Brushing, flossing and getting regular dental checkups are vital to preventing cavities and gum disease.
If you brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day, floss in the evening and avoid too much chocolate, you might think you're keeping your mouth healthy and clean.
However, there are some common mistakes people make that can actually strip the enamel off your teeth.
Not only does this make our teeth more susceptible to decay, increasing their sensitivity, but it can also turn them from white to yellow.
In a recent video on her TikTok account, dentist Dr. Surina explained three common mistakes most of us make that can turn white teeth yellow.
The first mistake, she said, is using a manual toothbrush and scrubbing too hard. “This aggressive cleaning will actually wear away the beautiful white enamel and expose the yellow dentin underneath,” she explained.
Dr. Surina also urged her followers to avoid snacking, explaining that every time we eat, our mouths go into an “acidic state.”
“The more times you eat a day, the more acidic your teeth are exposed to,” she adds. “This can erode the white enamel and expose the yellow dentin underneath.”
The third mistake that may cause yellow teeth is drinking soft drinks without using a straw.
The dentist always recommends drinking carbonated drinks through a straw because of their high acidity. She explained: “If you use a straw, you limit the contact between your teeth and the drink and will cause less enamel erosion.”
To protect teeth from decay, experts recommend the following:
- Brush your teeth twice a day.
- Use floss between your teeth.
- Cleaning the child's teeth as soon as they appear
- Have children follow a teeth cleaning routine.
- Orthodontics of crooked teeth
- Have regular dental checkups.
Experts also stress the need to reduce sugar intake and follow a healthy lifestyle, including eating well, not smoking, and limiting alcohol and sugar intake.