Your teeth are important to your overall dental health. Your permanent teeth should be attended to throughout your life, as they are the last set of teeth you will have. While professionally whitening your teeth is always a great way to keep your smile fresh, there are things you can be doing at home to maintain a healthy smile. Follow these tips for a whiter, healthier, and all around better smile.
Drink Plenty of Water
Water is essential to good health. It is essential that we drink enough water for many reasons, one of which is saliva production. This substance protects our teeth from bacteria, flushing away cavity causing agents. In addition to this, get into the habit of drinking a glass of water after every meal. This will rinse away acids, bacteria, and other elements that are a potential threat to your teeth.
Chewing Gum
While sugary gums are bad for our teeth, sugarless gum can be beneficial, helping to keep your teeth clean. As we get older, our mouth’s ability to produce saliva diminishes. This can lead to tooth decay if nothing is done to prevent it. By chewing sugarless gum, you can stimulate the production of saliva, protecting your teeth from decay.
Avoid Damaging Drinks
We often think about our diet in terms of the foods we eat, but what about the drinks we consume? Not only do some of these drinks have high concentrations of sugar and calories, their coloring and acidic composition can be dangerous to your teeth. Those who drink coffee, red wine, tea, and certain energy drinks will eventually start to notice stains on their teeth. Either cut down on these beverages or instead drink them through a straw to better protect your teeth from damage.
Raw Vegetables
Vegetables are good for our health for a number of reasons. As opposed to fruits, most vegetables are low in sugar. When raw, these foods can act as a scrub against your teeth, cleansing and removing harmful stains and plaque. Find some vegetables that you like and can incorporate into your daily diet for healthier teeth.
There are many changes you can make in your life for a healthier whiter smile, and these are just a few. Make sure you take part in the changes now that will make an impact in your dental health over time. By doing this, you will have less trouble down the road in keeping and maintaining a healthy smile.