White teeth can signify health and make you feel confident with your smile. Unfortunately, there are a number of things that you may be doing every day that are staining your teeth. Habits like smoking, drinking coffee, and eating sugary foods can all cause your teeth to have a yellow or brown tint. You can minimize the staining on your teeth by eliminating or reducing some of these habits.

Smoking

Smoking is bad for your health, your skin, the people around you, and your teeth. Stained teeth are really the least serious of all the potential side effects smoking can cause. The chemicals in the smoke have properties that will stain the surface of your teeth and eventually lead to stains that are more than surface deep. Over time, the negative effects of smoking can lead to gum disease and then loose teeth. Teeth that are not properly secured by your gums and roots will become discolored in a way that cannot be remedied with over-the-counter or professional teeth-whitening solutions. If you want to protect your teeth from the staining that smoking causes, the only option is to kick the habit for good.

Drinking Coffee

The dark color of coffee can lead to surface stains on your teeth – especially if you drink it often. Fortunately, you do not have to completely give up on your coffee habit to have white teeth. Brushing regularly with a whitening toothpaste can help keep coffee stains at bay. When you need a little more help brightening your teeth after years of coffee drinking, you can get professional teeth whitening from your dentist. In-office whitening often removes years’ worth of coffee stains in as little as one or two treatments.

Eating Sugary Foods

Eating an unhealthy diet is a habit that can lead to stained teeth, decay, and gum disease. If your diet is not balanced, it can negatively impact the internal health of your teeth—from the roots up. In addition, sugary foods often include dark dyes that can stain your teeth. The occasional treat will not lead to a lot of issues with your teeth, but a consistently poor diet will. Changing your eating habits will not only have a positive impact on your teeth, but it will also positively impact how you feel and function overall.

Each of the three habits mentioned above can stain your teeth and make it difficult for you to get the white smile you want. The good news is that a few lifestyle changes can improve the look of your smile and minimize the impact of these habits. If you find that the damage has already been done, you can still get the white smile of your dreams with the help of cosmetic dentistry.