An attractive smile is an invaluable asset. If you’re not satisfied with the way yours looks, it might make you feel self-conscious, preventing you from smiling freely. However, no one should feel that way. Here are 10 things you can do to maintain your pearly whites and get the perfect smile.
Brush with care
It should go without saying that the first rule of keeping your teeth nice and healthy is brushing them regularly. Make sure you do so with a soft-bristled brush to keep your tooth enamel intact.
As a general rule of thumb, you should brush your teeth twice a day to keep bacteria at bay. Don’t overdo it, as it can damage the enamel, but don’t let food residue stay on your teeth for prolonged periods of time either.
Floss daily
Besides brushing, another habit to implement is flossing your teeth daily if you haven’t been doing so. Brushing can only remove so much food residue from between your teeth.
If residue regularly remains unremoved, it not only ruins the appearance of your smile, but it will also wreak havoc on your tooth health, not to mention it can lead to bad breath. So, don’t skip flossing and do it before you brush your teeth instead of after!
Steer clear of staining foods and drinks
Certain foods and drinks are a major enemy to a beautiful white smile. If you drink coffee or tea daily, love red wine, consume a lot of foods that contain tomato or soy sauce, and so on, you might find that in time, these show their effect on your teeth.
While you don’t have to cut these things out of your diet, it’s a good idea to be aware of them to mitigate their effect. Make sure you rinse your mouth after consuming staining foods or drinks. Use a straw when possible.
Mind your diet
It is probably no news to anyone that cavities are some of the biggest culprits in dental health, but not everyone might know all the ins and outs of preventing them. If you want to preserve your healthy smile for a long time, candies full of sugar are not the only things to moderate.
The fact of the matter is that any food can wreak havoc, especially starchy foods like pasta. Besides, acidic foods and drinks should be minded too, so don’t believe sugar-free fruit juices are automatically harmless. What you can do is making sure your diet is balanced and brushing your teeth regularly.
Go for whitening
No matter how careful you are with staining foods and drinks, your teeth might lose some of their bright whiteness with due time. If you feel like your teeth are a bit yellow, it’s no reason to worry.
There are so many whitening treatment options today that everyone can find the one for them. You can try using whitening toothpaste to brighten your smile, but there are also instant solutions to pick from. It’s a good idea to discuss this with your dentist as at-home solutions are not always safe.
Consider cosmetic treatments
Whitening is not the only cosmetic treatment available today, so you don’t have to despair even if it’s not a solution to your problem. If your teeth are discolored, chipped, or simply badly shaped, you can look into shaping, bonding, veneers, and other similar solutions. Shaping, as the name says, can be used to file teeth to a more desirable length.
Bonding can fix small cracks and similar issues with the use of a natural-looking tooth-colored material. Finally, veneers are a popular solution if you want to give your entire smile a new appearance. It entails securing an outer shell made out of porcelain or composite material to your teeth.
Correct your teeth
Misaligned teeth are often the reason for an insecure smile. However, today, there is nothing that cannot be fixed. If your teeth are crooked, there are several things you can do about them. Despite what some may believe, orthodontics is not only for kids, and getting dental braces is the most effective solution to straighten your teeth.
Consulting with a specialist will give you a good idea of what this treatment entails and how long it takes in your particular case. Other teeth-straightening methods that have been getting popular are Invisalign and other aligners that are effective in case of more minor imperfections.
Fix a gummy smile
Sometimes, the reason why someone doesn’t smile confidently is a so-called gummy smile. If too much of your gums are exposed when your lips curve into a smile, this is exactly what you are dealing with.
While there is nothing wrong with a gummy smile, you can look into solutions if it bothers you. For instance, some people go for a quick Botox treatment to deal with this. With some Botox inserted at both sides of your upper lip, it won’t reveal as much of your gums when you smile. Note that this is not a permanent solution, though.
Nourish your lips
When perfecting your smile, make sure you devote some attention to your lips as well. After all, your smile is going to draw the eye to this part of your face, so you want to show the best image. If you often struggle with chapped lips, this is even more important. Start by exfoliating your lips with a lip scrub to get rid of any dead skin.
You can also make your own lip scrub with some sugar, honey, and an oil of your choice and rub your lips with the mixture. Then, apply Vaseline before going to bed and your lips will be smooth and soft the next day.
Practice
Finally, in order for your smile to look charming and natural both in real life and on every photo, it’s time to practice it! Stand in front of the mirror and try to adjust your smile to your liking. Practice a professional as well as a “photo” smile to appear your best in every situation. It’s a good idea to stick to a few useful pieces of advice. For instance, try to keep your smile relaxed.
Avoid clenching your teeth as it might make your smile appear tense and forced. Make sure you’re not only smiling with your mouth: what differentiates a fake smile from a real one is actually the muscles around your eyes, so add a bit of eye smile to the mix.
Taking good care of your teeth will ensure their longevity. However, if you are not satisfied with their appearance, don’t hesitate to consult specialists on the right cosmetic treatment for you.