While some people may naturally have a brilliantly white smile, you may have to work a little harder to keep your teeth free of stains and discoloration.
During the holiday season, you’ll likely expose your teeth to lots of staining foods, beverages, and other external factors. But is it possible to enjoy those things while protecting your teeth from the discoloring consequences?
Dr. Cliff Broschinsky and the rest of our cosmetic dentistry team at Avalon Dental in San Ramon, California, specialize in the creation and preservation of smiles that give you confidence.
In this month’s blog, we discuss practical ways to protect your teeth from stains this holiday season.
Red wine and coffee are two powerful teeth-stainers due to their high acidic content. The high acidity makes the protective enamel on your teeth more porous, allowing your teeth to absorb the staining pigments.
While you could certainly avoid these drinks altogether, there are some things you can do to limit how much they discolor your teeth. Use whitening toothpaste to brush your teeth before and after drinking. Eat food while you drink, and rinse your mouth with water.
If you’re not a big coffee or red wine drinker, there are other dietary factors that have the potential to stain your teeth, including berries and soy sauce. If you consume a lot of blueberries, blackberries, pomegranates, and soy sauce, your teeth will start to absorb their dark colors.
Follow the same steps of brushing before and after eating with whitening toothpaste and rinsing your mouth with water after you’ve finished eating to mitigate the risk of tooth discoloration.
If you smoke or use other tobacco products regularly or just around the holidays, you’re putting yourself at risk for tooth discoloration. Just as staining foods and beverages do, tobacco discolors your teeth very easily. Not using tobacco products is the best way to keep your teeth beautifully white.
If you travel a lot for the holidays or don’t follow a regular schedule, your oral hygiene routine might suffer. But to avoid losing your smile’s white hue, commit to brushing your teeth twice a day, flossing once a day, and rinsing with mouthwash at least once a day.
Sticking to a good routine not only keeps your teeth looking beautiful, but it also protects them from oral health issues, such as gum disease and tooth decay.
Part of keeping your teeth healthy and stain-free is seeing our team regularly. We use professional-grade dental tools and substances to remove stubborn plaque from hard-to-reach areas.
If you aren’t happy with the color of your teeth, we offer medical-grade teeth whitening ingredients that come in take-home kits. That way, even if you aren’t able to strictly follow every stain-avoiding practice, you can still restore your teeth’s beautiful glow.
To learn more about our teeth whitening products or any of our other cosmetic dentistry services, call our office or book an appointment online today.
