Measures You Can Take To Whiten Your Teeth

If your teeth are discolored, you may feel self-conscious about your appearance. Often, yellow or stained teeth are not considered as attractive as teeth that are pearly white.

Still, there are measures that you can take to whiten your teeth. Here are a few of them:

Keep a Water Bottle Handy for Rinsing

Water can help dilute food-based stains to prevent their absorption by the tooth enamel. As you eat or drink, the colored compounds within the items that you ingest can become trapped within the pores of your teeth. The longer the pigments are allowed to remain in place, the greater the degree of the staining is likely to be. 

Instead of permitting the residue from dark-colored foods and drinks to rest on the teeth, rinse the mouth immediately following the ingestion of deeply hued items, such as coffee, blackberries, or tea. 

Use a Whitening Mouthwash

Some mouthwash contains hydrogen peroxide to help remove dental stain; these whitening mouth rinses can be used as any other mouthwash. After you brush and floss, you simply swish the whitening solution around in your mouth for the recommended amount of time. 

Many whitening mouthwashes should be left in place for about 30 minutes after you spit; thus, the instructions may suggest that you avoid eating and drinking for about half an hour after using one of these specialized rinses.

Try an Over-the-counter Whitening Kit

Teeth-whitening kits allow consumers to safely whiten their teeth at home. The kits, which include a peroxide-based product and an applicator, can often be purchased at local drugstores without a prescription from a dentist or a doctor. 

To whiten your teeth with a kit, you apply the product to your teeth for the recommended period before rinsing it away. Many kits make the application process easier by including a small brush to paint the product onto the teeth, a mouth tray to hold the product in place, or coated strips that cover the teeth for the allotted time.

Although whitening kits are generally considered safe when used as directed, the abuse of a kit can result in chronic dental sensitivity. 

Brush With a Whitening Toothpaste

Some toothpaste products include whiteners, such as baking soda. These whiteners are actually tooth polishers that gently scrub surface stains from the teeth. A whitening toothpaste may not efficiently remove deep dental stains; however, it can help prevent new discoloration from forming.

To have your teeth professionally whitened, schedule a consultation with a dentist in your local area.


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