How To Improve Your Smile

White Teeth: Sign of Confidence

White bright teeth give you the confidence to smile without hesitation. Not only do white teeth look attractive and boost your self-confidence, but they are also a sign of good oral health.  

However, most of us lose that dazzling whiteness due to our carelessness towards oral hygiene. This carelessness can include things we don’t think twice about like consuming unhealthy food such as coffee or alcoholic beverages that end up staining teeth.

Although you can opt for a teeth-whitening treatment whenever you want, it is neither permanent nor affordable for everyone. If you're going to get a bright smile without spending a penny, it is vital to bring changes in your daily regimen.

How To Improve Your Smile

To help you with that, we have covered some teeth whitening hacks that will get you pearly white teeth, naturally and in no time.

Keep Your Teeth Clean

No whitening teeth hack in this world will work for you if you are lazy to follow the daily regimen of flossing and brushing. Even people who are very keen about their oral hygiene get teeth stains that are hard to remove. So brushing, especially with whitening toothpaste, is the secret to a radiant smile.

Increase Your Water Intake

Dark liquids such as red wine and black coffee often leave stains on your teeth.  The color pigment of these beverages takes around 40 seconds to penetrate in teeth. However, drinking water right after drinking wine or coffee will wash away would-be stains from your teeth.

Teeth Brightening Pen

Devices like teeth-brightening pens are all thanks to dentistry advancement. Available in various tasty flavors such as mint and vanilla, these pens work wonders.

You need to apply them three times a day, allowing liquid to stay on teeth for 40 seconds, and enjoy the bright, beautiful smile.

Use Banana Peel

Easy and inexpensive, banana peel trick is undoubtedly one of the best hacks you can try to brighten your smile. You need to rub your teeth with the inside part of banana’s peel and then rinse your mouth thoroughly.
It might not show you the quick result, but you will get to see the effects after repeating the process 4-5 times.

Chew Gum with Xylitol

Gums with Xylitol decreases plaque buildup on teeth. Trident is one of those brands that contain xylitol as an ingredient, so try to keep it in your bag to whiten your teeth.

Use Baking Soda and Lemon

Baking soda contains stain-removing qualities. When mixed with lemon, the ointment can make a potent mixture that whitens your teeth and gives you a sparkling smile.

Use Blue-Based Lip Color

Need something that quickly makes your teeth look brighter and whiter?  Blue-based lip color (red, pink or plump) help you offset yellowish tones while giving your teeth an illusion of brighter and whiter teeth.

Overall, protecting your dental structure is the most important thing that you can do to brighten your smile. Try to incorporate these above-mentioned teeth whitening miracle-ideas to see the quick effects.

Request an appointment in our Woodland Hills dentist office here: .

Why Do You Need Strong Tooth Enamel?

Strong tooth enamel is important for tooth functionality and durability. Enamel is the outermost portion of the teeth. It is a protective shell of sorts that guards teeth against decay. Tooth enamel is the hardest substance in the body. You read that right. Tooth enamel is even stronger than the bones in your body. The primary purpose of tooth enamel is to guard the teeth against damage.

While enamel is incredibly strong, it is not indestructible. It is possible for your tooth enamel to crack or chip. The plaque will stick to enamel, allowing damaging bacteria to thrive. The bacteria transforms sugar in food into acid that wears away at the enamel.

Enamel is Fallible

Tooth enamel has the ability to repair itself. This repair process occurs with minerals within saliva and the fluoride from toothpaste. However, enamel can gradually weaken as time progresses, becoming easier to destroy. This is when cavities form.

Thankfully, you can take some steps to keep your tooth enamel strong and healthy. Brush twice a day and floss once a day, use products with fluoride, reduce your consumption of sugary drinks/foods and increase your intake of food with calcium. Calcium combats harmful acid in the mouth that can otherwise cause decay.

It is particularly interesting to note the frequency of alterations in pH rather than the level of change that is the primary factor in tooth decay risk. Thus, it is not so much about the amount of sugar as it is about the frequency at which someone consumes it. In a nutshell, your tooth enamel is better served by enjoying your sugary delights at the same time instead of grazing on them across the entirety of the day.

Additional Risks for Tooth Enamel Erosion

Aside from the threats noted above, those who grind their teeth or clench their teeth face a heightened risk of enamel erosion. Acid erosion along with abrasion really are legitimate threats to tooth enamel. Do your best to use a soft-bristled toothbrush several times per day to prevent the destruction of your tooth enamel.

Rebuilding Tooth Enamel

It is possible to repair tooth enamel through improved diet and oral hygiene routine. As long as the enamel does not break down to the level of the dentin, a dentist can help you re-strengthen this important portion of your teeth. The dentist will guard the remaining structure with crowns, fillings and additional types of dental restorations.

You can do your part to strengthen your tooth enamel by being proactive in terms of oral hygiene and diet. Visit your dentist once every six months for a thorough cleaning. Brush your teeth after each meal with a fluoridated toothpaste. Floss after each meal as well. Select your toothpaste with care. Choose a variety that protects tooth enamel from acid and your teeth will prove that much stronger in the long run.

Request a dental check-up here: or call John M. Chaves, DDS at (818) 999-2707 for an appointment in our Woodland Hills dental office.