10 Tips for Whiter Teeth
Discolored teeth can make you look unhealthy or prematurely aged. Here are 10 good tips for keeping your teeth looking whiter and healthier. 1: Fake It with a Tan or Lipstick If you can’t get your teeth white, you can always try making them look whiter. Certain shades of lipstick as well as a tan can make your teeth look whiter by comparison. 2: Quit Smoking Cigarette smoke discolors your front teeth unevenly and quickly. These stains are hard to conceal, and though they respond to teeth whitening, they come back in a short time. Worse, smoking threatens your oral health, increasing the risk of gum disease and tooth loss. It even makes it up to 10 times more likely that dental implants will fail. 3: Stop Binge Drinking Drinking moderate amounts of alcohol daily can improve your overall health, but drinking too much can stain your teeth. Red wine and dark beer are obvious culprits for tooth staining, but even white wine and pale beer are acidic and can stain teeth, effects that worsen over long drinking sessions that can dehydrate you and thus reduce saliva production. Mixed drinks also contain staining compounds or highly acidic ingredients. And if you make yourself sick, stomach acid is very bad for your teeth. 4: Use a Straw When drinking acidic or staining beverages, you can drink them through a straw to reduce the contact they have with your teeth. 5: Rinse with Water Now, you’re not going to be drinking your hot coffee with a straw, but you can reduce the amount of staining if you rinse your mouth with water after finishing a cup of joe. This is also a good way to follow up a soda or any meal. It’s better than brushing right after eating, which can erode softened enamel. For maximum effectiveness, you can rinse right away, wait half an hour, then brush. 6: Finish Meals with Crunchy Fruits and Vegetables Crunchy fruits and vegetables can remove food particles clinging to your teeth. They can also help you produce more saliva, which helps neutralize acids from bacteria feeding on food. 7: Or Finish with Dairy Dairy can also help neutralize acid in your mouth. Milk is a natural buffer solution that helps keep the pH at a level where enamel won’t be damaged. Cheese and yogurt are even better. The bacteria cultures in them have been shown to reduce the activity of harmful bacteria in your mouth, resulting in reduced risk of cavities or gum disease. 8: Visit Your Dentist Regularly In addition to your regular daily oral hygiene, regular visits to your dentist can help keep your teeth clean. Your dentist will also give them a gentle but polish that can help them look whiter. 9: Skip OTC Whiteners Over-the-counter whitening products can be somewhat effective at whitening your teeth, but in general they don’t do a good job. Ill-fitting trays and strips that give incomplete coverage tend to whiten only part of your teeth, leaving yellowish stains at the margins. They also don’t do a good job of keeping the whiteners off your gums, which can lead to irritation and bleeding. 10: Get Professional Whitening If you are still unhappy with the color of your teeth, professional teeth whitening can help. In-office whitening is good for a start, but professional-strength take-home treatments give the best long-term results. If you want to whiten your teeth in Denver, please contact Ascent Dental in Cherry Creek.
Why Oral Hygiene Is Important
Oral hygiene is one of the most important things you can do for your health on a daily basis. It can have an impact not only on your oral health, but on your entire body. Oral Hygiene Can Prevent Periodontal Disease Periodontal disease is when your gums become infected. Bacteria start out clinging to the surface of your teeth, but if they can develop enough of a protective biofilm, what we describe as “plaque,” they can begin to grow colonies below your gum line. The plaque at the gum line can harden, making it impossible to remove with normal brushing and flossing, and this hardened plaque then becomes a protective shelter for bacteria to grow and develop more. Periodontal disease is accompanied by red, swollen, and bleeding gums. As bacteria grow into your gums, they attack the bone and ligaments that hold your teeth in place. You will notice your teeth starting to loosen. At this point, you are beyond the help of normal hygiene and you need to see a dentist. Periodontal disease is the leading cause of tooth loss in the US, but it also threatens your entire body. Effects of Gum Disease on Your Body Gum disease has been linked to many dangerous health conditions. Bacteria enter your bloodstream and spread throughout your body. There are studies linking periodontal disease with preterm delivery and low birth weight. Research suggests that periodontal disease can contribute to kidney failure, and that kidney problems also make periodontal disease worse. Periodontal disease has also been linked to heart disease and stroke. Weaker evidence even suggests a connection between gum disease and impaired lung function. Oral Hygiene Protects Your Teeth Oral hygiene can also help protect your teeth from cavities and their potentially deadly consequences. When a cavity progresses inside your tooth, resulting in an infected tooth nerve, what is called an abscessed tooth, the infection can spread to other parts of your body, such as your sinuses and even your brain. Thousands of people visit the emergency room and dozens die every year as a result of such infections. Don’t neglect your oral hygiene. Make sure you brush and floss at home. Make regular appointments with your dentist to ensure you are getting professional cleanings that can help keep your teeth and gums healthy. If you are overdue for a dental appointment, please contact Ascent Dental in the Cherry Creek area of Denver today.
We are finally moved!
5 years ago I started Ascent Dental from scratch with a vision. I selected a great space for that long term vision and began my journey. Fast forward 5 years and here we are, at a brand new facility. Why the move? My 5 year contract expired and renegotions began, unfortunately a deal was not reached. Life goes on. I found another great space and I started over with building a new practice at a new location. (not very far from the old location) This time I got to build it completely from the ground up and exactly how I wanted (the last space was retrofitted). My contractor did an amazing job with helping me get to this point and would like to thank her. (Jo Temmer – Northstar Construction). Be assured we will be here a while (as I signed a 10 year deal. Moving has not been fun (is it ever?), equipment has been minorly damaged and the stresses of construction / moving got between my office manager and I. (she resigned last week) All aside we are back up and running! I look forward to being in this office and treating you. I am assured you will find the new office an improvement and will enjoy it. Thank you for all your patientce. See you soon -Dr. Johnston Here are some pictures of the new space