Showing off a whiter smile has, in recent years, become something that a lot of people have coveted. We tend to be drawn towards people who smile, as they seem more approachable. Not to mention that our smile plays a big part in our self-esteem.
As a result, cosmetic dental services, namely teeth whitening, have increased in popularity. There are multiple avenues that you can take to enhance the aesthetics of your smile, including in-house whitening with a dentist near you, or through DIY treatments that you can purchase at a pharmacy.
Here at our local dental practice, we provide teeth whitening in Downtown Calgary. If you’re curious to learn more, please come in and speak with one of our staff members today!
Why Do Our Teeth Become Discolored?
To begin, it’s good to remember that our smiles are not naturally a flawless shade of white; instead, the color of our teeth can resemble anything ranging from a light yellow-grey to duller ivory. On top of that, smile discoloration is not an uncommon phenomenon. Over time, our teeth will start to darken, due to a number of factors and lifestyle habits.
The most notorious culprits that cause our smiles to stain are:
- Certain food and drinks like tomato sauces, and red wine.
- Aging.
- Genetics.
- Smoking.
- Oral trauma.
- An infection.
Are you dealing with any of these things? If so, teeth whitening may be an option for you! For more information, reach out to our dentist in downtown Calgary. They’ll encourage you to come in for a one-on-one consultation where they can examine your teeth and gums; this allows them to establish a good understanding of your dental hygiene. They’ll also discuss your treatment preferences with you. At the end of the appointment, they’ll be able to let you know if you are an ideal candidate for teeth whitening.
Ways to Brighten Your Teeth
Dentists will always recommend that you receive in-office teeth whitening because it’s the safest, most reliable way to obtain the smile you’ve always wanted. However, this can be a costly treatment.
So, if you’re not completely sold on professional teeth bleaching, here is a list of some tricks you can do to help your teeth appear brighter and stay healthy.
1) Use whitening toothpaste.
Whitening toothpaste contains many ingredients that are known to scrub stains from your teeth, including hydrogen peroxide (a chemical that’s routinely used in dental clinics during professional whitening), activated charcoal, baking soda, and mild abrasives like calcium carbonate.
You’ll most likely have to use the toothpaste several times before you notice visible improvement since this product is best at removing surface-level discoloration as opposed to deep-sedated stains.
2) Change up your diet.
It’s pretty much common knowledge that certain foods and drinks tend to stain your teeth more than others. Balsamic vinegar, fruit juice, curry, coffee, tea, and soda are just a few noteworthy examples. By consuming less of these things, your teeth can begin to brighten. If you do still want to keep them in your diet – and that’s perfectly alright – rinse your mouth out afterward.
3) Eat less sugar.
Sugary foods, despite not being the healthiest thing for us, are delicious and it’s okay to eat these products now and then. But, if you’re wanting to brighten your smile, it may be a good idea to limit the amount of sugar you consume.
When we eat or drink something sugary, that sugar interacts with the naturally present bacteria in our mouths to create an acid. In turn, this acid can erode our enamel, causing our smiles to look yellow.
So, stick to eating foods with less sugar and that will help clean your teeth at the same time. Examples are crunchy fruit and veggies like apples and carrots and consuming more dairy products like milk and cheese.
4) Practice good oral hygiene.
Brushing and flossing after each meal are arguably one of the easiest things you can do to preserve the health of your smile but help it shine brighter too. Be sure to brush the top and bottom of your mouth and your tongue too!
Maintaining good oral hygiene means that fewer bacteria will gather in your mouth and there’s less opportunity for gum disease or infections to manifest, which can also cause smile discoloration.
Come into Bow Valley Dental Today!
Are you ready to receive treatment for teeth whitening near you? At Bow Valley Dental, we’re here to assist you with all your dental endeavors. Our staff is excited to work with you! Give us a call, send us an email, or drop by our physical location to set up an appointment at a time that works well for you.