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Even though many people have now managed to give up smoking, eliminating not only a dangerous habit, but one that causes very badly stained teeth; there are still a number of everyday choices that we make which can lead to tooth discolouration.

A few small changes can mean the difference between white teeth and dull looking ones, especially in our younger years.

As we grow older, our teeth will naturally darken in colour and this can only be reversed using one of the teeth whitening procedures that we have available at The Lodge Dental Suite.

Your morning coffee

Do you stop off, on your way to work, for your morning coffee fix? If so, you may think that by avoiding the stronger coffees, such as espresso, you will avoid the discolouring effects that coffee can bring. Unfortunately, even milky coffees such as a latte can cause discolouration as the sugars in the milk break down to form acids which can damage the enamel of your teeth, making them more prone to staining.

Not seeing the hygienist

It is not uncommon for patients to opt for regular teeth whitening procedures. Sometimes though, these same people decline to make appointments to see the hygienist. By not doing this, staining will build up on your teeth, shortening the effective time that the whitening treatment will last. A professional clean by the hygienist at our Cheshunt practice also helps to minimise the likelihood of gum disease; so a ‘win win’ situation!

Snacking

Increasingly, we are becoming a nation of ‘grazers’, with people eating snacks on the go. Whilst some of these may be high in sugars, even healthy foods eaten in this manner can be damaging to your teeth. By not allowing time between meals for our saliva to wash away the acids and bacteria that are harmful to teeth, our snacking habit soon causes enamel wear that attracts staining.

Not just red wine

Drinking red wine is a known cause of tooth discolouration, but white wine has actually been shown to erode enamel more quickly. Unfortunately, whatever wine you drink, the acids or tannin in it can damage your teeth over time.

If we make just a few changes to our lifestyle, or at least reduce the amount of coffee, wine and snacks that we consume, the chances are that we will have whiter teeth for longer. As mentioned above, we do also recommend that our Cheshunt dental patientsvisit the hygienist at least twice a year, both to preserve gum health and help longer lasting teeth whiteness.

For more information about the teeth whitening procedures offered at The Lodge Dental Suite, please call our practice on 01992 643388.

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