5 Ways to Keep Your Teeth White

Whether you have naturally bright teeth or you have just had your teeth professionally whitened, chances are you want to keep your teeth white for as long as possible. However, that feat can be much easier said than done. Eventually your teeth will stain again, but there are still some things to do to help your teeth stay whiter for longer. Here are five different ways to keep your teeth white: 

 

Keep Up with Daily Oral Hygiene

Of course, the first way to keep your teeth white is to first keep them healthy with proper daily dental hygiene practices. This includes brushing twice a day and flossing once a day. You should be using fluoride toothpaste, however 1-2 times a week you can also use a whitening toothpaste to remove stains. It is also recommended to use mouthwash at least once a day in order to prevent plaque accumulation. 

 

Watch Your Diet

It is an unfortunate fact that some types of foods and beverages are more likely to stain your teeth than others. Therefore, it is important to minimize how much of these foods and beverages you consume in order to minimize the risk of staining. Generally speaking, coffee, red wind, and colored condiments tend to be the biggest stain culprits. However, any food or beverage that is highly pigmented has the potential to stain your teeth. Instead try eating foods like strawberries, citrus fruits, apples, carrots, broccoli, pineapple, and dairy products such as cheese, yogurt, and milk, since they can help keep your teeth white. 

 

Rinse After Meals

Since any highly pigmented food or beverage has the potential to stain your teeth and avoidance isn’t always possible, the next best way to minimize the risk of stains is to rinse your mouth after meals. This helps to remove colored residue from the surface of your teeth before it can be absorbed into the teeth. However, be sure that you are only rinsing your mouth with water or milk. Additionally, you can also brush your teeth or use mouthwash approximately 20 minutes after eating for a more thorough cleaning.

 

Invest in an Electric Toothbrush

While manual toothbrushes do work well, it has been proven that electric toothbrushes can clean your teeth more thoroughly. Using an electric toothbrush can be especially beneficial if you struggle to reach the back of your mouth or if you don’t have the best tooth brushing technique. Nowadays, there are a variety of electric toothbrushes available. Some have sensors that tell you if you are brushing too hard, others have built-in timers, and others have the ability to connect to dental apps. With so many available, you are sure to find the perfect electric toothbrush for your needs. 

 

Schedule Touch Ups

As mentioned before, it is inevitable that your teeth will eventually become stained again. Generally speaking, most teeth whitening results can last anywhere from about 1-3 years, however this can definitely vary from person to person. While you will need to continue to have your teeth professionally cleaned every six months, you may also need to discuss with your dentist when you should have another whitening treatment to touch up your results. Some dentists also offer take-home whitening trays to use for maintaining your whitening results.