Our smiles are our most important facial features, helping us communicate and make friends. A bad smile can make us feel bad about ourselves and affect our self-esteem, so it’s important to practice good habits to keep our teeth looking healthy and bright.

As you have undoubtedly seen when you do your laundry, these substances leave tough stains. This is as true for your teeth as it is for your clothes, so drinking too much can darken your teeth and leave them permanently stained. While they may leave more superficial stains that a dentist or hygienist can polish away, excessive exposure to these beverages can stain your teeth down through the enamel. Alternatively, drink through a straw and rinse with warm water, after enjoying your beverage.

There are dozens of products on the market that can help you brighten your smile, so select the right product for the job. If you’re a heavy coffee or tea drinker, whitening toothpaste or rinses can deliver a thorough overall whitening. For tough stains in a smaller area, try using a gel pen. For more severe problems, ask a dentist about laser whitening procedures.

Most people wait to get treated, giving a minor problem time to worsen. What may have once only required a drill and fill may now necessitate a root canal procedure or an extraction. As Dr. Robert Rifkin, D.D.S. points out, the latest technology can help treat any problem with minimal discomfort, while providing a high quality service. While a visit to the dentist can be intimidating, putting it off will only make the experience worse.

Water is one of the best ways to keep your teeth white, healthy and strong. As you drink water, it flushes sugar, bacteria, and food particles away from the teeth and gums, which helps to keep your teeth from experiencing advanced decay. By replacing soda and sports drinks with water, you can keep your body hydrated and avoid contaminating your teeth and gums with sugar and chemical preservatives, as well.

Above all, it’s important to see your dentist and dental hygienist regularly, at least twice per year. This will help catch and correct problems early, so you can keep a healthy smile for years to come. Considering how much we rely on our smile, doing everything we can to keep it healthy should be a top concern.