How to keep white teeth

Over the years, white teeth seem impossible mission. And although we all know that the smile is losing whiteness over time there are ways to protect it that, according to experts, go through to understand what obscure it.

The doctor in dentistry Elias Casals, explains that the teeth darken and stain because “they are porous structures that absorb any element that can dye them.”

Coffee, tobacco, wine, black licorice, any drink that can dye or have dyes like some teas and cola. There are many things that darken the tooth little by little so avoiding abuse of these products is a start, but there are other simple ways to protect them and keep the smile white.

Brush your teeth as much as possible

The ideal is after each meal, because brushing and toothpaste control the increase in porosity and make it more resistant.

For a proper cleaning it is very important to choose the good toothbrush. It should be soft, as advised by the American Dental Association (ADA), and of a suitable size so that it fits well in the mouth and we can brush all areas well.

Avoid foods that degrade the enamel

The acidity is what can hurt the most teeth and products such as vinegar, orange juice or lemon or carbonated drinks, although they seem sweet, they are acids that will make the tooth more porous , less smooth and with more spots.

The time of exposure to these products also counts: It is not the same to drink a drink a soda than to be half an hour sipping, to more exposure with acidity, more damage.

Avoid home remedies

We have all heard about the bleaching capacity of homemade blends made with lemon or bicarbonate, but they are not the best option.

When we apply something very acidic or with a very high wear capacity such as bicarbonate, what we are doing is removing a superficial layer of the tooth, the enamel.

For that reason, although it seems that we are whitening them, the reality is that we are unprotected it and making it more sensitive, we must be careful.

Whiteners

There are two ways to make teeth look healthier, according to the ADA.

One of them is to bleach them with products that contain carbide peroxide, the only product that lightens the teeth without subsequent harmful effect. These products, which are sold and applied in dentists’ offices, are the only ones that really change the color of the tooth.

The other option does not actually bleach. They are toothpastes with “bleach” effect, which -explain from the ADA- contain chemical agents that polish the tooth and eliminate stains.