It happens to all of us, at one point. We look in the mirror and suddenly notice how stained or yellowed our teeth have become. The first product most of us choose to use, at first, is a teeth whitening gel, mostly because it is an easy substitute for our normal toothpaste. The majority of these products work great, and over time, you will see an improvement in the appearance of your teeth. There are additional steps that we can all take, however, that will increase the efficiency of the teeth whitening gel, and they are all quite simple to include in our daily routines.
How teeth whitening gel becomes necessary
Our teeth lose their natural white appearance for a variety of reasons. For many of us, even keeping to a strict dental hygiene regimen is just simply not enough. Everything we eat and drink can leave a trace behind on our teeth, and some substances, like coffee, tea, and wine, can be tougher to remove than others. For others, their teeth will begin to change color as they age, often becoming yellow or slightly gray, because enamel will break down over time, and once it is has reached a low point, the only means to correct their appearance is through a teeth whitening gel.
Smoking is another lifestyle habit that can wreak havoc on your teeth. Have you ever noticed the stain that nicotine leaves behind on a window that has come in contact with cigarette smoke? Even your car windshield will develop a yellowish tint over time if you regularly smoke in the car. Tobacco will have the same effect on your teeth, and the nicotine will leave behind stains that can be tough to remove. A teeth whitening gel, used regularly, is your best bet for getting control of those stains once more.
Improving your dental habits
Using a teeth whitening gel by itself may not be enough to permanently improve or remove the appearance of stains on your teeth. You have to reinforce its action with some improvement in your normal dental hygiene routine, as well. The teeth whitening gel on its own will not keep the stains at bay, not without adding other essential steps that should be included in your daily brushing routine.
With tough stains, it may be a good idea to begin the changes in your brushing routine by including a good whitening mouthwash.
By rinsing before brushing, you are literally presoaking your teeth, making them more susceptible to the effects of the teeth whitening gel. If you cannot eliminate the causes of the stains completely from your lifestyle, using the mouthwash between brushing with the teeth whitening gel will help keep them from accumulating as rapidly as before.
Flossing
Another method for boosting the effectiveness of your teeth whitening gel is to include flossing as often as possible. There are whitening flosses available that are coarser than most, and will keep plaque and stains from rebuilding on your teeth between brushing.
