Have your pearly whites lost their luster because of dingy gray or yellow stains? Stained teeth can occur as we age, but some common foods, drinks, and even mouthwashes can stain teeth.
It is important to note that you should avoid taking drinks that contain acid, sugar, or both, as this can cause teeth staining and tooth decay in the long run.
When you have aligners ,thankfully, you can always easily remove them and after taking your sweet drinks, clean your teeth, and place your aligners back on, thus maintaining the whiteness of your teeth.
As we age, the outer layer of tooth enamel wears away. The underlying layer, called dentin, is yellower. That’s why it’s important to try to avoid staining teeth in the first place, especially after whitening. If you take care with foods and drinks that discolor teeth, the results of whitening may last up to one year. Whitening teeth too often could make them look translucent and blue, so you’ll want to maintain your new smile.
There are even some old-fashioned remedies you can try. Tooth-whitening products available on drugstore shelves use mild bleach to brighten yellow teeth. Toothpastes use abrasives and chemicals to remove surface stains. For deep stains, you may need a dentist’s help.
Which Foods are Best for Teeth and Gum Health?
Some of the best foods for healthy teeth are fresh fruits and veggies because of their high nutritional value and added teeth cleaning benefits. Then, there’s calcium-rich foods, such as low-fat or fat-free milk, yogurt and cheese, fortified soy drinks, tofu, canned salmon, almonds and dark green leafy vegetables that help promote strong teeth and bones. Chewing on crunchy foods gets the saliva going, which along with water, helps to wash away plaque causing bacteria and food particles.
When you eat these foods while wearing traditional braces, you risk breaking the brackets or damaging wires of the braces. If you cannot live with the food restrictions attached to traditional braces, just opt for invisible aligners which give you the liberty to eat what you like.
Many vegetables are good for teeth because they require a lot of chewing to clean teeth surfaces. Crunchy, firm foods that contain lots of water are great natural teeth cleaners because they stimulate the flow of saliva, which helps to scrub away food particles and bacteria. These fresh crunchy veggies are usually also packed with some of the most important minerals and vitamins for your mouth. Carrots contain lots of vitamin C, calcium and keratins which all offer dental benefits. Eating fresh carrots also helps to clean your teeth – like a natural toothbrush.
If you like to snack, choose something that is healthy like fruit or vegetables or a piece of cheese. Foods that are eaten as part of a meal cause less harm to teeth than eating lots of snacks throughout the day, because more saliva is released during a meal.
Here’s to healthy eating for healthy teeth!
Invisible Aligners for Teeth
Everybody wants a great smile, but a lot of us need help getting there. More and more people are having success with clear orthodontic devices called aligners.
The trays of invisible aligners that are used to help straighten your teeth are made of a thin transparent digitally designed thermoplastic material. You can put them on your teeth and people will barely notice you have anything on.
Braces on the other hand are very conspicuous. Even though more discreet options have been created (like braces that go behind the teeth, braces that are tooth-colored, etc.), other parts that make the braces still remain visible (like the wires). Braces are quite unsightly, no matter how you choose to look at them.
Once a dentist or orthodontist decides how to correct your bite, they’ll make a plan for moving your teeth. If you get the clear aligners, you’ll be fitted for several versions that make slight adjustments to move your teeth over the treatment time.
They’re made from a clear plastic or acrylic material and fit tightly over the teeth, but can be removed for eating, brushing, and flossing. You’ll get a new aligner every few weeks to continue moving the teeth into the desired position.
As expected, since the trays of the invisible aligners will be mounting pressure on your teeth in order to put them in their proper places, you will initially feel a certain amount of discomfort.
However, with time, this discomfort soon disappears as you get accustomed to the trays. The pressure braces mount on your teeth is more than that of invisible aligners. As a result, invisible aligners come with a higher level of comfort compared to braces.