White teeth are a dream of every person, especially of those who love smiling. If you have yellow teeth, you must have experienced hesitation with laughing and smiling in public gatherings. Sometimes, it also affects the way you interact with other people. Yellow or discolored teeth also affect self-confidence adversely.
Remember, while you may use certain products for whitening your teeth, there might be some factors that can jeopardize the chances of shining white teeth.
What To Avoid in order to keep your pearly whites.
Smoking
We all know that smoking is harmful for health. It is bad for lungs and the habit of smoking may lead to cancer. But, many people do not know the harm it causes to their teeth. Regular smoking causes yellow stains on teeth. The stains caused by smoking are one among the hardest stains to remove. Following is a list of damages that are caused to your teeth by smoking:
- Tooth discoloration
- Bad breath
- Increased buildup of tartar and plaque on the teeth
- Inflammation of salivary gland opening on roof of mouth
- Increased loss of the bone within jaws
- Increased risk of white patches inside mouth, also called as leukoplakia
- Increased risk of development of gum diseases, the leading cause of teeth loss
- Delayed process of healing after periodontal treatment, oral surgery or tooth extraction
- Increased risk of growth and development of oral cancer
- Low success rate of the dental implant procedure
Smoking is undoubtedly the worst thing that you can do for teeth. However, if you decide to quit smoking and begin using teeth whitening products, you can reduce effects of smoking to an extent. It is very essential to realize that it is never too late to quit smoking.
Orange Juice And Soda
Fluoridated water and soda scrape away your teeth’s enamel, leaving teeth and enamel vulnerable to the cavities. This process also stains your teeth. Orange juice is also acidic. And like sodas, it also scrapes away the enamel. Excessive intake of sodas and orange juice may cause sensitivity, discoloration, cavities and exposed nerves. If you take orange juice in morning, wait at least an hour before you brush your teeth. Dentists recommend waiting before brushing to prevent possible damage to teeth that can be caused by brushing off acidic liquid too soon.
There are certain kinds of sodas that are slightly less harmful than other kinds. If you want to take care of your white teeth, look out for lighter sodas that are less acidic. Also, try to avoid caffeinated drinks like energy booster drinks. Do not prefer ‘sugarless’ drinks over other sodas as these drinks are also harmful for teeth. Sugarless drinks contain aspartame which is known to induce tooth decay.
Tea And Coffee
Coffee and black tea stain teeth easily, and it is best to avoid such drinks if you want spotless white teeth. Besides, if you are fond of drinking tea or coffee, reduce their effects on teeth by brushing them right away.
The above mentioned habits are harmful for teeth. And therefore, avoid developing habits of smoking or drinking tea and coffee. If you want flawless white teeth, you can also visit your dentist for teeth whitening solutions.
Selective Dentistry - George Saliba, DDS 