By Richard Kabanda.
If you’re guzzling red wine and black tea, or smoking cigarettes or cigars, expect your partner to frown. You may have suddenly going out for those hot dates without reason but he or she is ashamed of your stained/dirty teeth. The Pepper dentist, Dr Richard Kabanda guides you through how you can kick this problem.
Brush it
Culprits to blame for discolored or dirty teeth include colas, gravies, and dark juices. If it’s dark before you put it in your mouth, it will probably stain your teeth. Brush immediately after eating or drinking foods that stain teeth and use a good bleaching agent, either over-the-counter or in the dentist’s office. For convenient teeth-cleaning action, eat an apple.
Chuck your toothbrush
This should be at least every two to three months. Otherwise, you’re just transferring bacteria to your mouth. According to Kabanda, the best way to brush is by placing your toothbrush at a 45-degree angle against your gums and gently moving it in a circular motion, rather than a back-and-forth motion.
Clean your tongue
Carefully brush your tongue every morning to remove plaque and freshen your breath. One major cause of bad breath is the buildup of bacteria on the tongue. “Using a tongue scraper is more effective than a toothbrush on your tongue,” says Dr Kabanda.
Eat ‘detergent’ foods
Such foods are firm or crisp help clean teeth as they’re eaten. Apples, otherwise known as nature’s toothbrush, raw carrots, and popcorn qualify for clean teeth. For best results, make these foods the final food in your meal especially if you know you won’t be able to brush your teeth right after eating.
Gargle
Do it with apple cider vinegar in the morning and then brush as usual. The vinegar helps help remove stains, whiten teeth, and kill bacteria in your mouth and gums.
Brush with baking soda once a week
To remove stains and whiten your teeth use it just as you would toothpaste. You can also use salt as an alternative. Be sure to spit it out so it doesn’t count as sodium intake! Also, if your gums start to feel raw, switch to brushing with salt every other day.
Stay fresh
To check the freshness of your breath, lick your palm and smell it while it’s still wet. If you smell something, it’s time for a sugar-free breath mint. Shop for alcohol-free mouthwash. Mouthwashes that have too much alcohol can dry out the tissues in your mouth, making them more susceptible to bacteria.
Floss with eyes shut
If you can floss without having to guide your work with a mirror, you can do it in your car, at your desk, in bed, and before important dates. Buy several packs of floss and scatter them in such different places.
Bottom line; have all plaque cleaned off the teeth before sleep and brush first thing in the morning to brush off plaque and bacteria that may have built up as you slept.
Posted by special dating advice
on 11:15 AM. Filed under