“You Can’t Wear White After Labor Day… Except in Your Smile!”

At my dental office in Saint Louis, white is always a fashion ‘do’ whether it’s after Labor Day or not. While everyone dreams of a dazzling white smile, it’s not something that needs to remain wishful thinking. In fact, getting a whiter smile is pretty easy, and if you follow the ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ of keeping your smile bright, it can stay that way!

The best place to start getting your smile a few shades brighter is with your Saint Louis dentist and a professional whitening. Whitening that’s done by a trained dentist has many benefits over simply doing it yourself using an over-the-counter product.

First, the strength of the whitening gel used in professional whitening treatments is stronger than that found in store-bought kits. A stronger formula means more dramatic results. Additionally, your dentist will also use his trained artistic eye to make sure your teeth aren’t whitened too much (yes, it’s possible for teeth to be too white). And perhaps one of the most important parts of choosing professional whitening over an at-home kit is that the trays used are custom-fit to your mouth, meaning the gel won’t leak onto your gums and potentially cause damage.

After your whitening is completed and you’re sporting your bright, new smile, you’ll want to keep it that way. The following ‘dos’ and ‘don’ts’ can help.

DON’T feast on foods that can stain. For at least two weeks after your whitening is completed, avoid foods and drinks that can dull your smile. Anything from berries, tomato sauce, wine, and soda isn’t a good choice.

DO enjoy beverages through a straw. If you have to drink that soda or just absolutely need that morning coffee, using a straw to drink potentially smile-fading beverages can help keep the staining agents away from the front surfaces of your teeth and keep your pearly whites, white.

DON’T smoke or chew tobacco. Tobacco use, as we all know, can cause severe damage to your overall health. It can also cause serious damage to your white teeth. Keep your mouth, and your body, healthy. Just don’t do it.

DO continue to brush twice a day and floss once a day. Good, at-home oral hygiene is crucial to maintaining a white smile as it works to remove sticky, harmful plaque which can give stains something to grasp onto and linger around.

One of the best ways to keep your smile its absolute best is by visiting my Saint Louis dental office regularly. Routine appointments can not only help you keep your smile white, they can also keep your mouth healthy and strong.

Serving patients in Saint Louis, Affton, and Webster Grove.