When it comes to taking care of your teeth, there are a lot of things you should learn about that go above and beyond daily brushing and flossing. The more you understand about your teeth, the better your chances are going to be to keep them healthy and in good condition. One of the important parts of your teeth that serve as their first line of defense against injuries and decay is enamel. Enamel is the outermost shell of your teeth that adds strength to them and also determines their coloring. Here are some things you should know about keeping your enamel healthy and undamaged:

Keep your enamel looking good

If you keep your enamel clean and free of stains, then you can keep your smile looking whiter for longer. Although enamel is actually clear, the more of it you have, the lighter in color your teeth will look. However, the dentin under the enamel also plays a role in the look of your teeth and a very dark dentin can make your enamel look a shade darker. To keep the enamel looking good, you want to avoid things like smoking and drinking or eating anything known to stain teeth. Teeth that are stained can be whitened. However, teeth that are darker naturally can't be whitened with treatments.

Keep your teeth strong with a healthy diet

You also want to protect your enamel from becoming weaker which will leave them at a greater risk of things like chipping, fractures and even serious breakage. Eating a diet that consists of foods high in calcium can help your teeth stay stronger. Also, fluoride can help your enamel to stay healthy. Eating green, leafy vegetables will also play an important role in the health of your enamel and the other parts of your teeth.

Don't put added stress on your teeth

You want to make sure you don't put any extra and unnecessary stress on your teeth. There are many ways you may be doing this and some ways you may not even be aware of. You may be grinding your teeth in your sleep, putting a lot of pressure on the enamel and the other parts of your teeth. You may be putting too much stress on your teeth by using them like tools and opening packages with them or using them to unscrew bottle caps. Even eating something hard like ice cubes puts more pressure on your teeth than they should have put on them.

Conclusion

If you don't take care of your teeth now, then they may not take care of you. You can find yourself needing to have your teeth pulled. If you do, then you may be looking at such replacement options as getting dentures or having dental implants put in.

For more information, contact companies like Smile City.

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