Tips for Keeping Your Teeth White

We all know that we should be brush twice a day, but if you are among those who want whiter teeth, you’ll have to look beyond a basic healthcare regimen. Keep the following tips in mind when trying to boost the whiteness of your smile:

Kick your Bad Habits

Are you a red wine aficionado? Do you drink cups of tea of coffee each day? Or are you a cigarette smoker? Those drinks and bad habits aren't doing your teeth any favors. Dark foods and beverages, as well as tobacco products, can stain your teeth. Either cut them out completely, or spend some time cleaning your teeth immediately after you’ve finished your coffee, tea, or wine.

Choose More Veggies

Your dietary choices don't just impact your weight and energy levels, they can also impact your teeth. Foods that are fibrous, such as celery, lettuce, and apples, can actually go some way to removing existing stains. Because they are naturally abrasive, they help prevent stain molecules from attaching to teeth enamel.

Find a Whitening Treatment that Works 

Whitening treatments are high on the list of the most popular cosmetic therapies. If you find that your smile needs an extra boost of whitening, there are at-home whitening kits and even whitening treatments that we offer in our Campbell, CA cosmetic dental office that can help.

We use Opalesence® at-home teeth whitening trays that are custom-made just for you. You’ll wear the tray, which holds the whitening solution, for just minutes a day until your smile is the desired shade of white. If you’re interested in same-day teeth whitening, we offer Zoom! whitening. Zoom! only takes an hour to complete – you’ll leave our office the same day with a whiter smile.

Questions about Teeth Whitening?

We’re happy to help you find a way to a brighter smile. Contact our cosmetic dentists to learn more about teeth whitening treatments and at-home care.

Dealing with Fear of Oral Surgery

Many dental patients are particularly fearful of the idea of undergoing oral surgery. If you find yourself in this position, there are several things you can do to help manage this anxiety, such as:

Gain an Understanding of the Procedure

It’s absolutely natural for people to be afraid of things they don’t have any experience with. It can help allay your fears to have a good talk with our office to be sure you do completely understand what will happen during the procedure. Once you know what’s going to happen, you might find that you’re no longer afraid of the surgery.

Practice Relaxation

If you’re still feeling anxious about undergoing oral surgery, it might be helpful to learn a few relaxation techniques that you can use to stay calm during the procedure.

Try consciously slowing down your breathing by inhaling over a count of three, and exhaling over a further 3-count. When you do this, it makes it much harder for your body and mind to begin a panic reaction by breathing rapidly. By consciously breathing slowly and deeply, you help prevent the feeling of panic..

Along with breathing techniques, it can also help to visualize what you’re doing in your mind. For example, try something called square breathing, in which you imagine traveling along the sides of a square with each inhale or exhale.

These techniques will help you relax more easily if you start practicing them for around ten minutes a day, starting a few weeks before your oral surgery appointment.

Learn about Sedation Dentistry

Most surgical procedures require the use of treatment aids that make the procedure more comfortable. If you have questions about what level of anesthetic or sedation will be provided for your treatment, talk to our office.

For some treatments, like tooth extraction or dental implant placement, the procedure is quicker and more comfortable than you might think --- requiring only a localized numbing agent. However, if you are anxious about seeking oral surgery, our office is happy to provide sedation dentistry. Sedation helps you enjoy a state of deep relaxation during treatment; your visit will appear to have passed in only a few minutes.