Your mouth has a complicated relationship with food. On the positive side of things, your mouth helps you enjoy tasty snacks, prepare each bite for digestion, and appreciate the perfect texture of potato chips. But the food you eat doesn’t always play fair when it comes to returning the favor.
The plaque on your teeth – a biofilm containing millions of bacteria – thrives on particles of food left behind after meals. That’s why you make it a priority to get regular dental cleanings and exams from your Billings, MT dentist.
The dental experts at Yellowstone Family Dental are committed to preventing tooth decay and gum disease with our general dentistry options.
We know you also work hard to keep your smile clean and healthy. That’s why you make it a habit to:
- Brush your teeth twice every day
- Floss between your teeth at least once every day
- Use an alcohol-free antiseptic rinse at least once every day
Be sure to take advantage of our nutritional counseling to learn how your diet contributes to your oral health. And see us for professional teeth whitening to easily upgrade your smile’s shade.
Whiten Your Teeth With Customized Trays From Our Billings, MT Dentist
Discoloration of your teeth can have a number of causes. It’s often genetic, or sometimes folks have stains from tetracycline antibiotics. Smoking can stain your teeth, and so can poor dental hygiene.
We use the KöR whitening system to brighten our patients’ smiles. We make it a priority to stay on top of the latest technology and techniques, and our experts have determined that KöR gives our patients the best results.
We customize trays to fit your smile perfectly, then provide a professional teeth whitening kit for you to take home and use at your convenience. Your smile could be up to eight shades whiter!
You can extend the effect of your teeth whitening by maintaining your dental hygiene routine and being mindful about what you eat. Some of your favorite foods wreak havoc on your enamel in ways you never knew. Read on to learn more and how you can protect your smile.
Protect Your Teeth From Acidic Eats
Acid is your smile’s nemesis. It’s what causes cavities, aggravates gum disease, and it can discolor your teeth in ways we can’t correct with teeth whitening.
Because acid erodes your enamel, it can expose the dentin underneath. Not only does this make your teeth more sensitive to temperature and texture, but it’s also an unsavory yellow color. And dentin can’t be whitened. So we have to work together to be vigilant about exposing your enamel to acids. We’ll do our part with your biannual cleanings and exams. You can do your part by limiting your consumption of acidic foods:
- Citrus fruits
- Tomatoes and tomato-based foods
- White wine
- Soft drinks
Catch Chromogens Before They Stain Your Smile
The most well-known type of staining agent is known as a chromogen. These deeply pigmented compounds like to leave their color behind long after you’ve finished eating. You can find them in a lot of processed food, but they’re in some natural favorites, too, like:
- Beets
- Pomegranate
- Balsamic vinegar
- Berries
However, chromogens require their trusty sidekick to do real damage. Foods high in tannin are likely to leave lingering stains on your enamel. That’s due to the unique relationship between tannins and chromogens.
Coffee and tea are notorious for causing discoloration, and their deep brown color is only part of why. The one-two punch of chromogens and tannins means a latte-colored grin after years of your morning cup of joe.
Get And Keep A Brighter Smile With Professional Teeth Whitening From Yellowstone Family Dental
So what are you supposed to do to keep your teeth white? We don’t expect you to abandon all citrus, wine, and – heaven forbid – coffee, do we? Certainly not! What’s the point of a bright white smile if you’re miserable from giving up your favorite foods?
Your best option is to enjoy stain-causing snacks in moderation. Be sure to sip water between meals to help remineralize your teeth and protect them from acids. And most importantly, take advantage of the whitening for life option for existing patients of Yellowstone Family Dental.
Come see us for any dental procedure, including a simple checkup, to establish yourself as a patient. Then receive our professional-grade whitening products. You can keep your customized trays and just pick up tubes of bleaching gel as you need them!
Call us today at 406-245-7026 for your free consultation.