White teeth are important, not only for a beautiful smile but as a sign of good oral health. But, teeth whitening treatments can be expensive and you don’t want to have to pay for them all that frequently. To help make your last treatment last for as long as possible before having to see your dentist again, follow these easy tips.

4 Habits to Keep Teeth White

1. Use a Straw

This simple trick lets drinks filled with sugars and dyes completely bypass and miss your teeth. Instead of washing over them and surrounding them in contaminants and stains, especially your front teeth, it skips them.

2. Avoid Certain Foods & Drinks

Many foods and drinks contain rich pigments that can easily stain your teeth and cause discoloration. Still many other foods contain harmful acids or tons of sugar that can etch and eat away at your teeth and any whitening treatments you recently received from your dentist. Foods like blueberries, strawberries, most citrus fruits and juices, many veggies, coffee or tea, and alcoholic beverages.  Eating and drinking these frequently will increase your chances of having stained teeth.

3. Drink Water or Rinse Immediately

However, you may have noticed that quite a few items on the above-mentioned list of foods to avoid are rather healthy for you. Rather than cutting them out completely, your dentist recommends drinking water immediately afterward to rinse out your mouth. This will remove much of the stains or food particles that could harm your smile. Better yet, brush your teeth and use mouthwash.

4. Practice Good Oral Hygiene

Good oral hygiene such as brushing at the very least twice a day — flossing regularly, using mouthwash, and seeing a dentist at least twice a year — can make all the difference when it comes to how your teeth are and how long it lasts. Even if you forget about the other tips on this list, keeping this one at the forefront of your mind will help to remove any stains or contaminants put in your mouth by food or drinks.

Are you looking for a family dentist to give you teeth whitening treatments in Houston County? If so, Braswell Family Dentistry has what you need. With a caring and compassionate staff that makes you feel right at home, they also offer everything you need from general and cosmetic dentistry to emergency services. Give them a call at (478) 988-3200 to schedule an appointment or visit their website for more information.