How to Keep Your Teeth White
A lot of people nowadays spend thousands of dollars just to have pearly white teeth. They want to have that million dollar smile seen among celebrities in films and television.
If you are one of these people, you need to add a whitening toothpaste to your list of personal dental care items. However, even when buying a whitening toothpaste, you still have to make sure that it contains components that will help prevent plaque and tartar from forming on your teeth. Unfortunately, a lot of whitening toothpaste users have reported that these teeth whitening products do not really whiten teeth.
According to experts, the teeth becomes yellow as a person grows older. This process is a natural part of aging. However, those who are not happy about the color of their teeth should consult with their dentist and discuss options on how they can have them whitened. Dentists are knowledgeable about which products are effective, and they can also offer professional treatment.
Plenty of celebrities have undergone professional treatment to achieve that perfect pearly white smile. They opt to do professional treatment as they deem it safer than over-the-counter products which may contain bleaching agents that may not really be safe for humans. Additionally, when using over-the-counter products, there is the danger of using it incorrectly thus leading to adverse side effects.
The Teeth’s Number One Enemy: Sugar
We have all heard about the evils of candies and all other kinds of sweets. Many parents constantly nag their kids about eating too much food that is made from sugar. It may have been such a bummer being forbidden to eat more than a piece of candy when you were small. But all those warnings are not unfounded as sugar is the number one reason why we experience tooth decay.
How much and how often you eat sweets will determine how fast you will develop tooth decay. When you drink sweetened carbonated drinks or eat sugary foods all throughout the day, you continuously expose your teeth to acids. These acids cause a lot of damage to your teeth’s enamel. Sweetened medications, candies and mints are just some of the food items that can cause damage to your teeth.
When taking in sweetened food and drinks, dental experts suggest that we should take 3-hour breaks in between. Sweets eaten with other food items are less damaging to the teeth than when just eaten on their own because the increased saliva production helps wash away sugar and bacteria. Starchy food can also cause damage to the teeth as it converts to sugar as soon as the digestion process begins.
Eating sweet foods just before sleeping is very bad for the teeth. As we do not produce saliva during sleep, there is no way for us to wash away excess sugar and bacteria. Thus, plaque may form due to the bacteria build up.
Having a great and healthy set of teeth is all about cutting on your intake of sweets. Try to follow these simple steps to achieve your goal:
* eat sweets and carbohydrates during a meal
* brush your teeth right after eating
* if you are unable to brush right away, rinse your mouth with water
* chew sugar-free gum
* avoid eating sweets or carbohydrates in between meals
* munch on fruits and vegetables for snacks
Achieving healthy teeth is not easy. It requires discipline and a lot of hard work. If you want that million dollar smile, you should be determined and committed to strictly follow your dental care routine.