We've all heard the same exhortation about the duty to brush our teeth for two minutes twice daily and floss once every evening. Most of us were doing that, anticipating having a shiny white virgin smile. But even with an electric toothbrush and whitening toothpaste, some of us still seem to deal with yellowing teeth.
What could we be doing wrong?
Dr. Surina Sehgal, a dentist with 100,000 followers on TikTok, recently shared three everyday mistakes that, she said, could be ruining your teeth and turning them yellow. And seeing her advice was sort of a wake-up call for me because, in an instant, it suddenly clicked that even very well-meaning habits can be harmful when done a little wrong.
The first mistake, she said, is using a manual toothbrush.
I was pretty shocked when she said this. Could something as benign as a manual toothbrush be such a detriment? She went on to explain that quite frequently, people scrub too hard and use too much pressure when brushing with manual brushes, which has the potential to wear down the enamel over time. It means that the exposure of the yellow dentine, because of the aggressive brushing style that grinds away at that top, protective outer layer of our teeth, can be avoided simply by switching to an electric toothbrush since it allows more gentle brushing.
The following error is grazing. That one hit home because I'm a notorious snacker.
Dr. Sehgal pointed out that every time we eat, our mouths go into an acidic state, which erodes the enamel.
The more frequently we snack, the more our teeth experience this acid attack that wears away enamel erosion and brings about yellow teeth. It made me rethink my habit of reaching for snacks between meals. I never thought that my grazing could be ruining my teeth so thoroughly.
The third mistake is in the way we drink fizzy drinks.
I admit that I enjoy a nice soda every now and then, but Dr. Sehgal suggests that drinking fizzy drinks without a straw can be injurious.
These drinks are very acidic, and this direct contact rips into our teeth's enamel. Using a straw implies less exposure of the teeth to these acids by limiting contact. It may be small, but it does make a difference.
But what if you have already made these mistakes?
Don't worry. There are ways to rescue discolored teeth. These are easily improved with specialist toothpaste using baking soda and hydrogen peroxide.
Another easy way to avoid staining is to consider the foods and drinks we ingest. Tea and coffee are the worst culprits, followed by red wine, citrus fruit drinks like orange and lemon, berries, curry, and tomato-based sauces. I'm not saying to give them up entirely, but a little moderation will keep our smiles gleaming.
It is in this light that Dr. Sehgal's advice comes with mindful small changes to our daily habits that go a long way in maintaining oral health. Simple steps like using an electric toothbrush, cutting back on snacking, or using straws while drinking fizzy drinks will help protect our enamel from erosion and let our teeth shine pearly white.
https://www.tiktok.com/@drsurinasehgal?_t=8nYC1ytohVu&_r=1
Our teeth are an indicator of our overall health, so taking care of them should be paramount. So the next time you are snacking in the pantry and reach up for that soda to go with it, remember your enamel—and what those choices will do to it. Your smile will thank you!