Three Things You Should NOT Do To Whiten Your Teeth And What You Can Use Instead

There are several strange ideas out there about teeth whitening. Some of them are just downright terrible because they can damage your teeth and may not make them look any whiter than they are now. The following illustrates three things you should not do in the pursuit of a whiter, brighter smile and what you can do instead.

Using a Sharp Metal Object to Scrape Your Teeth

In addition to this sounding and feeling horrible, using a pin, scissors blade, nail or screw to scrape your teeth is the worst idea ever. Not only are you severely damaging the dentin layer of your teeth, you are also leaving behind tiny openings in which sugars and acids can create decay and cavities. If you are concerned about the amount of plaque buildup your teeth have and how it affects the color of your teeth, the best and safest thing to do is to ask your dentist (such as Daniel Savini DDS) for a really deep, professional cleaning. His or her tools were designed to break up plaque carefully and safely. A sonic-powered toothbrush can help you achieve and maintain your plaque-free, whiter smile. 

Using Real Bleach!

Some not so smart individuals put this information out there. The suggestion is to use cotton swabs with just a little bleach on them to whiten your teeth. Not only is this a horrifyingly awful suggestion for your teeth, but also a lethal and dangerous one for your entire being. The dangerous level of corrosive power in even the smallest amounts of bleach can weaken and destroy your teeth and land you in the hospital for accidental poisoning.

What these individuals do not know or understand is that the "bleach" used in over-the-counter teeth whitening products and professional whitening in a dentist's office is comprised almost entirely of peroxide. If you do not want to pay for the professional whitening or OTC kits, you can use cotton swabs dipped in peroxide. Brush your teeth thoroughly before you swab each tooth that you want a little whiter.

Eating Only White Foods

While this may keep your teeth from being dyed by common food stains such as coffee or blueberries, it completely robs your body of the many food nutrients it needs to stay healthy. Eating just white foods does not whiten teeth. In fact, some white foods, such as bleached flour in white bread and sugar, can cause cavities and eventually rot and discoloration. Instead, you should just eat a normal, healthy diet and brush your teeth daily.

If you want your diet to assist you in getting a whiter smile, eat lots of crunchy fruits and vegetables. Eating lots of strawberries also helps, because their seeds are natural little tooth-scrubbers and the vitamin C and fruit acids are healthy and safe additions to your teeth. The vitamin C in many crunchy fruits and vegetables keeps your gums disease-free, which, in turn, keeps your teeth healthy and white.