8 Ways To Maintain A Youthful Smile
The most attractive thing a person can wear every day is their smile. Your smile can say a lot about your personality, whether you’re outgoing or shy. It can also reveal your age. A younger person’s smile usually has a cleaner and whiter enamel. As you grow older, your teeth and smile will change, but that usually depends on your lifestyle. But generally, your teeth can become stained, and your enamel gradually thins out, making your teeth more vulnerable to shifting out and wearing down.
While you can’t rewind the clock and regain the youthfulness you had, there are a few dental tips that will help you get back and maintain your youthful smile. From getting dental implants, having orthodontic treatment, to teeth whitening, here are eight ways you can keep your smile young and fresh.
- Attend Regular Dental Checkups
Your best partner towards reviving your youthful smile is no other than your dentist. While your proper dental hygiene keeps your teeth healthy, your dentist can even do more. During your appointment, your dentist will clean and remove any signs of tartar from your teeth, and most importantly, check your teeth for any signs of decay or infection, which can ruin your teeth and eventually affect your smile. Generally, you’re recommended to see your dentist at least twice a year, but your personal dentist will have the last say on how often should you visit them to keep your teeth and smile youthful.
- Brush And Floss Daily
Another crucial step in maintaining your youthful smile is consistently brushing and flossing your teeth on a daily basis. While your dentist regularly checks your teeth for any dental issues, the daily care and maintenance are all up to you and your habits. Brushing your teeth daily helps prevent plaque and eliminate the food particles stuck on your teeth. When food bits are left on your teeth overnight, they can stain your teeth, cause tooth decay, and age your smile. The best time to brush your teeth is once in the morning and at night before bedtime.
Flossing is also as important as brushing. There may be tiny food debris that your toothbrush can’t remove, which the dental floss can remove for you. Furthermore, daily flossing also keeps your gums healthy and fresh. Ultimately, brushing and flossing should go hand in hand.
- Avoid Acidic Food And Drinks
Stained, yellow teeth can make your once youthful smile look unhealthy and older than it truly is. Most of the time, the main culprit for making your teeth yellowish is the food and drinks you consume. So, to maintain a young-looking smile now’s the time to start being mindful of everything you eat and drink.
For example, if possible, reduce your consumption of coffee, tea, and red wine as these drinks are infamous for staining your teeth. Furthermore, berries, chocolates, fruit juices, and vinegar-based foods can also stain your teeth. You can still consume them occasionally, but make sure to rinse your mouth with water or mouthwash right away after consumption. Then, brush your teeth 45 minutes after eating to keep the residues from staining.
- Quit Smoking
Everyone knows how smoking is harmful to your health, including your teeth and smile. Not only will smoking make your teeth stained to a yellowish or brownish tone, but the toxic chemicals from the cigarette can put you at risk for mouth and gum diseases and tooth loss. So, take some steps to control, or better yet, quit your smoking habits.
- Smooth Out Your Lip Wrinkles
Another downside of being a smoker is that it can cause your lips to have wrinkles, making your appearance look older. Even if you’re not a smoker, your lips will also eventually have wrinkles as you age. If you’re still young and in your youthful years, make it a habit to apply an SPF lip balm to preserve your lips and your smile.
- Realign Your Smile
When mentioning braces, many people assume it’s only for kids and teens. But the truth is, braces are not only made for kids. Even adults can realign their teeth to keep their smile youthful. So, if your teeth are misaligned or angled, consider getting orthodontic treatment.
- Consider Veneers
Another dental procedure to help improve your smile is getting veneers. If your current teeth have some spots, a few chips, or you’re simply not happy with how they look, you can get veneers. Veneers are thin covers placed over your original teeth to make your smile look new. They may be a bit costly, but they can last for around 15 to 20 years, depending on how you take care of them.
- Whiten Your Teeth
Lastly, regain your youthful smile by whitening your teeth. Stained teeth are often the main reason for making your smile appear old. So, get yourself your own teeth whitening kit at home and include it in your daily dental routine. If you want it professionally done, you can also set an annual appointment with your dentist for teeth bleaching.
Takeaway
A youthful and healthy-looking smile can make you feel confident about yourself. So, try these tips and make sure to practice them properly and consistently.
