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
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 in your mouth and gums.
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.
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