There are teeth-whitening secrets that lie in the comfort of your own home. Your pearly white teeth lose their lustre as the years go by. Don’t sit back and just let it happen. You can do certain things at home to preserve the colour of your teeth. DIY home remedies help whiten teeth and avoid certain foods to prevent staining.
What causes teeth discoloration?
According to our dental clinic in Newmarket, there are three categories of teeth discoloration.
Extrinsic
It is the staining of the outer layer of the teeth or the enamel. Smoking, coffee, wine, berries, and tomato sauce can cause this.
Intrinsic
It is the darkening of the inner teeth structure or the dentin. Too much exposure to fluoride and tetracycline antibiotics during childhood can affect this. Darkening of the dentin can also come from trauma to the developing permanent teeth. Trauma can come from a fall during childhood. Another effect of trauma is internal bleeding, which can also discolour the teeth.
Age
You will get age if you combine extrinsic and intrinsic factors causing discoloration. Dentin naturally turns yellowish over time. The enamel covering the teeth wears away as people age. The thinning away of the enamel can show the dentin under it.
Teeth whitening secrets at home
Here are five teeth-whitening secrets that you wish you had known before.
DIY teeth whitening
It includes teeth whitening kits, strips, toothpaste, and rinses. You can buy the products at grocery shops or drugstores.
A teeth whitening kit contains bleach, known as carbamide peroxide. It removes both deep-rooted stains and surface stains.
Teeth-whitening strips also remove teeth stains. Peroxide-based whitening gel coats these strips. You wear them for a few minutes daily for a week or more. The results are visible within a few days and last a year.
Over-the-counter toothpaste is a powerful instrument for teeth whitening as well. The toothpaste contains polishing agents that remove stains without changing the natural teeth’ colour.
You can consult our dentists in Newmarket for trusted brands they can recommend.
Natural whitening
Cauliflower, apples, celery, carrots, milk, and cheese helps whiten the teeth naturally. Eating oranges and pineapples increases saliva production. It is what washes the teeth clean. Eat them in moderation because too much acidity from these fruits can damage the teeth.
Sugarless gum
One of the Teeth whitening secrets you didn’t know is that chewing sugarless gum cleans the teeth. It also increases saliva production.
Smoking doesn’t help
Smoking causes teeth discoloration and staining. Tobacco causes the formation of brown stains on the teeth’s enamel. Brushing doesn’t remove this easily.
Avoid certain foods and drinks
Food and drinks cause discoloration of the teeth; they develop as people age. Avoid dark sodas, tea, red wine, and coffee. Certain fruits also stain teeth, like berries. According to our dentists at the dental clinic in Newmarket, you can prevent staining by brushing immediately after eating them.