There are only a few things as powerful as a smile. Smiles can bring surprising health and social benefits to their wearer, improving their mood and setting a great first impression. That said, every healthy and perfect smile always comes with a set of pearly whites. In this article, you’ll learn how to improve the appearance and health of your teeth, consequently improving your smile’s quality.
1. Practice Good Oral Hygiene
The first step to a better smile is good oral hygiene. Not only can it help you prevent oral problems in the long run, but it also helps keep your teeth clean. By brushing your teeth at least twice daily, you remove food debris, surface stains, and plaque for cleaner teeth and fresher breath.
Even if you thoroughly brush your teeth, there will be areas your toothbrush can’t reach. In this case, flossing comes in handy. Flossing or using a specialized interdental brush can help remove plaques between teeth and from under the gumlines. This helps prevent plaque buildup, tooth decay, and other serious dental issues that could lead to tooth loss, which won’t help your smile.
2. Visit Your Dentist Regularly
In addition to keeping up with your oral hygiene, you’d also want to visit your dentist at least twice a year. Regular dental checkups serve as preventive care that helps maintain your oral health and improve your smile as you age.
Your dentist can provide professional teeth cleaning that removes stubborn stains and plaque. They can also point out potential oral concerns and offer advice on how to fix them.
And when dental issues are detected, make sure to get the right treatment promptly. Keep in mind that dental problems won’t correct on their own. Small tooth decay can easily transform into a cavity and become a large tooth abscess if left untreated. They may also cause further damage to neighboring teeth and affect your overall smile. So, where a tiny filling would have solved the problem, you may have to undergo a more expensive and comprehensive treatment such as a root canal or tooth extraction.
3. Straighten Crooked Teeth
Crooked teeth are one of the most significant issues that affect your smile. While not everyone is born with a perfectly aligned tooth, modern dentistry offers several ways to fix crooked or misaligned teeth.
In general, you can straighten your teeth with braces treatment. Traditional braces involve metal braces with metal brackets and archwire that slowly correct and reposition misaligned teeth within months or years, depending on your case.
That said, if you don’t want noticeable braces on your teeth, there’s another growingly popular option–Invisalign braces. Unlike traditional braces, Invisalign is removable and transparent. Using a series of removable aligners custom-made for your teeth, Invisalign braces can gradually move your teeth to alignment. Regardless of what you choose, braces can help in fixing crooked teeth, so you don’t have to feel self-conscious when smiling or avoid social situations.
4. Change Certain Habits
Certain habits can affect your teeth and smile. For instance, smoking causes ugly stains on your teeth. While the stains from tobacco smoke can be superficial and polished off when you go to the dentist, they can also soak deep into your enamel, causing more stubborn and even permanent stains.
In addition to ugly stains, smoking also damages healthy gums. This causes your gums to recede and develop big pockets around your teeth. As a result, your teeth appear longer while creating dark spaces between them. By stopping your smoking habit, you can prevent unnecessary stains and damage to your gums and oral health. This benefit also extends to other organs and systems in the body, including your lungs and circulatory system.
Aside from smoking, you may also want to limit your consumption of certain beverages, including coffee, red wine, and tea. Like tobacco cigarettes, these beverages can also stain your teeth. Also, frequent consumption of sugary or acidic foods such as chocolates can increase decay rates.
If you can’t eliminate these food items and beverages from your diet, brush your teeth as soon as possible or frequently drink water so that the dark liquid and debris don’t sit on your teeth for a long period.
Speaking of drinking water, you’d want to increase your water intake daily. Water helps in flushing your teeth clean and preventing tooth decay. In addition, tap water can provide the recommended fluoride dosage to promote teeth and oral health.
Also Read – Black Spots On The Teeth? Know The Causes And Home Remedies To Say Them ‘Goodbye’
5. Try Whitening Products
If you already have visible stains on your teeth, you can still improve your smile with whitening products. Teeth whitening products are an effective way to brighten natural teeth that are stained or discolored.
Depending on your needs, numerous whitening products are available over the counter and online, including special whitening toothpaste, gel pens, over-the-counter (OTC) trays, and rinses. Each type can have specific benefits to target problem areas.
For instance, whitening toothpaste is best for tea and coffee lovers. Gel pens are more suitable for touching up small areas. For a more comprehensive whitening treatment, you should consult your dentist for suitable procedures such as laser whitening and custom trays that offer the most dramatic whitening results.
6. Replace Missing Tooth And Restore Problematic Teeth
Most people smile less if they’re missing a tooth or their tooth has a weird shape or size, particularly if it’s the front tooth.
Fortunately, numerous dental solutions can help you replace or restore problematic teeth to regain the confidence to smile beautifully. Your options may include dentures, dental implants, bridges, and crowns. Consult your dentist to know what treatments you’ll need.
Takeaway
As you can see, there are numerous ways to improve the quality of your smile and enjoy its long-lasting results. While it may take time to start noticing changes, the above-mentioned tips are worth the time and effort to help you keep smiling brightly while improving your overall health.
