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Tricks for Whiter Teeth

Your smile is your most attractive accessory. Clean, white teeth can brighten up your face and project a healthy, youthful appearance. Whether you opt for professional dental bleaching or just need to whiten your teeth for a special event, these tips and tricks will help to give you the beautiful smile you want.

  1. Avoid Foods and Drinks That Stain Teeth

    • Your teeth are porous and will absorb the colors of foods and drinks that you consume. Foods that are particularly prone to staining your teeth include red wine, coffee, tea, soft drinks and candy. These foods all contain natural and artificial colorants that can penetrate your teeth, causing discoloration and a dulled appearance. For deeply pigmented drinks such as grape or cranberry juice, use a straw to help the fluid pass over the teeth. Your best option is to avoid these foods and drinks altogether, however, if you can't remove these entirely from your diet be sure to brush immediately after eating. Dentist Dr. Levine, recommends "brushing immediately after drinking a stain-producing beverage so that it doesn't have a chance to set into the tooth's molecules."

    Whiten at Home

    • If your teeth are already showing the signs of staining and discoloration, invest in a good quality whitening toothpaste.There are many toothpastes on the market designed to exfoliate the tooth's surface and scrub away stains by using gentle abrasion and dental bleaches. Use these whitening pastes daily as you would regular toothpaste to remove older stains as well as to prevent new stains from forming. For more dramatic results, consider a home bleaching kit. You can purchase strips or trays that use bleaching gels to lift stains and whiten teeth. According to Debra Glassman, D.D.S., a cosmetic dentist in New York City, "bleaching methods use peroxide--whether in gel, strip, or liquid form--to dissolve surface stains to whiten teeth." Most kits cost under $50 and can be purchased from your local pharmacy.

    Cosmetic Tricks

    • If you have a special event to attend or an important meeting where your appearance is key, you may choose to use some cosmetic tricks to enhance your smile. Use a sunless tanning product to subtly tan your skin. A bronzed face will create a greater contrast between your skin and your smile, which will produce the illusion of whiter teeth. Another option is to apply a blue-based lipstick. According to Pia Lieb, D.D.S., a cosmetic dentist in New York City, "warm colors (yellow, orange, brown, warm shades of red) worn close to your mouth will only bring out the yellow in your teeth," so opt for blue-hued reds and pinks to make teeth look whiter.

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