Maintaining a White Smile

Maintaining a White Smile

You work hard to keep your teeth healthy, so it’s important to maintain a white smile that you can feel confident about. You can do this by avoiding certain foods and beverages, not smoking, and receiving in-chair teeth whitening from Dr. Mildred S. Arucan-Masunaga, your dentist in Wahiawa, HI—read on to learn more.

Brush Your Teeth Regularly

The first step to maintaining a white smile is to brush your teeth every day. Using an ADA-approved toothpaste that includes tooth whitening can help remove the stains that build up on a daily basis. Brush your teeth twice each day for at least two minutes each time. Make sure you spend time on all the surfaces of each tooth, including the inside.

Foods to Avoid

Certain foods and beverages are more likely to stain your teeth than others. For example, coffee, tea, berries, tomato sauce, and red wine can all cause staining. You should also avoid tobacco products in all forms.

Home Whitening Kits

Home whitening kits can be useful if you just need to whiten your teeth one or two shades. However, you should be wary of using them too often as they can make your teeth and gums more sensitive.

Professional Whitening

If you’re in Wahiawa and you have persistent stains that you cannot remove with whitening toothpaste or a home whitening kit, pay us a visit and we can discuss how in-chair whitening may be able to help. Professional whitening treatment is more effective than home whitening because it uses a more effective technique, as well as higher quality materials.

Regular Dental Visits

Even if you have had a professional whitening treatment, you should still keep up with your scheduled visits to the dentist so that you can have a professional cleaning treatment. This helps keep your teeth white and prevents the build-up of plaque that can lead to gum disease.

If you’re looking for a dentist in Wahiawa, HI, call Dr. Arucan-Masunaga at (808) 622-0001 to request an appointment.

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