How to Keep Your Smile Brighter for Longer

The focus of preventive dental care is typically to save your smile from issues that could seriously threaten its health and integrity. For instance, common concerns like tooth decay and gum disease can often be prevented with the right level of care and maintenance, helping you avoid the need for more extensive treatment later. However, there are also things that can naturally affect your teeth to a much lesser degree, but still have a strong influence on your smile’s appearance. The development of stains on your teeth’s surfaces and the loss of their healthy, natural shine are among such concerns, and with these tips, you could have a better chance at keeping your smile naturally bright and beautiful for longer.

Tips to preserve your smile’s appearance

• Be sure to clean your teeth every day – Keeping your teeth clean is the basis of good dental hygiene, and for good reason. The bacteria that live in your mouth and form plaque on your teeth every day are the source of many problems, including tooth decay and gum disease. Excess plaque buildup can also weaken your tooth enamel, making it easier to stain and lose its healthy appearance.
• Avoid food and drinks with too much sugar – Sugar foods and beverages help accelerate the buildup of bacteria and the harm they can cause to your healthy teeth. Certain types of oral bacteria turn sugar and similar carbs into acids, which rapidly deplete your teeth of minerals, making their enamel significantly weaker and easier to stain.
• Rinse your teeth with water after every snack or meal – If you can’t brush your teeth properly after every meal or snack, then rinse your teeth with water as soon as possible afterward. The longer your teeth and the oral bacteria on them are exposed to food particles and beverages, the more acids the bacteria can produce and the more damage they can cause to your teeth’s surfaces.
• Eat and drink more dairy (for stronger teeth) – Keeping your tooth enamel free of bacteria most of the time is one way to help keep it strong. Feeding your teeth the minerals they need to replenish weakened tooth enamel is another, equally important way. Specifically, your tooth enamel is made mostly of calcium, phosphate, and other minerals that are often found in dairy products, including milk, cheese, and sugar-free yogurt.

Learn more about preserving your smile

Healthy teeth can lose some of their bright, attractive shine over time, but you can do a lot to preserve your smile’s natural beauty for longer. To learn more, schedule an appointment by calling Yelena Popkova D.D.S. in Merrimack, NH, today at 603-595-9400. We also serve the residents of Nashua, Hudson, Manchester, Milford, and all surrounding communities.