Here's a brightening tip. Between every couple sips or bites, swish your mouth with water. Then rinse again when you're finished drinking or eating.
The calcium in yogurt helps keep teeth strong, and club soda can wash away food particles after you eat. But some say it's strawberries that may whiten teeth naturally. Though there's really only anecdotal proof for that, strawberries have a dash of the calcium and a bit of the phosphorus teeth need to stay healthy and strong.
Chewing sugarless gum can help keep your teeth healthy. That's because gum gets saliva flowing, which helps wash away acids that form when bacteria in your mouth break down food. Saliva also has calcium and phosphate, which protect tooth enamel. But nothing replaces flossing and brushing. And using a mouth rinse can help kill plaque-causing bacteria.
Your lip colour may give you a tooth-brightening bonus. Lipstick with pink or blue as its base colour can help teeth look brighter and whiter, while other tones may make teeth look darker and less attractive.
All whitening toothpastes are abrasive, so no matter which one you use it'll help remove stains from your teeth by polishing them. However, some whitening toothpastes also contain mild bleaching agents. They can help give an extra boost to their tooth-brightening power.
Nothing beats brushing twice a day and flossing and rinsing daily to keep your teeth and gums healthy. But you can help your pearly whites stay clean by ending meals with crunchy fruits and veggies. Not only will they give your teeth a little scrub, the healthy foods will keep the rest of your body in top form, too.
When used correctly, manual and electric toothbrushes can both keep your mouth clean and healthy. Some people find a powered brush is easier to use. Others like all the sizes and shapes of manual brushes. Most people brush for just more than a minute -- or less. But to keep teeth and gums in good condition you should brush twice a day for two to three minutes each time and floss and rinse daily.
When used correctly at home, whitening gels, rinses, strips, and trays can give great results that last up to a year. But a lot of things affect how long teeth stay bright -- like what you eat and drink and if you smoke. To keep your smile brighter longer, don't smoke, and avoid deeply coloured or acidic foods and drinks like berries, teas, coffee, wine, sports drinks, and carbonated beverages. And of course you can touch up your teeth with at-home whitening kits to keep them brighter.
Dental veneers can go far toward making a smile better and brighter. Made of very thin ceramic applied to the tooth surface, veneers can fill gaps, correct the appearance of misalignment and overcrowding, and make teeth look brighter. Yet even teeth with veneers can experience decay, so brush, floss, and rinse daily and get a professional cleaning regularly
High acid foods -- like yogurt and some fruit -- can hurt your teeth. Yogurt and fruit are great for your body and your smile, but eating too many acidic foods may hurt your tooth enamel. You can help neutralize the acids in your mouth by chewing sugarless gum, sipping water, and brushing teeth regularly.
An old toothbrush with frayed bristles just can't clean well. That can mean more plaque and tooth decay in the long run. Once your toothbrush starts looking a bit frazzled -- usually at about two to four months -- replace it. Remember to brush teeth (and tongue) gently, slowly, with a circling motion that stimulates the gums, too.
Braces can make anyone's smile better. But the problems they fix -- crooked or crowded teeth, overbites and under bites -- can lead to serious issues like jaw stress, tooth decay, and periodontal disease. Orthodontic treatment may take longer for adults than kids. But braces can come in tooth-coloured brackets so they're less visible while they're working!
