If you want to enjoy a brighter, more beautiful smile, the first step is to avoid food and drinks that will stain your teeth. Coffee, tea, soda, red wine, tomato sauce, and blueberries can really discolor your teeth. That said, cutting out favorite foods just to have white teeth is no way to live. Fortunately, there are plenty of easy teeth whitening strategies out there. If you’re dealing with surface-level stains, whitening toothpaste usually works just fine. Whitening toothpaste contains mild abrasives, which scrub away surface stains. Be careful not to overuse whitening toothpaste or you’ll run the risk of damaging your enamel. If you’ve been using whitening toothpaste for a while and haven’t seen any improvement, you may have what’s called “intrinsic stains,” or staining inside the tooth. The only way to remove intrinsic stains is to clean beneath the surface of the tooth with some kind of bleaching agent. Never brush your teeth with household bleach. Only use safe products designed to be used on your teeth. Crest Whitestrips work really well, but if you need to see faster results, an in-office whitening treatment is your best option. There are some popular teeth whitening strategies online that either don’t work or are outright harmful to your teeth. If you want to whiten your teeth at home, avoid these mistakes: • Charcoal toothpaste — Some people think the abrasive charcoal will scrub away stains faster than traditional whitening toothpaste, but it’s far too rough on teeth, causing more harm than good. • Turmeric — This spice may have some health benefits, but it’s not great on your teeth. People who brush their teeth with turmeric often see their pearly whites stained a highlighter yellow. Show Off Those Pearly Whites TIPS FOR SAFE TEETH WHITENING AT HOME
BARBEQUE CAMPFIRE CAMPING FIREWORK
HOT INDEPENDENCE JULY
SUMMER SUN SWIMMING TANNING UFO VOLLEYBALL WATERMELON
LEMONADE OUTDOORS
FISHING FRIENDS HIKING
SANDALS SKEWERS
Juicy Lucy Sliders
Inspired by Bon Appétit Magazine
The Juicy Lucy is a burger with cheese hiding in the patty, and it is a staple in Minnesota. We think it should be a Fourth of July favorite nationwide. INGREDIENTS
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2 lbs. ground chuck beef, 20% lean
8 slices melting cheese (like American, Swiss, Muenster, or cheddar)
• • •
16 small potato rolls, toasted Salt and pepper, to taste
Your favorite burger accompaniments
DIRECTIONS
1. Divide beef into 16 evenly sized balls. 2. Rip cheese into roughly equal pieces, creating 16 equal portions. 3. Using your index finger, create a small indentation in each ball. 4. Fill indention with cheese and pinch meat around to seal. Then gently form balls into 3/4-inch-thick patties. Season patties. 5. Meanwhile, heat a cast-iron skillet to medium-high. 6. Lightly coat skillet with oil and cook patties in batches. Brown one side undisturbed, about 3 minutes. Carefully flip and cook until desired doneness, about 3 minutes for medium. 7. Serve on toasted potato rolls with your favorite accompaniments.
• Coconut oil pulling — Coconut oil pulling has become very trendy, but there’s no scientific evidence to suggest it can help whiten your teeth in any way.
Want to enjoy whiter teeth this summer? Give us a call at 256.534.1475 to ask about in- office whitening treatments and get tips for safer teeth whitening at home.
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www.elizabethdulingdmd.com
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