A dazzling smile with a set of white teeth gives you a confidence boost. However, achieving clean and white teeth without professional teeth whitening treatments can be challenging, especially when daily habits such as drinking coffee can easily lead to teeth discolouration. However, with proper dental care and healthy practices, you can effortlessly maintain a beautiful set of teeth. We share with you some tips for preventing tooth discolouration.
1. Always rinse your mouth after meals
Rinsing your mouth with water within 30 minutes of eating or drinking, especially stain-causing foods and drinks, can prevent stains from setting in on your teeth. Even drinking water or milk will help displace food particles and reduce discolouration.
2. Strengthen enamel with a healthy diet
Strong enamel helps to protect your teeth from acid erosion and prevent discolouration. In order to keep your teeth enamel strong, you’ll need to consume a diet rich in calcium, phosphorus, and vitamins A, C, D, and K. Here’s what you can include in your meals to ensure you get these nutrients.
- Dairy: Cheese and milk
- Green leafy vegetables: Spinach and broccoli
- Canned fish: Sardine or salmon
- Fortified cereals: Corn flakes and muesli
- Nuts: Almonds
3. Follow a good dental hygiene routine
A strong enamel alone is insufficient to protect your teeth from stains. You should adhere to a good dental hygiene routine every day to keep your teeth clean. Here’s what to do:
- Brush your teeth twice a day—once in the morning and once before bed. The total time you spend brushing your teeth should take up two minutes, spending 30 seconds in each quadrant of your mouth. Aim for your gums and be sure to cover all the surfaces.
- Floss between all of your teeth at least once a day, preferably before heading to bed. Flossing helps to clean out particles of food and loosen plaque, so it should be done before brushing to help effectively clean your teeth.
- Rinse your mouth with a mouthwash once a day after brushing and flossing. This helps to clear out the remaining food particles, germs, and bacteria that brushing and flossing may have missed.
4. Avoid foods that stain your teeth
Stain-causing foods can make it harder for you to maintain cleaner and whiter teeth. Limit your consumption of these items, such as coffee, tea, red wine, fruit juices, and curry, to prevent staining or discolouration. If you can’t avoid these foods, rinse your mouth after eating or drinking, or drink with a straw to minimise their contact with your teeth.
5. Routine dental scaling and polishing or teeth whitening
Dental scaling and polishing isn’t designed to whiten your teeth, but you can opt for dental teeth whitening procedures if you’d like to lighten the shade of your teeth. Otherwise, regular scaling and polishing can remove surface stains caused by coffee, tea, and smoking to help make your teeth look whiter.
Want to achieve cleaner and brighter teeth for a more confident smile? Professional teeth whitening treatments can help.
Brightside Dental is the first dental clinic in Singapore that provides safe, effective, and affordable teeth whitening treatments. Kickstart your journey to a more beautiful smile today.
