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How to Prevent Teeth Stains

A healthy white smile is an asset everyone wants to have. However, when the foods you eat and habits you keep are starting to take a dingy toll on your pearly whites, you’ll want to do something about it. Besides visiting the best Cameron Park cosmetic dentistry practice, these five easy tips can help you prevent dental stains.

A woman shows a photo of her stained teeth before getting them whitened by a Cameron Park Cosmetic Dentistry practice

Tips to Help You Avoid Stained Teeth

Steer Clear of Tobacco

Smoking or chewing tobacco can leave unsightly stains on your teeth due to the nicotine and tar in them. When mixed with saliva, these substances penetrate the pores of your teeth and cause discoloration. Do yourself a favor by staying away from tobacco products.

Improve Your Brushing Technique

Since your teeth aren’t paper-thin, flat, or a picket fence, you’ll have plenty of areas to clean. If you’re looking to reduce your chances of keeping stains on your teeth, you should clean them regularly and conscientiously.

Brushing in a circular motion instead of back and forth allows the bristles to cover hard-to-reach areas without wearing down the crown and root surfaces at your gum line. Unless you’re willing to run the risk of making your teeth look even duller, be sure to avoid overly aggressive brushing. Brushing too hard can scrub away your enamel and expose the deeper-hued dentin.

Avoid Teeth-Staining Foods and Beverages

Don’t be surprised to find stains on your teeth if you’re a big fan of tea, coffee, red wine, dark colas, soy sauce, dark berries, curry, beetroot, and berries. These foods and beverages have properties that break down your enamel and cause discoloration.

Use a Straw

If you want to do your best to prevent stains but can’t live without a tall glass of iced tea or cola, be sure to sip it through a straw. You’ll want to put the straw at least halfway into your mouth. Sipping the beverage this way directs the liquid past your teeth and limits your exposure.

Choose Foods That Help Protect Your Teeth

It’s best to replace teeth-staining foods with those that can help you protect your teeth. Munching on crunchy, water-heavy foods such as carrots, celery, and apples increases saliva production. These foods neutralize the acids that weaken your enamel and leave your teeth more vulnerable to stains.

Moreover, a natural astringent called malic acid found in strawberries can help eliminate stains from the surface of your teeth. In addition, dairy products such as yogurt decrease stain-causing acidity by neutralizing the pH balance in your mouth.

Get Your Teeth Professionally Cleaned and Whitened

Staying on top of your dental visits helps ensure that you’re doing everything you can to have healthy and stain-free teeth. For this reason, it’s best to make an appointment with your dentist at least twice a year to get a professional dental cleaning and polish. They have the tools needed to eliminate hardened plaque called tartar that can stain your teeth and make them look discolored.

If you want to make your teeth shine before your wedding or high school reunion, ask your dentist about professional teeth whitening procedures that work best for you. Unlike over-the-counter whitening kits that can take weeks or months to achieve your whitening goals, professional teeth whitening can give you the best results in just a single appointment.

Cameron Park Cosmetic Dentistry offers teeth whitening services to a male patient

Are You Looking to Find the Best Cameron Park Cosmetic Dentistry Practice?

At Forest Ridge Dental Group, we’re here to help you keep your smile bright and white for years to come. We’re committed to providing you with a complete dental experience that combines comfort and excellence in cosmetic dentistry. Contact us today to make an appointment.