It seems that gone are the days of celebrities with ordinary teeth, instead we’re seeing sparkling white smiles all over the red carpet and in the media – even Shane Macgowan has a new smile! Even in our day-to-day lives, more and more people around us are prioritising their smiles and getting brilliant white teeth. But how do people get their teeth so white? The answer may surprise you…
Cosmetic Dental Work
The way most people, especially celebrities, have such white teeth, is pretty simple: cosmetic dental work. There are many ways of improving your smile with dental work, with some more invasive than others, including:
- Braces
- Crowns
- Tooth shaving
- Gum shaping
- Veneers
Most of these procedures aim to reshape your teeth to give a more even and aesthetically pleasing smile, however, veneers are growing in popularity as they both give an even appearance and cleaner-looking, whiter teeth.
Although they look great initially, covering up your natural teeth with a shiny white resin, you have to be careful with what you eat with veneers as they stain very easily. So if you want whiter teeth for less money or more naturally, your best option is to improve your oral hygiene and cut down on tooth-staining products.
Oral Hygiene Practices
Looking after your teeth isn’t just important to keep them sparkling, but it’s also important for the overall health of your mouth. Keeping your mouth clean and free from harmful bacteria, acids and sugars will prevent tooth decay by protecting your enamel, which in turn will keep your teeth looking white.
However, some discolouration is natural as we age and food and drink affect our teeth, so if your teeth are still yellow after regular brushing, it may just be your genetics and age affecting the colour of your teeth rather than anything within your control.
That said, you should continue to follow oral hygiene best practices for the sake of your health, and to slow down the yellowing of your teeth.
Brushing
It should go without saying that brushing our teeth is crucial to the health of our mouths and essential for keeping our teeth white. When we wake up we often have bad breath because our mouths have bacteria in them, so we should brush our teeth before consuming any food or drink to remove these bacteria.
It may seem counterintuitive to brush your teeth before you eat, as we might get food stuck in the gaps in our teeth, however, brushing straight away after eating actually pushes the acids and sugars that damage the tooth enamel further into our teeth, causing more harm than good.
Brushing before eating removes the bacteria that would otherwise feed on the new microbes in your mouth and multiply, causing quicker tooth decay and yellower teeth. If you must brush after eating, wait at least 30 minutes (ideally 60 minutes) before brushing to avoid harming your teeth further. You should also brush your teeth before bed to remove bacteria.
The toothpaste you use doesn’t make a great deal of difference as most kinds of toothpaste include the same components that are beneficial for our oral health, however, some dentists advise avoiding charcoal toothpaste. They’re marketed as the best toothpaste to keep your teeth white, and there is some evidence for this, but charcoal is naturally abrasive which may cause you to brush away the protective enamel too.
Dentists also recommend using a soft toothbrush, as harder toothbrushes can also contribute to the reduction of enamel on your teeth.
Flossing
Brushing is the best way of caring for your teeth and keeping them white, however, you shouldn’t neglect the importance of dental floss. Bristles on toothbrushes can’t always reach into the gaps between our teeth, so floss is important to disturb any settling bacteria that will cause a buildup of plaque which erodes the enamel.
If your teeth are turning yellow and you only brush your teeth, start flossing as well and notice the difference in colour!
Mouthwash
Bacteria doesn’t limit itself to sticking to our teeth, it resides in all parts of our mouths. That’s why mouthwash is so important, as it removes the bacteria from our gums, tongues and tonsils, helping to keep our teeth white as well as preventing mouth and throat illnesses such as tonsillitis and cavities, especially if you have chronic cryptic tonsils.
Things to Avoid for Whiter Teeth
As well as cosmetic dental treatment and teeth whitening procedures, people also get their teeth so white by avoiding food and drink that stains teeth yellow. It’s not always easy or even possible to cut things out of our diets completely, so if you want to slow down the yellowing of your teeth or prevent your new sparkling white teeth from discolouring, you can cut down on the following:
- Tea
- Coffee
- Red wine
- Fruit juice
- Fizzy drinks
- Tomato-based sauces
- Curry
- Soy sauce
- Smoking
Tobacco contains tar, a dark sticky substance, which sticks to our teeth and stains them yellow on the outside (extrinsic staining), as well as seeping into our teeth through chips and cracks, discolouring the inside (intrinsic staining). Smoking also causes a number of health conditions, especially in the mouth, so quitting smoking altogether is highly recommended, not just for whiter teeth.
The food and drink in the list, however, contain compounds which cause staining, namely chromogens, tannins and acids. Like tar, they stick to the enamel on our teeth and interact with the bacteria in our mouths causing teeth to turn yellow, although at a much slower rate than cigarettes.
If you usually start your day with a cup of tea or coffee, fruit juice and carbohydrate-heavy food items like toast, cereal or pastry, you should brush your teeth before to protect your tooth enamel from staining.
Teeth Whitening
One of the most common ways people whiten their teeth is through teeth whitening treatments, as they’re both easier and more affordable, not to mention the great results.
By covering the teeth in a gel and exposing them to UV light, in just 60 minutes, you can walk out of your dental practice with a completely new, shining white smile. The procedure is quick, painless and actually has numerous benefits for your oral health as well as your mental health!
Unlike brushing with charcoal, baking soda or hydrogen peroxide which may damage the enamel and overall health of your teeth, teeth whitening helps keep your mouth cleaner for longer and protects your teeth from harmful substances.
But if you’d rather whiten your teeth yourself from the comfort of your own home, you can! After taking a mould of your teeth at the dentist’s, you can take home a personalised at-home teeth whitening kit to wear at times that suit you, and see your teeth begin to shine after a couple of weeks.
White Fillings
Just like traditional silver fillings that fill holes in your teeth caused by tooth decay, white fillings also fill these cavities to prevent further dental complications. However, white fillings have the added bonus of being almost invisible!
We’re used to seeing the dark silver lumps in people’s teeth as they talk or laugh, but this can make people feel self-conscious and refrain from laughing or smiling in public or even with friends. That’s where white fillings come in.
White fillings match the colour of your teeth so you can feel confident being yourself and laughing amongst friends, without fearing glances into your mouth, as they’re not noticeable unless inspected closely. No one should be embarrassed to laugh, so Didsbury Dental Practice is on a mission to help you get the best dental care and be proud of your smile.
Manchester’s Best Private Dentist – Didsbury Dental Practice
Join hundreds of other happy customers in Manchester to turn your yellow teeth white in Didsbury Dental Practice or pick up your at-home teeth whitening kit today!
