Smiling with extra confidence is easy when your teeth are brilliantly white. However, keeping them pristine can seem challenging. Along with regularly visiting your dentist for teeth cleaning, you can maintain a blemish-free smile by practicing the dental care techniques listed below.

What Helps Ensure a Brighter Smile?

1. Use a Whitening Toothpaste

Whitening toothpaste, such as that formulated with baking soda, removes surface stains from teeth. When using it, refrain from scrubbing your teeth too hard to protect the enamel. This protective layer shields the underlying material and is responsible for a tooth’s white color. 

Before brushing with any whitening product, however, consult your dentist to determine which will work best for you. You should also visit them twice a year for deep teeth cleanings that remove surface stains for a whiter smile. 

2. Limit Intake of Staining Foods and Drinks

Many foods and drinks stain teeth because they contain dark pigment and tannin content. These include beets, dark berries, red wine, coffee, and tea. Acidic foods, like citrus fruits, can also wear away the enamel and cause discoloration. 

If you consume something with staining agents, rinse your mouth with water. With acidic foods and beverages, wait 30 minutes to brush your teeth to protect the enamel.

The easiest way to limit stains is by sticking to cheese, fish, chicken, rice, light-colored fruits and vegetables, and pasta. These items will help you maintain a bright grin, especially after visiting a dentist for a teeth cleaning and whitening treatment. 

3. Avoid Tobacco Products

Tobacco penetrates enamel pits and grooves, making it challenging to remove the yellow and brown stains that result from use. Products with this ingredient also irritate gum tissue. As a result, they heighten the risk of gingivitis and periodontal disease. They also cause bad breath and increase vulnerability to oral and throat cancers. 

In addition to helping you maintain a white smile, abstaining from tobacco products supports dental and overall health. If you need assistance quitting, consider using lozenge, gum, and patch options as temporary measures. 

For teeth cleaning and whitening services that brighten your smile, contact Gleason Dental Clinic in Beatrice, NE. This family-owned practice serves patients of all ages and features three dentists on staff. Along with teeth whitening procedures, they can help you maintain your smile with treatments such as crowns, bridges, and tooth reshaping and bonding. Call (402) 228-3119 today to make an appointment, or visit the practice online for more on their dental services.