Ever wonder why some people possess a beautiful smile while others try but can never achieve the same result? The secrets to a great smile are simple that every one of you can do to have a brighter and better smile.
Take a little extra time to give your teeth the care they deserve
It takes two to three minutes to adequately brush your teeth but most people spend less than 30 seconds brushing?
So why is brushing this long so important? It all has to do with bacteria. Millions of bacteria live, work, and play in your mouth. They feed on food left on your teeth after you eat. Acid is a by-product of this bacterial feasting and it is this acid which destroys enamel creating cavities.
Brushing removes bacteria from your teeth so they can no longer make acid. It is important to remove bacteria from all tooth surfaces and this takes two to three minutes.
Do a little flossing. It just might save your teeth
You’ve probably heard that you need to floss at least once a day. But has anyone ever told you why? It all has to do with bacteria again. These crafty critters like to hide between teeth to escape your toothbrush. Here they continue to feed on food in between your teeth and produce cavity causing acid.
If allowed to remain for a long time, the bacteria invade and destroy gum tissue as well as the bones and ligaments which support your teeth. Flossing removes these bacteria from between your teeth so they can no longer cause problems.
It’s not just the candy that is dangerous to your smile
Many foods other than candy promote tooth decay. Bacteria feed on the sugar of candy creating cavity causing acid. Bacteria not only use candy to create acid but can also use any food which contains sugars and other carbohydrates. This includes fruits, peanut butter, crackers, potato chips, popcorn, and other foods.
Especially harmful can be foods like raisins and peanut butter that stick to your teeth where they provide a constant source of energy for bacteria.
Brushing and flossing after meals helps by removing both the bacteria and the left over food particles which the bacteria feast on. If you can’t brush after meals, try to wash food down with liquids so that less food remains on your teeth. Chewing sugarless gum also helps because this stimulates saliva flow and saliva acts as a natural plaque fighting substance.
Stop brushing so hard
Nearly two out of three people damage their own teeth by brushing too hard! It takes very little pressure to remove bacteria, food, and plaque. Most people apply three to four times the necessary brushing pressure causing damage to your teeth and gums. This damage includes: receding gums, sensitive teeth, notched teeth, and root cavities.
Reduce your dependency on coffee
Coffee is one of the most dangerous threats to your smile as it stains your teeth destroying your white smile. Most people sip coffee throughout the day, providing bacteria with a constant source of sugar from which to produce cavity causing acid.
Coffee can cause small fractures in teeth called crazes. These occur when your teeth are forced to expand and contract as a result of being exposed to hot foods or liquids. These hot and cold cycles occur when you drink hot coffee. Over a prolonged period of time, this will create crazes in your teeth.
Foods that can destroy your White Smile
Everyone is born with a natural white smile but over time your white smile fades. The foods you eat attack your white smiles on a daily basis. Your teeth are covered with a clear colorless layer of protein known as the pellicle. Food sticks to this protein pellicle, staining your beautiful, white smiles.
Especially damaging are:
- Foods like soy sauce, berries, curry, coffee, red wine, and tea. These foods easily stain teeth.
- Extremely hot or cold liquids. These are dangerous to your white smile because they change the temperature of your teeth. This temperature change (hot and cold cycling) causes teeth to expand and contract, allowing stains to penetrate your teeth.
Try cutting down on these types of drinks (including coffee and tea) or try drinking them with a straw to reduce the amount of time they are in contact with your teeth.
- Acidic foods. These foods open up the pores of your tooth enamel allowing stains to more easily get into your teeth.
- Tobacco. This is one of the biggest culprits in ruining white smiles. Tobacco quickly stains teeth yellow.
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