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Keeping Your Teeth White this Winter

Cherrywood Dental • Jan 09, 2014
While our teeth are always at a risk of becoming stained, the winter is an especially dangerous time for enamel. Consider all the hot drinks you love to enjoy in the winter months – especially coffee, black tea, and hot chocolate (as well as glasses of red wine on the weekends!). All these drinks stain teeth deeply, particularly with repeated imbibing. Fortunately, there are ways to drink your favorite beverages without darkening your smile. Read on for some tips to help keep your grin bright.

Maintaining A White Smile

Adopt a few of the below steps when considering how to keep your teeth bright – they’ll help you maintain a gorgeous smile through the winter!
  • Use a straw when drinking. We know you may not feel completely normal sipping on a hot drink with a straw, but use one when you can – it will keep the dark liquid from washing over your teeth and staining the enamel.
  • Brush your teeth afterwards. Brushing your teeth after drinking will help remove external stains before they become internal. If the beverage was acidic (like cola), wait 30 minutes before brushing to avoid damaging your enamel. If you’re unable to brush…
  • Rinse with water or find another way to clean. Rinsing will remove staining particles, and eating raw fruits or vegetables will also help scrub away dark spots.
  • Floss regularly. Stains will stick to plaque. Bacteria commonly gather between your teeth, and brushing won’t get rid of it. Only flossing will clean them adequately.

Whitening Stained Teeth

Once your teeth have become stained or yellowed, there are still steps you can take to reverse the effects. In-office whitening will brighten your smile in a single appointment, and home whitening will offer more gradual results. If you’d like to learn more about your whitening options, simply get in touch with our office!
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