Okemos, Lansing, and East Lansing, MI
Your white smile is a shining beacon that attracts others to you and relays your joyous and happy feelings. Smiling is also an effective way to increase your confidence, lower your blood pressure, and improve your mood. But, keeping your smile bright is challenging when you love morning coffee or tea and consume food in a dye-infused world. Even oral health diligence is no match for dingy, stained teeth. Therefore, Okemos’ cosmetic dentist, Dr. Christine Tenaglia of Tenaglia Smiles, shares the secret to maintaining white teeth to know how you can improve your smile discoloration.
What causes teeth stains?
Tooth discoloration occurs because of personal habits, such as tobacco use and drinking coffee, tea, or red wine. Furthermore, consuming other stain-producing foods like berries, chocolate, soda, candy, food containing dyes, and tomato-based dishes can increase your tooth-staining risk. Our East Lansing cosmetic dentist advises patients to brush their teeth immediately upon consumption to reduce staining. Even though brushing may not be possible, rinsing your mouth out with water or mouthwash minimizes the impact that the staining substance could have on your teeth.
How do I prevent teeth staining?
Maintaining a pearly white smile can be challenging while making food and beverage choices. Fortunately, with proper oral health care and visiting your Lansing family dentist, you can reduce staining effects and maintain a brighter smile longer.
Below are some additional ways you can reduce teeth staining
- Carefully Choose Foods and Beverages – As you eat and drink, your tooth enamel gets exposed to your colorful diet and could develop stains. So, when you grocery shop, remember the items listed above and buy them occasionally. Resisting certain foods can seem impossible, so when you must treat yourself, thoroughly clean your mouth after enjoying it to reduce your tooth-staining risk.
- Use a Straw – Drinking your favorite soda or juice directly from the container results in your teeth becoming inundated with sugar and acids responsible for tooth discoloration. Conversely, using a straw reduces contact between your teeth and color-damaging substances, so you keep your teeth brighter for longer.
- Rinse Your Mouth if You Can’t Brush – Brushing your teeth in some situations is not an option. However, rinsing your mouth with water or mouthwash can help remove food debris and harmful bacteria. Moreover, it can help freshen your breath after a meal.
- Stop Smoking – Tobacco use can change your tooth enamel color in a short time, even with regular oral care. Additionally, smoking can cause oral cancer and additional oral health complications.
- Visit Tenaglia Smiles Regularly – According to American Dental Association (ADA), you should visit your Okemos family dentist twice yearly for regular checkups and cleanings. The cleaning process can remove some surface stains from your teeth and can therefore brighten your smile.
What options are available for teeth whitening?
Over-the-counter teeth whitening products are widely available in retail stores. Unfortunately, many whitening products promise phenomenal results but fail to deliver them promptly or at all. Therefore, those seeking significant teeth whitening results should consult with an East Lansing cosmetic dentist that offers the Zoom! Whitening System. Dr. Tenaglia can change your dingy smile into a bright one using a professional-grade whitening component without gum sensitivity side effects. As a result, you can leave our office with instant professional teeth whitening results.
Teeth Whitening in Okemos, Lansing, and East Lansing, MI
Exercising diligence in reducing tooth stains with the above ideas can help maintain a brighter smile. A dingy, discolored smile can make you uncomfortable and embarrassed in social situations. Fortunately, you can contact our Lansing cosmetic dentist, Dr. Christine Tenaglia, for professional teeth whitening services when the stains become overbearing. Call Tenaglia Smiles at (517) 347-6733 or schedule an appointment online for a brighter smile consultation.