While most of us don’t quite want that cartoon-esque smile when we open our mouth, there’s no doubt that white teeth are utterly desirable. They are something that can make us ooze confidence and as such, are something of a prerequisite in modern-day life.

Unfortunately, through the likes of coffee, cigarettes and a whole host of other lifestyle factors, stained teeth are more the norm. According to a dentist in Clinton, it doesn’t necessarily need to be like this though. We will now mull through some of their advice to show how you can keep your teeth white and ultimately boost your confidence (and smile) no-end.

Roll back the years… and use a straw

They may have been something that we used as children, but if you are serious about keeping stains away from your teeth you should not ignore the power of a straw. These are something that almost allow liquids to “bypass” your teeth, meaning that those harmful stains don’t come into contact with them.

Sure, for some drinks it might be difficult. However, some people have gone as far as drinking red wine from a straw, just to avoid the negative teeth effects. Additionally, in relation to hot drinks like coffee, you can purchase metal straws to help your plight somewhat.

You are what you eat

It’s an annoying cliché, but the saying of “you are what you eat” couldn’t be more true when it comes to the aesthetics of your teeth.

There are certain foods which are fantastic when it comes to this, with one example being any fruit or vegetable which is crunchy in texture. These foods have natural cleansing actions, while if we hone in on apples specifically the malic acid contained within them will help to dissolve the stains.

If we were to turn to a bad example, lemons often fall into this category. While some advice might point you in the direction of sucking lemons, this will actually make the problem worse. They can erode the enamel away and ultimately, make your teeth look more yellow.

If you want to turn to an advanced solution, baking soda could be an option. There’s a reason why this is contained in a lot of toothpastes – it has fantastic whitening effects. Unfortunately, it’s very potent, meaning that you should only use it sparingly.

Don’t scrub your teeth too hard

Finally, don’t fall into the trap of scrubbing your teeth too hard. In a bid to supposedly rid your mouth of the yellow shade, this is something that a lot of people do.

The problem is that it can have the opposite effect. This is something that can actually remove the enamel from your teeth, thereby exposing the yellow shade that we all dread. As such, if you are seeing the lifespan of your brush decline quickly, there’s every chance that you are already someone who is falling foul of this technique.