How To Have A Healthy, White Smile

Summer is here. For many people, this is the time of year when we get together more frequently with family and friends. It’s a time when many of us schedule vacations, too.

If there is one thing you can count on it’s that your picture will be taken and shared on social media, where hundreds if not thousands of people will see it.

Now is also a great opportunity to make your smile camera ready. All you need to do is call First Dental Associates to schedule an appointment for a dental cleaning and teeth whitening.

Our dentist office is located in Reading, MA. If you live or work near us, we would love to help you get ready for your close-up.

Start With Basic Dental Care

We suspect most of you are aware of the basics of keeping your mouth healthy, but it never hurts to review what we should be doing.

First, brush your teeth twice a day for two minutes each time. Scrub your teeth on all sides using a soft-bristled toothbrush and pea-sized squeeze of toothpaste with fluoride. Don’t forget to brush your tongue when you are finished.

To make sure you are removing as many cavity-causing bacteria as possible, the second step is flossing between your teeth and gums at least once per day. You can use waxed or unwaxed floss, flavored or unflavored. Use any kind of floss that you like, just so long as you remember to use it every day.

Last, but certainly not least, visit First Dental Associates a couple times each year for a professional dental cleaning by our dentist or one of our hygienists.

When you are sitting in our dentist chair, we want to help you have the healthiest mouth that you can. We will remove any plaque or tartar buildup that we find, and we will let you know if we see any symptoms of tooth decay or gum disease.

We will finish your routine cleaning and examination by polishing your teeth so your teeth look nice.

Reviving Your Smile

Brushing and flossing are great ways to prevent tooth decay and gum disease. Brushing and routine cleaning also do a good job of removing surface stains from your teeth.

Even so, they aren’t going to stop your teeth from getting a little yellower every year. Every time you drink coffee, tea, or soft drinks, small particles remain on your teeth. Any time you enjoy a plate of spaghetti, a delicious burrito, or a burger and fries, some small part of those meals get left behind.

You won’t notice it from meal to meal, but over time, you will become aware that something is different about your smile.

If you are a tobacco user of any kind (cigarettes, cigars, or smokeless tobacco), you probably will see your stains come on faster.

When you decide that your teeth are no longer your “pearly whites,” professional teeth whitening can revive your smile. A great time to do this is after you have finished routine cleaning.

Professional teeth whitening has several advantages over the commercial products you can find in the grocery store (just a few aisles over from the stain-causing candy, soft drinks, coffee, etc.).

First and foremost, professional whitening products have a higher concentration of the bleaching agents which makes them more effective and more efficient. This is why they are only available at dentist offices.

Second, they will get your teeth several shades whiter than commercial products when they are used as directed.

For the fastest possible results, we offer in-office whitening treatments. We use two products in our practice.

Sapphire bleaching gel is used in conjunction with the Sapphire Plasma Arc Curing Light can give you a noticeable improvement in a single visit to our office. Patients with sensitive teeth may prefer DenMat Lumibrite.

For patients who prefer the do-it-yourself approach, Sapphire and Lumibrite also make take-home products. As part of this treatment, you will receive a custom-fitted bleaching tray.

When used as directed, this spreads the whitening gel more evenly on your teeth. The take-home product takes more time than the in-office treatment, but the final results are comparable.

Say Cheese!

The next time you get together with your family or friends, be ready to pose whenever someone wants to take a “selfie” with you. Call to schedule a cleaning and ask about our teeth whitening service, too.

This combination will have your mouth healthy and your smile looking great.

Call [phone] or use our online form to make an appointment at our dentist office in Reading, MA. We look forward to seeing your smile.