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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

Like many people who need to lose a few pounds, I try diet after diet in an attempt to find one that finally works for me. I learned the hard way that I need to make sure any diet will not harm my teeth, even if it does help me lose a few pounds. I learned this lesson when following a grapefruit diet. There are many versions of this, but the version I tried had me eat a grapefruit alone several times each day. It was supposed to suppress my appetite. I helped keep me from munching on unhealthy snacks, but the acid in the fruit took a toll on my tooth enamel and I quickly started getting lots of cavities. I created this blog to remind people that change up their diets often to make sure the foods they are eating are not harming their teeth.

5 Tips To Prevent And Reduce Tooth Discoloration And Staining

22 August 2017
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

A bright white smile is considered attractive by most people, but a number of every day things can lead to teeth stains and discoloration. Luckily, there are several things that you can do to help prevent or reduce staining and discoloration. If you want to maintain a beautiful white smile, use the following tips:

Make it a Point to Brush After Every Meal

Things like coffee, tea, wine, soda, soy sauce, and tomatoes can all cause teeth stains and discoloration. While these items are well-known for being staining, the build up of any food debris on the teeth can lead to discoloration over time. Your best bet to keep your teeth white is to brush your teeth after every meal. When brushing, make sure you use a circular motion as opposed to a back and forth brushing motion.

When brushing after a meal is not possible, at least rinse your mouth with water. Swishing water in your mouth after a meal can help remove any staining compounds that may be on the surface of your teeth.

Improve Your Brushing Technique

In addition to staining foods and beverages, plaque build up can also lead to staining and tooth discoloration. An easy thing to do is ask your dentist for a disclosing solution to use at home. This solution is non-toxic and is designed to make plaque build up visible and easy to see. Using a disclosing solution can help you see where there is plaque build up so you can improve your brushing technique.

Use the Right Mouthwash

If you want your mouthwash to be as beneficial as possible, use a brand that is advertised as being anti-bacterial. An antibacterial mouthwash can help prevent plaque from building up more effectively than other types of mouthwashes. In addition, you may want to consider using a a whitening mouthwash.

Drink Through a Straw

If you're a fan of drinking staining beverages, try to drink them through a straw as often as possible. Using a straw while drinking staining beverages will help ensure that the beverage does not come in contact with the front surface of your teeth. It may feel odd to drink coffee or red wine through a straw, but it is worth it to keep your teeth bright.

Switch to a Whitening Toothpaste 

In this day and age, there are a number of whitening toothpastes available. While they do not have the same results as a professional whitening treatments, the peroxide in whitening toothpastes can help lighten surface stains and prevent discoloration. 

Contact a dental service for more help.