeth from white to yellow, and years of heavy smoking can turn your teeth from yellow to brown.
Avoid products that cause tooth stains
To keep your teeth white, you should avoid coffee, green tea, dark berries, soy sauce, sugary drinks (especially dark colas), cranberry juice, tomato sauce, and red wine as much as possible. These foods and beverages have specific properties that can break down tooth enamel and leave stains.
Note: However, we know a little secret that allows you to occasionally enjoy a glass of wine. If you drink wine and want to protect your teeth, pair it with cheese. Cheese helps neutralize the acidity of the wine, forming a natural barrier that protects your teeth from chromogens.
Eat foods that are good for your oral health
While avoiding foods and beverages that stain, replace them with options that protect your teeth. Crunchy, water-rich foods, such as celery, apples, and carrots, increase saliva production as you chew, and saliva helps neutralize any acid that can break down tooth enamel and leave teeth more susceptible to stains.
You might think strawberries could stain your teeth because of their bright red color, but these berries contain malic acid, a natural astringent that works to remove stains from the surface of your teeth.
Drink with a straw
If you can't live without a big glass of your favorite drink but want to do everything you can to avoid stains, be sure to drink it through a straw. When you do this, the drink passes in front of your teeth, so the liquid avoids most contact with them, especially the ones you see when you smile.
Visit the dentist for professional cleaning
Plaque buildup, a hard, white material on teeth, forms a sticky film that stains love to adhere to. Maintaining good dental hygiene helps reduce plaque and keep your teeth white.
You should make an appointment with your dentist at least twice a year for professional cleaning and polishing. You can also ask your dentist about teeth whitening if you want your teeth to shine before a special event such as a wedding or high school reunion.
Dental hygiene routine
If you clean your teeth regularly and thoroughly, you'll have less chance of any stains you have becoming permanent. Brushing in a circular motion, using mouthwash, and flossing at least twice a day or after every meal is the beginning of a good oral hygiene routine.
Switch to an electric toothbrush
People who are reluctant to brush their teeth do better with an electric toothbrush and will clean their teeth more often than if they used a manual toothbrush. But when it comes to removing plaque, it depends more on the quality of your brushing than the type of brush you use.
Preventive Dentistry Near You in Parker, AZ
Stains on the surface of teeth can often be removed or reduced with teeth whitening products or procedures. This discoloration is common and can happen to anyone for various reasons.
If you're looking for a comprehensive dental experience that combines excellence in preventive and cosmetic dentistry with convenience, or if you're worried about stains on your teeth turning into severe dental problems, Parker Dental Center is the place for you.
Dr. Imanian and his team of dental experts will help you keep your smile white and bright with the best treatments, from professional cleanings to polishing to smooth out cracks in your teeth.
Get in touch by calling (928) 669-0099 or visiting our website to schedule an appointment with us and keep your pearly whites for years to come!