Studies suggest that more than half of Americans feel insecure about their teeth or smile. However, while it's good to know you aren’t alone in feeling this way - prolonged negative feelings regarding your teeth and smile could take a serious knock on your confidence. As a result, it’s important that you learn to love your smile so that you are never afraid to flash your pearly whites.
With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use to achieve the glowing smile of your dreams.
- Brush your teeth twice a day. From an early age, we are taught about the importance of brushing our teeth twice a day. However, it’s important that you uphold these standards throughout your life, even when you are busy. Failing to brush your teeth means whatever food you eat during the day will stick around much longer than you expect, causing plaque to build up on your teeth. This can lead to discoloration. Furthemore, you should also ensure that you are brushing your teeth correctly and not applying too much pressure with your brush, as this could lead to bleeding gums. Furthemore, it's important that you do not neglect your tongue when cleaning your teeth, as this can also cause bacteria to build up inside your mouth. Furthemore, failure to properly clean both your tongue and mouth could result in bad breath, which is something that everyone wants to avoid. You should also ensure that you use an antibacterial mouthwash whenever you brush your teeth.
- Replace your toothbrush frequently. Over time, bacteria can build up on the surface of your toothbrush, which could threaten your oral health. Furthermore, the bristles become slightly damaged through daily use, which means they are often less effective over time. As a result, you should ensure that you replace your toothbrush every 3-4 months. If you are concerned about waste, try to source an eco-friendly toothbrush, such as those made from bamboo. They are just as effective as the more traditional plastic models but much kinder to the environment overall.
- Use an electric toothbrush. Using an electric toothbrush is another great way to start taking better care of your teeth, as they are often more effective than traditional brushes. This is due to the fact that the rotating brush head allows you to achieve a more thorough clean while also ensuring that you clean the hard-to-reach areas in between your teeth. While electric toothbrushes are a little more expensive, they are a worthwhile investment towards achieving your perfect smile. Furthemore, as you can replace the brush heads as opposed to the entire brush, they have a long life - meaning that you will not need to buy a new one every few months as you would with a traditional toothbrush.
- Avoid foods that may stain your teeth. If you are concerned about discoloration, you can minimize this issue by choosing foods that are a little gentler to your teeth and will not cause any kind of staining. This could include tea, coffee, red wine, tomato-based sauces, and curries. While this does not mean you should avoid them altogether, eating them in moderation is a great way to take better care of your teeth. When it comes to drinks, you can also protect your teeth by using metal straws wherever possible. Furthemore, studies also suggest that following a healthy, balanced diet is the best way to take better care of your teeth, as it encourages you to adapt to healthy habits instead of unhealthy ones.
- Use whitening products. If you’ve noticed that your teeth have lost a little of their shine, you may also benefit from using teeth whitening products to restore them to their natural color. This could include specially formulated toothpaste and mouthwash, alongside whitening strips and even powders. There are even a few home remedies that are said to help brighten your smile, such as brushing with baking soda as opposed to traditional toothpaste. You could also try oil pulling, but it’s important that you do so carefully. In fact, you must ensure that you thoroughly research any products or home remedies before use in order to make sure that they are trustworthy. If you are unsure of where to begin, you could always ask your dentist to recommend some products to you.
- Attend regular appointments with your dentist. Nobody likes going to the dentist - but that doesn't mean you get to skip over your visits entirely. In fact, you should ensure that you attend a visit with your dentist at least once a year. You should schedule more frequent visits if you are dealing with any oral issues. This will enable you to keep on top of any dental work that must be undertaken. They can usually also provide you with a professional cleaning during your visit, which will leave your smile looking good as new. Furthermore, while dental visits can be expensive - catching and resolving problems such as cavities sooner rather than later can save you a great deal of time, money (and pain) in the long run.
- Know what to look out for. When it comes to caring for your teeth, you must know what issues to look out for. For example, while you may be aware of any issues that cause pain - there are other signs of tooth decay or oral issues that you should be sure to keep in mind. For example, gum disease is often a precursor to tooth loss but is not always painful. Instead, you may notice a change in the color of your gums or that your mouth bleeds when brushing. Being aware of these symptoms helps you to take better care of your oral health and, by extension, your smile.
- Floss your teeth regularly. Flossing your teeth helps keep your teeth in good condition as it removes any pesky bits of food that may be trapped in between them. As a result, you should strive to floss your teeth twice a day - directly after brushing. While it may be a little harder for children to get used to, flossing is a breeze once you’ve figured out the techniques. Furthemore, many believe that you cannot floss when wearing braces - which is not the case. Instead, you simply need to ensure that you do so carefully. You can check out this guide on How to Floss with Braces.
- Snack smartly. While we’re all guilty of snacking from time to time, the sweet treats we use to get us through the day could actually be the reason for our less-than-perfect smile. As a result, you should keep an eye out for tooth-friendly snacks that will satisfy your sweet tooth without ruining your teeth. As a general rule, sugar-free versions of sweets and chocolates are far better for your teeth and your overall health.
- Stop smoking. Smoking is another key cause of teeth decay, and many smokers notice an improvement in the appearance of their teeth after they quit smoking. While this is easier said than done, putting down the cigarette is a life- improving habit that can transform both your physical and mental health. However, it's important that you start small if you want to succeed. For example, as opposed to quitting entirely, start by reducing the number of cigarettes you use in a day. Alternatively, you can use nicotine patches to satisfy your craving.
- Understand that nobody is perfect. We often feel pressure to obtain the perfect smile because our Instagram feeds are full of influencers whose teeth appear shinier by the minute. However, it's important to understand that these pictures are heavily edited, and they have likely had large amounts of dental work done themselves beforehand. In fact, most phone cameras now come with built-in touch-up software that will automatically whiten your teeth whenever you take a picture. As a result, this has likely skewed our perception as to what a smile should be like. Learning to love your smile - and accepting it for what it is - a sign of joy and happiness is, therefore, an important step on your journey to self-love and confidence.
In short, there are various steps you can take to help you achieve the smile of your dreams. Many of which simply revolve around making a few changes to your diet or ensuring that you stick to healthy habits. The real secret to a healthy white and glowing smile is consistency. By making sure that taking care of your oral health is part of your routine, you‘ll be able to combat issues such as decay or discoloration before they even have the chance to take hold. However, it's important to remember that you should not measure life by the quality of your smile but by the quantity of smiles. Focus on loving yourself and who you are as opposed to wondering whether not your smile is white or bright enough. Furthemore, despite what you may think - other people do not spend nearly as much time thinking about your teeth or smile as you think they do.
