Think of a color you’d like your teeth to be. Now think of a color you don’t want them to be. Chances are likely that you thought of “white” for the first and “yellow” for the second. In our society, white teeth are seen as the ideal. Yellow teeth are associated with teeth that aren’t as clean or as healthy even though some people are simply born with a more yellowish hue to their teeth, regardless of how good their dental hygiene is. Here are some ideas to help you prevent your teeth from turning yellow.
Don’t Get Lax with Your Dental Routine
It’s tempting to forego brushing your teeth if it’s late at night and you just want to get to bed. It’s also easy to forget about flossing regularly. But nothing should stop you from maintaining a healthy, at-home dental routine if you want to keep dental stains at bay. Brush twice a day and floss once a day, and your teeth will already be well on their way to being the shade you want.
Visit Your Dentist Twice a Year
Even if you have an A+ dental routine on your own, you still should visit the dentist’s office twice a year for regular teeth cleanings. No matter how thorough you are, there’s still plaque or tartar on your teeth that you can’t remove yourself. A professional dental hygienist uses specialized tools to clean it all away. After the scraping, a thorough polishing will help brighten up your smile.
Say Goodbye to the Tobacco
If you smoke or chew tobacco and you want white teeth, then you’re going to have to give that up. Tobacco products are notorious for leaving yellow and brown stains on teeth. There’s also an increased risk of oral cancer with tobacco, in addition to other adverse health effects. Therefore, wanting to have bright pearly whites is just one more reason to quit tobacco.
Protecting Your Smile in Coeur d’Alene & Post Falls
If you need more personalized advice on how to prevent your teeth from turning yellow, please schedule an appointment with Riverstone Dental Care. Our team in either Coeur d’Alene or Post Falls can advise you if you’d like to pursue professional teeth whitening. We also offer dental veneers which are an excellent solution to correct severe teeth discoloration!
