Photo by ThinkstockOne of the most unattractive things is discolored teeth, and it is also the most difficult to hide. No matter how beautiful your face is, yellow teeth can turn off people in an instant.
As we get older, the outer layer of our tooth enamel starts to wear off, exposing the inner layer which is a more yellow tone compared to the top layer’s white color. Once the top layer wears off, the only thing one can really do is get it professionally whitened so dental experts really suggest that you don’t do things that will remove that layer in the first place.
Smoking is one of the biggest culprits of teeth discoloration as the nicotine stains the teeth and is very difficult to remove. If you are a long time smoker, you may notice that the back of your bottom front teeth have brown stains on them. Another culprit can be found in your mug-coffee! Tea, dark colored soda and wine are also contributors to tooth discoloration and staining. Once it is already there though, what can we do to remove it and bring back our sparkling smiles?- Professional whitening. You can ask your dentist about tooth whitening although be warned that it is a bit pricey. If you can afford the multiple sessions than why not. It is probably the most effective and also safest way to get your pearly whites back in shape. Another thing to remember is when going through professional tooth whitening, you will only be allowed to eat white foods or food with no color. So even pasta with tomato-based sauce will be a no-no for a while.
- Whitening toothpaste. These don’t contain bleach, but have a certain percentage of mild polishing agents and abrasives which help remove stains found on your teeth’s surface. It won’t change your teeth from gray-ish or yellow to white but will help take out the hard to remove stains. With prolonged use, you will see a difference.
- Brush ASAP. Brush your teeth immediately after eating food and drinks that can stain your teeth. Aside from coffee, tea and soda-fruit juices, berries and beets can also stain teeth so remember to drink lots of water and brush right after.
- Quit smoking. This seems obvious for more reasons than just keeping your teeth from turning yellow but it’s easier said than done, especially for long-time smokers. If your health and the physical appearance of your teeth are starting to suffer though, maybe it’s time to rethink that next cigarette.
- Invest in an electric toothbrush- many dentists will agree that electric toothbrushes work better than manual ones as they are designed to clean more than just your teeth’s surface area.
- Brush well and regularly. While this seems like a no-brainer, pause and think about those nights out when you are too tired to do anything than fall into bed and sleep. Brushing for at least 2 minutes every time is recommended to remove all the germs and dirt from your teeth. Twice a day is the minimum requirement but after every meal is preferable. Flossing once a day (at bedtime) is also suggested.
