We all know the health of your teeth and gum is crucially important…but what about aesthetics? Can we keep our teeth whiter without opting for an expensive procedure at the dentist?  We are going to look at ways to reduce staining on teeth so you can keep your pearly whites looking their best for longer.

There are a few little known dentist tips and tricks we can divulge to you, as well as daily dental care habits that don’t take up too much time or money. There are many reasons why teeth can appear yellower than normal from time to time and the best person to let you know the circumstances about your teeth is a dental professional. But for today let’s focus on our diet and how it affects our teeth. 

Think of a pristine white restaurant tablecloth, if what you are eating and drinking would leave a stain on a tablecloth, it will most likely effect your teeth. Coffee and red wine seem to be the main culprits, but the good news is you can do something about it. 

So why does this stain happen? Your teeth have a permanent invisible sticky coating of proteins on them, much like double sided tape. This is how plaque and food stains get trapped to your teeth.

So what can I do?

- Lightly swish some water after your coffee and red wine to help dilute the amount of staining material in the mouth

-Brush your teeth lightly 30 mins after eating or drinking something to help them look whiter again. Brushing earlier than that can damage your enamel, as when we eat the pH of our mouth drops temporarily making it more acidic, its best not to brush the higher pH directly into your enamel.

-Whiten them using an in chair or take-home whitening system provided by a dental professional. These systems contain different concentrations of hydrogen peroxide which break up the stains in the dental plaque and on the surface of your natural teeth. Most systems can get your teeth 1 – 2 shades lighter, which is more than enough to refreshen your smile, keeping it natural.

-Ensure you're using a tri-action toothpaste which not only looks after the health of your teeth, but also effectively whitens.

-Okay, you can try drink your coffee through a straw. It isn’t scientifically proven; however it may prevent the coffee swishing over your front teeth as much. Anecdotally some people swear by it!

-Schedule a professional dental clean two times per year. This will help to remove any plaque, tartar or stain sitting on the teeth that is giving the illusion that they look yellower than they are. Once you have had a professional clean, you can maintain the results by engaging in brushing for 2 mins twice daily, followed by flossing and mouth rinsing. Our professionals recommend products such as Dsmile as they contain gentle whitening ingredients and help to keep your enamel strong.

As you can see, there are lots of things you can do at home to ensure that your teeth stay as white as they can for as long as possible. Whilst there is always the whitening treatment with your dentist available, it's best to treat and prevent yellow teeth at home as best you can. Find our whitening toothpaste here and tell us what you think!