Most of us take really good care of our skin to help reduce the signs of ageing, and, as I am sure you know, at Diana Dental we offer a 
wide range of fantastic facial aesthetics treatments to help you with that… But did you know that it’s actually your smile that could be giving your true age away…??
If you don’t show your smile the same care and attention that you show your skin, it’ll stand out and make you look older. The colour, shape and health of your teeth is obviously important, but it will also make you feel better in yourself and give you a big confidence boost if you are proud of your knashers!
An age-defying smile isn’t just about a dazzling ‘wow’ bright smile and perfect piano key teeth either. Recent surveys suggest that most patients are now going for a more natural shade for their teeth – something which can be perfectly achieved with our Philips Zoom teeth whitening system.
Teeth start to lose their brightness from the age of 18, so whitening is a sure-fire way of rolling back the years. The treatment is minimal and non- invasive but it isn’t recommended to buy kits from anywhere other than your dentist. The trays we make for you are custom-made for your teeth, and the gels we provide are high- quality and – most importantly – vigorously tested, so you can be sure that they’re safe to use.
You also need to be snack-savvy too. If you’re being healthy by drinking smoothies and snacking on fruit and cereal bars, be aware that these can contain not only high levels of sugar, but also phosphoric and citric acids which can trigger teeth erosion and decay.
And if you tend to graze on these throughout the day, your teeth are under constant attack from them. Think about trying something more alkaline for snacks, such as nuts, raw vegetables or breadsticks.
Stress can also lead to teeth grinding which is a big problem as it can cause jaw ache, headaches and tooth damage; none of which are likely to help your smile!
Research shows that 30% of adults suffer with teeth grinding in varying degrees of severity. We can help you with a variety of exercises and bite guards, but getting to the root cause of the stress is a must.
Any of these treatments can be discussed at anytime with one of our team – you don’t have to wait until your next appointment. And if you already see another dentist, this won’t affect your appointments with them.
Here are a few at-home tips to keep your smile looking healthy:
Invest in an electric toothbrush and get rid of your manual one, it’s like cleaning the floor with a hoover compared to a dustpan and brush! You honestly won’t believe the difference.
Brushing only cleans about 70% of your teeth, so not to nag but… time to get the floss from the back of the bathroom cupboard!
Don’t use mouthwash straight after brushing – wait about 30 minutes then use it,. This will leave the fluoride from your toothpaste on your teeth longer…
Never brush straight after eating – wait 30 minutes again so that you aren’t agitating acid from your food into your teeth with your toothbrush…
If you are on a night out, take some chewing gum (containing Xylitol, a natural sweetener) to stimulate saliva: your mouth’s natural defence after drinking highly-sugared drinks and cocktails.
Anything that will stain a white shirt will stain your teeth. You don’t have to chuck the red wine away though! Either use a straw (!) or have a glass of water right after to wash away the wine from your teeth. This will not only reduce staining but also washes away the acid from the wine…Don’t smoke – or try to reduce as much as you can – if you need help, please get in touch, we can help you!
Visit us at least twice a year. OK – we
know it isn’t as exciting as getting a new haircut or a new colour, but healthy teeth will last a lifetime, and with our new clinic open in Cellarhead in addition to Birches Head it’s now even easier!!
Follow these tips and your smile will not just look great, it’ll take years off you!
