1. Go on a white-teeth diet.
If you're quaffing red wine and black tea, or smoking cigarettes or
cigars, expect the results to show up as not-so-pearly whites. Other
culprits to blame for dingy teeth include colas, gravies, and dark
juices. Bottom line: If it's dark before you put it in your mouth, it
will probably stain your teeth. Brush immediately after eating or
drinking foods that stain teeth and use a good bleaching agent, either
over-the-counter or in the dentist's office. For convenient
teeth-cleaning action, eat an apple.
2. Chuck your toothbrush...
...or change the head of your electric toothbrush at least every two
to three months. Otherwise, you're just transferring bacteria to your
mouth. According to Beverly Hills dentist Harold Katz, D.D.S., the best
way to brush is by placing your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against
your gums and gently moving it in a circular motion, rather than a
back-and-forth motion. Grip the toothbrush like a pencil so you won't
scrub too hard.
3. Clean your tongue.
Use a tongue scraper every morning to remove tongue plaque and
freshen your breath. One major cause of bad breath is the buildup of
bacteria on the tongue, which a daily tongue scraping will help banish.
Plus, using a tongue scraper is more effective than brushing your tongue
with a toothbrush, says Dr. Katz.
4. Eat 'detergent' foods.
Foods that are firm or crisp help clean teeth as they're eaten. We
already mentioned apples (otherwise known as nature's toothbrush); other
choices include raw carrots, celery, and popcorn. For best results,
make 'detergent' foods the final food you eat in your meal if you know
you won't be able to brush your teeth right after eating.
5. Gargle with apple cider vinegar.
Do this in the morning and then brush as usual. The vinegar helps help remove stains, whiten teeth, and kill bacteria
6. Brush your teeth with baking soda once a week
This will remove stains and whiten your teeth. Use it just as you
would toothpaste. You can also use salt as an alternative toothpaste.
Just be sure to spit it out so it doesn't count as sodium intake! Also,
if your gums start to feel raw, switch to brushing with salt every other
day.
7. Stay fresh.
To check the freshness of your breath, lick your palm and smell it
while it's still wet. If you smell something, it’s time for a sugar-free
breath mint. Shopping for mouthwash? Make sure it is alcohol-free. Most
over-the-counter mouthwashes have too much alcohol, which can dry out
the tissues in your mouth, making them more susceptible to bacteria.
8. Practice flossing with your eyes shut.
If you can floss without having to guide your work with a mirror,
you can floss in your car, at your desk, while in bed, and before
important meetings. In which case, buy several packages of floss and
scatter them in your car, your desk, your purse, your briefcase, your
nightstand.
9. Brush your teeth when you first get out of bed and before you get back in at night.
They're the two most crucial times, says Kathleen W. Wilson, M.D.,
an internist at the Ochsner Health Center in New Orleans and author of
When You Think You Are Falling Apart. That’s because saliva (which keeps
cavity-causing plaque off teeth) dries up at night, so it’s best to
have all plaque cleaned off the teeth before sleep. It’s also important
to brush first thing in the morning to brush off plaque and bacteria
(morning breath!) that may have built up as you slept.
10. Conceal with color.
Ladies: Choose a medium coral or light red lipstick. These colors
make your teeth look whiter, whereas lighter-colored lipsticks tend to
bring out the yellow in teeth.
Read more: http://www.rd.com/slideshows/10-tips-for-healthy-whiter-teeth/#ixzz2x FILkdox
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