A healthy smile leads to a healthy lifestyle. People often aspire to have a white smile line, like that they often see in movies of their favorite superstars. Yes, a white smile line does look perfect and healthy but it is not always true that the teeth are supposedly healthy too. Teeth that are whitened by many a time are just as prone to gums infections like gingivitis (bleeding of gums) and dental caries as the teeth that are not exposed to such procedures.
If a person wants a beautiful yet healthy smile then he or she should make use of mild preventive treatments, get minor problems treated immediately when they appear, and only get whitening, treatments when needed.
Here are some of the tips from Honest Teeth that will help in maintaining a beautiful and healthy smile:
1. Maintenance of oral hygiene
The first step to achieving a better and healthy smile is to make a great oral hygiene routine. A person should brush at least two times daily (day and night), floss once daily, and make use of mouth wash regularly. All these oral hygiene practices keep the mouth free of bacteria that if present, cause tooth decay and many other gum diseases. Tooth brushing helps prevent the build-up of plaque around the tooth, but the bristles of the toothbrush cannot reach every nook and cranny. For this, we use dental floss to clean in between teeth and mouthwash to rinse out any reaming food particles.
Performing all this regularly will help maintain a whiter smile and if you want a whitening boost, there are many whitening kinds of toothpaste available that can be added to your routine.
2. Limiting the use of food or drinks that cause staining
There are many foods, drinks, and habits that are responsible for the yellow or brown staining of the teeth. So if you want a whiter and brighter smile and also want to save yourself some money, then you should give up on eating and drinking such foods. Another cause of staining of teeth is smoking which starts as a hobby to getting addicted to it and smoking two to three packs a day. Smoking is dangerous enough to cause lung cancer and other tons of medical problems, but also has a high risk of causing gum diseases and yellow staining of teeth.
Many food and drinks are the prime culprits for the staining of teeth including tea, soft drinks, coffee, wine as well as some sauces like curry, tomato, and blackberry sauce. This does not mean that you eliminate them from the diet but instead reduce their intake as many of them have proven benefits for our health.
3. Stay hydrated
Water is an essential component of the body which makes up about sixty to seventy percent of the body mass. It is also that much important for the oral cavity. It helps prevent dental caries by dislodging any food particle stuck between the teeth and reducing the acidic pH of the oral cavity.
4. Change your toothbrush to a new one
It is advised by the American Dental Association (ADA) as well as Honest Teeth Dentistry to replace the toothbrush every three to four months that is when the bristles of the toothbrush start separating from each other. As the time of use of the toothbrushes increases, the bristles start to separate from each other and thus it becomes less effective in removing the plaque from the tooth surfaces.
The spacing of the bristles leads to the accumulation of bacteria and fungus in between them and becomes too unhygienic to use. That is why the replacement of the old one with a new and fresh toothbrush helps in efficient cleaning of the oral cavity and also prevents the person from getting bad breath.
5. Schedule whitening treatments when needed
If a person wants a whiter and brighter smile and wants to get rid of the yellowish spots and patches on the surface of the teeth, then he or she should consider getting professional whitening treatments done by Dr Kelly Fink and Dr. Anna Kolstad. Such whitening treatments are safe and quite effective and can lighten the teeth’ color by many shades.
This does not mean that after a whitening treatment the tooth cannot ever be stained. They can get stained if the person does not refrain from eating and drinking such food and drinks. These treatments last for approximately three to four years maximum. The patient should follow the guidelines that are provided by Dr Kelly Fink and Dr. Anna Kolstad
6. Eating healthy snacks
This is not new to us that sugary foods and those rich in carbohydrates are the biggest culprits for the development of dental caries. Food such as bread and pasta has the tendency to stick to the surface of the tooth. This thus exposes the tooth surface longer to the carbohydrates that have enough time to break down into simple sugars. We can combat this problem by reducing the intake of this sugar-based food or snacks in our daily life.
Instead, we should try eating healthy food like fruits and vegetables. They are very helpful and essential for the whole body and more for the teeth. Apple although sweet is a great source of fluoride intake and high in fiber content. These components help in stimulating the gums and also in the production of saliva. Green vegetables such as spinach are full of vitamins and also are high in calcium (making them essential for the enamel). Other food that is as important as the others are yogurt and almonds.
7. Regular visits to the Honest Teeth Dentistry
Just as we visit the general physician now and then for our general check-ups, we should also visit Dr Kelly Fink and Dr. Anna Kolstad every six months for our general examination as well as cleaning of the teeth. During your visit, we will examine the overall health of the teeth as well as the gums and look for cavities, if any, remove plaque or calculus build-up on the tooth surface and diagnose any other kind of oral disease that has just started.
This allows the patient to be wary of the problems of his or her oral cavity and have it treated before it progresses to a worse stage. Catching these cavities early, before you start experiencing pain, helps you avoid expensive procedures like root canals.
To sum up:
To maintain a healthy smile line it is important the patient takes care of his or her diet and brushing habits to maintain this smile. It is totally dependent on the patient. They can improve it by improving oral hygiene practices, using a soft bristle brush, eating healthy, and staying away from stain-causing food and drinks and most inportantly, visiting Dr Kelly Fink and Dr. Anna Kolstad at Honest Teeth Dentistry. Book an appointment here or give us a call at 262-784-7770 today.