Dentist explains the two common mistakes people make while brushing that turn your teeth yellow
Britt Jones
Featured Image Credit: Getty Stock Images
If you’re tired of your chompers losing their whiteness, a dentist has revealed the common mistakes you’re making when taking care of your oral health.
There’s nothing more discouraging than discolored, yellow teeth.
They say that a smile could light up a room, and it’s often the first thing people will notice about you, and if your teeth are subpar, there could be a few things you’re doing wrong.
Dr Ferakh Hamid, a dentist in the UK with more than 20 years of experience, has come out to plead with people around the world and urge them to take care of their teeth by doing a couple of different things in the morning and evening.
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While you could simply fix your teeth by going to the dentist and getting them professionally whitened, tackling the issue without chemicals might be the cheapest and easiest thing you can try to do first.
According to the expert, you’re not preparing your toothbrush correctly in order to brush properly.
Now, you might be thinking that there’s only one way to prepare your tooth brush…but that’s not true.
Raise your hand if you go in dry before applying toothpaste?
See? People have been doing it wrong.
According to Dr Hamid, you need to be wetting it correctly and with enough lubricant, as if you apply toothpaste straight to your teeth and there’s no water, it’s going to stain your teeth.
This is actually a leading cause of stained teeth, which is insane.
He also warned that if you brush your teeth too soon after eating or drinking acidic foods, it’s going to make them yellow too.
He said, as per the Daily Mail: “Brushing your teeth in certain ways, like without water or right after eating acidic foods, might actually make them look less white over time.”
Doing these things can make your teeth 'dull', and he added: “Dry brushing might seem good for getting rid of surface stains at first, but without water, toothpaste doesn't spread well.”
If you’re brushing right after eating acidic foods, your enamel might be too weak to handle brushing, and there’s the risk that you’re just moving the acid around your mouth instead of cleaning it.
Dr Hamid said that softening the bristles can be a bonus when it comes to keeping your teeth shiny and white.
He said: “When you wet the bristles, they soften up. This means when you brush, it's gentler on your gums and teeth, helping to avoid any irritation or damage.”
On top of wetting your toothbrush, you should also make sure to brush your teeth for two minutes twice a day, and not skimp out on the time.
Then, make sure to clean your tongue once a day and visit your dentist at regular intervals to keep on top of your oral health.
“Keeping up with these steps will help prevent dental problems and keep your mouth feeling great,” he said.
While it might come as a surprise to many that you need to drench your brush, you might just see a difference when you start to take on Dr Hamid’s tips.