Everyone wants a beautiful smile. The white Instagram-worthy smile. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, so a pretty one is a major confidence booster.
However, a white smile isn’t a sign of healthy teeth, as whitened teeth can still be prone to gum disease and tooth decay if proper oral health isn’t a priority.
Having teeth that are beautiful and healthy is important and possible. Let’s see how in this article.
Sugar Is The Devil
All kinds of bacteria live in your mouth. While some of these bacteria are good for you, others are bad for you. The latter feeds on sugar and then combines to produce acids that wear a hole in your teeth: cavities that are certainly not nice to look at and very unhealthy.
Vegetables are the way to go. They are great for your body, and some vegetables are specifically beneficial to your teeth. For example:
- Green leafy vegetables have vitamin B and thus folic acid, which is great for your mouth.
- Crunchy vegetables like carrots and celery not only have vitamins but are natural teeth cleaners because they stimulate the production of saliva and dislodge food particles.
- Apples are high in fiber and a source of natural fluoride. Plus they have the added benefit of tasting sweet.
Give Up Smoking
Not only does smoking stain and discolor your teeth to a yellow shade that is not pretty, but smokers are also more at risk for gum disease and oral cancer. The nicotine seeps into your enamel, and the resulting stain cannot be brushed away.
As for gum disease, it is one of the leading causes of tooth loss in adults, and smokers are 5 to 6 times more at risk.
Typically, smokers not only lose their teeth, but corrective dental procedures have a lower chance of success with them because dental implants require a healthy jaw bone, which smoking takes away as well.
Again, smokers are 10 times more prone to oral cancer than non-smokers.
Drink Water
Water is life. Give your teeth life. The benefits of water to your teeth alone are many.
Water flushes out food particles and cleanses your mouth with every sip, reduces the acidity level to protect the enamel, fights dry mouth (a condition where plaque builds up because there isn’t enough saliva), and contains fluoride.
Note that for the maximum benefit of minerals like fluoride in water, tap water is the better option. Tap water has the right amount of fluoride and other essential minerals.
Often, filtered and bottled water have only tiny quantities of fluoride and other minerals, and distilled water has nothing at all.
Whiten Your Teeth
For that white Instagram-worthy smile, teeth whitening is often unavoidable. Food and beverages stain. Examples of such food are seemingly endless: tea, coffee, wine, soda, tomato-based sauces, curry, soy sauce.
Teeth whitening is bleaching your teeth to make them several shades lighter. Ideally, teeth whitening should only be done out by a regulated dental professional such as a dentist, dental hygienist, or dental therapist.
However, DIY or at-home whitening kits have become increasingly popular. These carry some risk, as your gums could be sensitive to the chemical or the kit can harm the enamel.
Again, whitening products have different effects, and care must be taken to pick one that targets your specific problem area. The options include:
- Whitening toothpaste and rinses, which are ideal for tea and coffee drinkers
- Gel pens, which are good for touching up small areas
- Laser whitening, which offers the most dramatic effect
Have A Dental Procedure
It’s unfair, but you can practice all the recommended dental tips and still not have a very good smile. Drastic times call for drastic measures, so sometimes the services of a professional at Rincon Family Dentistry are needed to achieve a better smile and not only that, but dental procedures are also important to your health, because unchecked tooth infections may cause your teeth to fall out, or worse spread to other parts of the body.
Here are some dental procedures:
- Braces are used to align the teeth in a way that is more aesthetically pleasing. Thanks to advancements in orthodontic treatments, there are several options besides the traditional metal brackets. The most popular nowadays is the clear removable aligner or “invisible braces.”
- Veneers are thin shells of porcelain that are bonded with the teeth. They are used to fix chipped teeth, discolored teeth, or to close gaps between teeth.
- Dental fillings repair teeth that have cavities, decay or fractures.
- Bonding is a process where the dentist attaches resins directly to your tooth for a stronger structure. It can alter older teeth to make them look younger.
Healthy teeth and a pretty smile are as related as twins. Treating your teeth right by religiously practising good dental and oral hygiene will make your teeth healthy, and healthy teeth are pretty!
