Key Takeaways

• A balanced diet is the first step to a brighter smile, vitamins C and D, calcium, and a steady flow of saliva all help protect enamel
• Constant snacking exposes teeth to cavity-causing acids. Cutting back lets saliva do its job cleaning the mouth
• Watch the sneaky offenders: chips, crackers, dried fruit, and raisins are surprisingly tough on teeth
• Brushing and flossing aren’t enough on their own. Only a professional cleaning removes the hardened tartar that leads to gum disease
• Every checkup is also a screening for decay, gum disease, loose teeth, and more, catching problems before they get expensive

June is National Smile Month: Show Off Those White Teeth

Taking good care of your teeth should be a year-round endeavor but the month of June reminds us to be extra diligent in our quest for a great smile. While National Smile Month is the UK’s largest and longest-running oral health campaign, there’s no reason we can’t take some tips here in the United States on how to achieve excellent oral health. With summer comes an abundance of seasonal fruits and vegetables that can make it easier — and sweeter — to eat healthy. And after all, healthy eating is the first step to a bright smile.

Healthy Diet: Healthy Teeth

The best way to fight tooth decay and gum problems remains regular brushing and flossing. However, it’s important to augment that daily practice with a balanced diet that gives you adequate nutrition and promotes healthy teeth through vitamins C and D, calcium and many others, says WebMD.

Cutting back on snacking throughout the day will prevent exposure of your teeth to cavity-promoting foods that can eat away at your enamel. That’s because when you keep a healthy flow of saliva going, it works to cleanse the mouth and teeth throughout the day. You may know enough to avoid sugary and sticky foods such as gummy candies, taffy and soda, but you may not be aware of some foods that are surprisingly bad for your teeth, such as fish crackers, chips, dried fruits, and raisins.

What Stains Your Teeth (and How to Fight It)

Even with great brushing habits, certain everyday foods and drinks gradually dull your smile. The biggest culprits are the deeply pigmented ones: coffee, tea, red wine, cola, and dark berries. Acidic drinks make it worse by softening enamel so stains set in more easily.

You don’t have to give them up, just be smart about it. A few habits that help keep teeth white:

• Sip staining drinks through a straw to limit contact with your front teeth
• Rinse with water after coffee, wine, or anything acidic
• Wait about 30 minutes before brushing after acidic foods, so you’re not scrubbing softened enamel
• Keep up with your regular cleanings, which remove the surface stains brushing leaves behind

Small adjustments like these protect the brightness you already have, so professional whitening lasts even longer when you choose it.

Regular Dental Visits

Doing your part to floss and brush every day is certainly a big piece of the oral hygiene puzzle, but visiting the dentist once every six months is vital too. Despite regular brushing and flossing at home, it’s inevitable that you’ll experience buildup of tartar and plaque. Tartar, a sticky bacteria that forms on your teeth between brushings, is very difficult to remove. Plus, it looks bad and can lead to gum disease.

Tartar builds up when bacterial plaques in the mouth come into contact with calcium deposits from your saliva. Your dentist has to scrape this off with a special tool. If you let this task go, that bacteria will eat away at your gums and eventually attack the root of your tooth. Not only could you face having a tooth pulled, you could also be at risk for infection and even cardiovascular disease.

Your dentist doesn’t just clean your teeth, though. Those visits allow your dentist to evaluate your mouth, gums and jaw while on the lookout for signs of something more serious, such as:

• Gum disease
• Loose or broken teeth
• Inflamed tissue/changes in gums
• Tooth decay
• Healthy tongue and bite
• Damaged fillings
• Secure fit with dental appliances
• Contact between individual teeth

X-rays taken regularly will ensure your teeth, mouth and jaw are all looking good. Skipping these visits means problems can be taking place beneath the gum line that you’re unaware of, leading to unnecessary procedures and costs down the line.

Want whiter teeth, not just healthier ones?

A good diet and regular cleanings keep your smile bright, but if stains have already set in, professional teeth whitening in North Andover lifts years of coffee, wine, and age in a single visit. Pair it with your six-month checkup and walk out with a smile worth showing off.

A bright smile starts with a healthy foundation. Learn how to take care of your gums to keep yours strong for years to come.