Dental Health 101: How to Maintain a Bright Smile

A smile often radiates happiness and is a gesture that can pick up your mood and that of the people around you. Having a bright smile boosts one’s confidence as your smile is a very noticeable feature. There are various ways you can maintain a bright smile.

Crown Teeth

These are caps for your teeth. A variety of materials such as porcelain or metal are the main components of a crown tooth. A crown effectively covers poorly shaped or discolored teeth, improving their appearance. Crowns also help restore a broken tooth or protect a weak tooth so that it does not break.

Teeth Whitening

Whitening involves the physical removal of the stains on a tooth or chemical reactions that achieve the same. A teeth whitening dentist can guide you on what procedures work best for your teeth. And then, accordingly, will provide services that are safe, effective, and long-lasting. They can also provide advice on proper oral hygiene and lifestyle habits that can help maintain your white smile.

Veneers

These are thin shells crafted with a ceramic material or dental resin and used to cover the front side of teeth. The procedure involves the removal of a small amount of the tooth’s enamel to accommodate the shell. Veneers are very long-lasting but are quite expensive.

Certain specialty companies offer press on veneers that are an affordable alternative to traditional veneers. They are custom-fitted to cover all your teeth allowing you to use them even with crooked or missing teeth, unlike traditional veneers.

Braces

Braces help align and straighten teeth. They are also efficient in closing gaps in teeth. There has been an advancement in orthodontics, providing other alternatives to metal brackets. These alternatives include removable aligners, invisible braces, and clear plastic brackets. They also aim to straighten crowded or crooked teeth.

Tooth Bonding

In this procedure, the dentist applies a tooth-colored resin or porcelain to the tooth. This repairs the damage on the tooth, creating a strong structure. Bonding helps fix chipped, broken, cracked teeth or even gaps between teeth and can last from three to ten years. This cosmetic procedure is a non-invasive cheaper alternative to veneers and crowns.

Dental Implants

This procedure involves surgically placing a metal post, made of titanium, in the jawbone. This metal post replaces the root portion of a missing tooth and an artificial tooth is then placed on the implant. Dental implants are effective in replacing missing teeth allowing you to restore your smile.

Dentures

These are removable replacements for teeth that are missing. According to WebMD , dentures can either be partial or complete. Partial dentures are used when some natural teeth are missing, while complete dentures are used when all the teeth are missing.

Crown Lengthening

This procedure addresses the problem of excessive display of gingival. It is also known as a gummy smile, whereby a person’s teeth appear to be shorter. The teeth are typically the normal size but have been partially covered by excess gum tissue. The procedure will require your periodontist, a gum specialist, to numb your mouth and cut away the extra gum tissue. This will therefore expose the full length of your front teeth.

Brush and Floss

These are the most important tools in keeping your mouth healthy. Ensure you brush your teeth twice a day and floss at least once a day. You should change your toothbrush after three or four months. Rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial mouthwash also helps you fight plaque and keeps your breath fresh.

Regularly Visit Your Dentist

Seeing your dentist regularly helps in discovering cavities and oral diseases before they advance. The dentist can also clean your teeth and give you alternatives on how to maintain a bright smile.

Avoid Smoking

Smoking can lead to the discoloration of your teeth. This is because cigarettes have ingredients such as tar and nicotine known to cause stains on teeth. Smokers also tend to have a low saliva flow in their mouth, and saliva acts as a natural cleanser to teeth.

A bright smile is bound to boost your self-confidence. The many alternatives on how to achieve a bright smile may come in handy. Ensure you check in with your dentist on what alternatives work best for you.