Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, so you want to make sure to always put your best and brightest smile forward. This spring, keep your smile shining bright with just a few simple tricks and tips.

• Maintain good oral hygiene. There are a million reasons why keeping up your oral hygiene is extremely important, especially when you have braces, but good hygiene also leads to a more beautiful smile. Always make sure you brush your teeth twice a day, and don’t skip out on flossing! Braces can make it difficult to clean your teeth and gums that are in between brackets and wires, so at your next appointment make sure we show you the most effective ways to get at these hard to reach spots.
• Skip that extra cup of coffee or glass of red wine. Coffee, tea, red wine, and soda can all stain your teeth. In order to keep your pearly whites pearly and white, cut back on consumption of these beverages.
• Use a straw when consuming the above beverages. Sipping through a straw allows you to consume your favorite drinks without the liquid touching your teeth. This way you can enjoy any beverage without worrying it will stain your teeth. They even make straws that are specially designed for the consumption of hot beverages.
• Quit smoking. Besides taking an enormous toll on your health and causing severe problems like gingivitis and lung cancer, smoking cigarettes can stain your teeth brown. The more you smoke, the harder it is to remove these stains. Simply brushing is often not enough to get rid of the discoloration, so if you have stains from smoking you should consult one of our physicians on the best options to remove tobacco stains.
• Try teeth-whitening toothpaste. Ask Dr. Hutta for his suggestions on toothpaste that thoroughly cleans your teeth and helps prevent stains and discoloration.

Whether you have just had a teeth-whitening procedure and want to maintain your results or you want to keep your gorgeous smile beautiful, these tips will help brighten your smile. The best part of working to keep your teeth white is that you will also be protecting them at the same time!