White Teeth Are Always In Style

We all want sparkly white teeth! Your smile is often times the first thing someone notices when they look at you so it makes sense to want to keep your teeth in tip top shape. However, there are some culprits that may prevent us from having and maintaining our pearly whites.

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The Main Culprits to a White Smile:

These are some of the biggest contributors to our smiles fading over time.

  • Coffee

  • Tea

  • Red Wine

  • Soda

  • Smoking

I am a BIG tea lover. I have a cup several times per day so it goes without saying that my teeth gets stained pretty quickly. Here are some products (some of which I use) that helps in keeping your teeth perfectly white:

Whitening ToothPaste - These toothpastes contain 1-1.5% carbide peroxide (a whitening agent) that is capable of removing surface stains. Some of my favorite whitening toothpastes are Crest 3D White, Crest 3D White Brilliance, Sensodyne true White (for the with sensitive teeth).

Whitening Strips and Gels - Whitening strips and gels contain a concentration of carbamine peroxide roughly six times stronger than toothpastes (6-10%). This amount of solution is enough to start penetrating your dental pores and lifting deeper stains. Although stronger than whitening toothpastes, strips and gels need to be applied carefully and evenly. Some of these strips and gels (and there are many) include Crest White Strips, Smile Brilliant, Bright White to name a few.

Professional Teeth Whitening - Custom whitening trays can be done by your dentist. These whitening systems usually contain an even stronger solution of carbamide peroxide (10-15%). You get the trays to take home and use as directed. However,  the most efficient, fast, and safest way to whiten you teeth is at a dentist’s office. With in-office treatment, the dentist uses a solution that usually contains ~35% carbide peroxide to get you instantly white teeth.

Tips for Maintaining Your Pearly Whites:

Now that you have obtained your pearly whites, you will want them to remain this way. A few things you can do to minimize staining are:

  • Instead of coffee, tea, red wine and other beverages that stain your teeth, try drinking more water or other clear drinks as alternatives.

  • If you are like me and must have tea (or coffee) try drinking from a straw. This will reduce the surface area that the beverage covers and thus reduce staining.

  • Brush daily (at least 2x) with a whitening toothpaste, and floss!

  • See your dentist regularly.

OrthodonticsDr. Patrice Smithteeth whitening, white teeth, cosmetic dentistry, crest, smile brilliant, TwoComment