1. Do Not Believe in Toothpaste Fads!
Stay away from charcoal and lemon flavoured toothpaste. Believe it or not, these are both made by a reputable toothpaste brand – the problem is, these substances have been proven to be abrasive to your tooth enamel. This means that although they may remove a minor stain, they will also damage your teeth at the same time. Sadly, most of the whitening toothpastes do not work. They, at most, contain around 3% hydrogen peroxide (a whitening ingredient) – these concentrations and the amount of time they are in contact with your teeth, is not sufficient enough to whiten your teeth. They may be helpful at removing mild surface stains, but if you want to remove deeper stains, then please talk to your dentist about other options.
2. Limit Sugars
Bacteria love sugar! They will eat this, and produce strong acids, which will cause tooth decay and erosion.
Sadly, many food products have sugar in them – so take care to read the label, and be careful of ‘low fat’ foods, as these often contain more sugar, to replace the fat.
3. Do Not Brush Hard
Brushing too hard will wear away the surface (enamel) of your teeth – this actually makes your teeth appear more yellow!
In the same vein, using a hard toothbrush will also eventually do the same damage.
So nowadays, we advise using a soft toothbrush, and brushing for no more than 2 mins, twice a day.
4. Visit Your Dentist for the Best Results
We can help decide what whitening product is right for you. If you have lots of fillings, and crowns, then we can explore other methods to help brighten that smile. With modern technology you can even have a look at what your smile will look like. If this is something you are interested in please speak to your dentist at your next visit or enquire about our ‘smile makeover’ ebook.
