1. Stains and Discoloration on Your Pearly Whites
Enamel covers and protects your teeth, giving them that pretty, white look. However, enamel is porous, so stains gradually accumulate within the enamel and cause yellowing. As you age, your enamel becomes more porous, so your teeth become more prone to staining. Red wine, coffee, tea and soda can all discolor your teeth. In addition, cigarette smoke and some antibiotics, such as tetracycline, can stain your teeth brown or dark yellow.
2. Get Them Whiter at Home
There are many teeth whitening products on the market. Some options are teeth bleaching implements prescribed by your dentist and worn over the teeth. While these prescriptions may be expensive, they tend to work better than most "at home" options. You can also purchase whitening strips, such as Crest White Strips. These take longer to work, but they're cheaper than the other options and are good if you only want to whiten your teeth slightly. Make sure any product you use has the ADA seal or the approval of the American Dental Association.
3. Whitening in a Tube
Most toothpastes now contain whitening ingredients to help you remove daily stains from your teeth. These whitening toothpastes don't work well on permanent stains though, and at best can only lighten your teeth about one shade. In addition, it is possible to excessively brush your teeth, causing more damage to your enamel and more stains in the long term. One cheap option is brushing your teeth with basic baking soda. Baking soda does have bleaching qualities and many people report it whitens their teeth.
4. Teeth Whitening at the Dentist
Your dentist can whiten your teeth for you. This process can offer dramatic results. Usually, your dentist places a gel on your teeth and sets up a special light that activates the gel. Over 30 to 60 minutes, the combination of the gel and the light whitens your teeth. Your dentist may also use a laser. Some dentists will whiten your teeth over 3 or 4 sessions. However, this process is expensive, rarely covered by insurance companies and many people report their teeth are more sensitive after the procedure. If the staining is extremely bad, your dentist may suggest veneers.
5. Maintaining a Whiter Smile
You've gone to all the trouble and expense of whitening your teeth, now you must maintain them. Avoid teeth staining culprits like red wine, teas, coffees and sodas, especially while the whitening process is proceeding. If that's not possible, use a straw while drinking teas and sodas. If smoking stained your teeth, consider quitting. In addition, make sure you're brushing and flossing after every meal. Get your teeth professionally cleaned every six months. Carry a travel toothbrush when you're out so that you can brush immediately after ingesting anything that might stain your teeth.
