In continuation of our three-part blog series: 10 Tips To Protect Your Smile, Dr. Mehta & Associates presents the following three tips.  Hopefully, these ideas will help you to maintain healthy, white teeth.  As always if you need dental assistance, you can contact us at 951) 383-6858 (Temecula office) or (951) 667-1595 (Riverside office).  We are continually accepting new patients from Menifee, Temecula, Murrieta, and Riverside.

Tip 4—Try Foods That Help Clean Teeth

Diet has a direct impact on your oral health.  When you eat or drink food that has dark colors, it is likely that they will stain your teeth.  Also, foods that are sticky and high in sugar content will cling to your teeth (particularly in small crevices between teeth).  Hence, it will be harder to clean these foods when brushing.

There are, however, foods that help clean your teeth when they are eaten.  Some like to refer to these foods as “nature’s toothbrush.”  Some of these edibles include:

  • Apples
  • Carrots (raw)
  • Celery
  • Popcorn

Later this year we’ll dedicate a whole blog to “teeth friendly foods.”  If you eat these foods as an ending snack, they can help you to clear away food that is not tooth-friendly.

Tip 5—Brush When You Wake Up

Although it may seem counterproductive to brush your teeth before you eat breakfast, there are proven studies that show brushing immediately after a meal could do more harm than good.  Since bacteria quickly begin producing acids as a waste product after you eat, your mouth pH balance is highly acidic after meals.  So brushing right after eating is akin to brushing acids all over your enamel.

A better plan is brush after you wake.  Your mouth becomes drier during the night, so bacteria has its best chance to damage your teeth then.  So brushing as soon as you wake disrupts what bacteria have been building all night long.

Tip 6—Brush Before Bed

After your last meal (or late night snack), head to the bathroom to have a nightly rendezvous with your toothbrush.  As stated above, your mouth gets drier at night, so bacteria will try to have a party while you sleep.  You can stave off much of what they can do by thoroughly brushing and flossing before you go to sleep.