If you have stained teeth that look unattractive, then you may be embarrassed to smile or show your teeth. This is a common concern that can affect your overall self esteem. Dental whitening can help to release some of these stains. However, you should only receive a whitening treatment every so often. Most dentists say that the treatment lasts about one year, so a yearly whitening is best. If you want your whitening treatment to last, there are a few things you can do at home.

Protect Your Tooth Enamel

When you receive a whitening, small bits of debris are worked out of the teeth. This debris sits in the tiny cracks that line the dental enamel. Specifically, whitening treatments bubble up and oxidize to force out the compounds that make the teeth look yellow. While cracks in the tooth enamel are natural and normal, you want to minimize the openings as much as possible. This way, food and coloring agents do not have the ability to stick to the teeth. 

If you have just received a tooth whitening, then it is best to help your teeth remineralize as much as possible. Remineralization is the process of rebuilding that occurs once acids and bacteria damage the teeth. Remineralization helps to keep the enamel intact and it also allows the teeth to form stronger bonds between the minerals that make up the teeth.

To encourage remineralization, make sure to use fluoride toothpastes and rinses. Also, drink plenty of tap water throughout the day. If your tap water is highly chlorinated and does not taste good, then try running it through a water filtration system first.

Eat Plenty Of Mineral Dense Foods

If you want your body to be able to remineralize the dental enamel, then you must feed your body the minerals it needs. You likely understand that your teeth need calcium, but this is not the only required mineral. Phosphorus, magnesium, zinc, and other minerals are needed as well. To make sure your body has the nutrients it needs to keep the teeth strong and free of deep cracks, eat plenty of dairy foods.

You also should eat nuts and seeds to provide your body with phosphorous. Fish, kale, beans, and bananas are a good source of magnesium. Seeds, nuts, and yogurt are good sources of zinc as well.

If you want your dental whitening to last a long time, then you should make sure that you work hard to keep your dental enamel in great health. Also, speak to your dentist about other tips that can make your teeth appear whiter for longer. 

For more information, contact a local dentist, such as Davis R Troup DDS PA.

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