You already know you show off your smile more when you feel confident about your teeth. But did you realize those healthy, radiant pearly whites can help you live longer?
It’s a scientific fact that happier people tend to live longer. When you smile, it makes you feel happier. And you smile more when you are comfortable with showing your teeth.
Over time, though, it’s common for your white enamel to take on more of a yellowish hue. This change can happen for a variety of reasons, but there are also ways you can avoid the discoloration for as long as possible. Follow these four must-know techniques, and you have a great chance of living a longer life with teeth you don’t mind showing off!
1. Follow the Brushing Rules
You’ve probably been taught that brushing your teeth is important. However, if you weren’t instructed in the proper brushing techniques and oral health rules, you could be leaving a lot of bacteria, plaque, and tartar behind.
Here are the essential rules for brushing your teeth:
- Use a soft-bristled toothbrush unless your dentist tells you otherwise. Harder bristles can result in aggressive brushing, which erodes the enamel that keeps your teeth white and healthy.
- Keep an eye on those bristles. You should replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months (they still collect bacteria, after all). If the bristles look frayed sooner than that, replace the brush anyway. That means the brush is worn out and won’t do its job well.
- Brush with ADA-approved fluoride toothpaste. Fluoride is an essential mineral that helps keep your enamel healthy.
- Floss between your teeth at least once a day.
- Brush in the morning after you wake up and at night before you go to bed to catch the majority of germs.
Finally, there really is a proper technique for brushing your teeth. Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle under the gums. Move it back in forth in tooth-wide strokes along the outer, inner, and chewing surfaces of the teeth. Then, tilt the brush so it is vertical and move it in up-and-down strokes to cover the inside surfaces.
Finish with a quick scrub of the tongue, floss, and add mouthwash, and you’re done for now!
2. Drink More Water (and Then More After That)
Did you know that about three in four people are chronically dehydrated? They walk around every day, living their lives, without realizing the dangers they’re doing to their bodies by not keeping them hydrated.
Chronic dehydration does significant damage to your organs, and it can cause your teeth to turn yellow faster than normal. When you don’t drink enough water, it affects your salivary glands and keeps your mouth dry. Saliva washes away the debris stuck to your teeth after you eat and naturally rinses away bacteria throughout the day.
Sure, you can drink other beverages to keep from drying out, but the best liquid for your body is straight H2O. Water not only hydrates your skin, tissue, and blood the fastest, but it also helps your saliva wash away any excess food particles.
3. Watch Your Diet
In addition to drinking more water, start watching your meals to ensure a whiter smile for longer. Add fresh, crunchy fruits and vegetables to increase that saliva production we were just talking about and keep your enamel healthy.
At the same time, pay attention to what foods and beverages you should avoid. Sugary and acidic foods are seriously damaging to your enamel. Sugar turns into acid when it’s in your mouth. If you don’t wash and brush it away quickly, that acid then erodes your enamel, causing cavities and tooth decay.
Some of the worst culprits of this are candy, acidic fruit, tea, soda, and coffee. You don’t have to say no to these treats all the time, but avoid them as much as possible, and make sure you brush quickly after indulging.
4. Don’t Try to Keep Your Teeth Healthy Alone – Get Professional Help!
Even the best brushing techniques and eating habits won’t completely prevent dental issues. The best way to ensure your oral health remains in top shape is to visit your dentist twice a year (more if they recommend it).
Professional cleanings are performed by hygienists who have tools that can get rid of the calculus and buildup you might have missed. Dentists look for cavities and signs of other damage. When you find the problem early, it’s usually easier to treat.
You can also use whitening trays if you think your teeth are getting more yellow than you’d like. Mail-order kits from JS Dental Lab let you skip the expense of the dentist while still getting high-quality, professional whitening solutions.
You don’t have to take care of your teeth alone. With the help of a dentist for regular check-ups and professional labs to handle your oral appliances, you have most of your oral health covered.
Conclusion
Keeping your teeth pearly white can be challenging, but the techniques that will help you be successful are quite simple! Upgrade your oral health routine, stay hydrated and eat well, and let the professionals do their part, and you’ll enjoy the perks of a long-term beautiful smile.