Begin with a healthy diet. Avoid snacking between meals. Brush and floss your teeth after every meal. If you must snack, make them healthy snacks Instead of snacking on junk food, try chewing on fresh fruits and vegetables, especially the crunchy foods. Apples, pears, celery and carrots are good suggestions. They will aid in enzyme production and the natural chewing of the crunchy foods will stimulate the gums.

Drink plenty of water. Keep your mouth moist and avoid dry mouth. Remember that dry mouth is a harbinger of dental disease. We also need that water to stimulate the production of saliva.

Avoid drinking soda pop. Americans consume gallons of soda pop a day. Most is loaded with sugar which obviously leads to dental disease and discolored teeth. Don't be fooled by a "diet soda" label. Even they have huge amounts of acids that are deadly to the enamel on your teeth.

And, if you thought that just sodas are the culprit, think again. A recent study claims that all those popular sports drinks we buy may not be such a good idea after all. They may re-hydrate the body, but they can cause irreversible damage to the dental enamel.

The study reports that fitness water, sports drinks, energy drinks and other non-cola beverages increase the risk of damage by anywhere from 3 to 11 times! It should be mentioned that the findings are indicative of long term use. However, it appears that these drinks may not necessarily beneficial as a substitute for plain old-fashioned fresh water!

Bleaching. This process involves the application of a rubber shield or a gel to your gums before work commences. This is necessary in order to prevent harm to the soft tissue. Bleaching material is then applied, sometimes using a laser light to enhance the procedure. The process may require several visits to the dental office.

Kits for bleaching are available for home use and you might discuss choose to discuss that possibility with your dentist. The actual bleaching agent is carbamide peroxide solution. It usually comes as a gel and placed in a mouthguard. The frequency and length of treatment will vary from person to person depending on the amount and intensity of whitening you desire. This should be discussed with your dentist before proceeding. Occasionally there is some soft tissue irritation. If you experience any side effects from using the agent, contact the dentist immediately.

Teeth whitening strips. Teeth whitening strips are simply cool! These are probably the most convenient advancement in dental care in decades taking the concept of tooth bleaching to an entire new level of speed and convenience.

The whitening strips contain hydrogen peroxide which is embedded in transparent material that fits over the teeth. Almost totally undetectable when worn, the peroxide goes to work as soon as they are activated by the moisture in your mouth. (Another good reason to avoid dry mouth!)

There are several brand names on the market and all work pretty much the same. They are applied over the teeth and worn for 30 minutes twice a day for 21 days, or you may select the type that can be worn overnight whitening the teeth while you are sleeping.

How long the effects last will vary depending on diet and lifestyle. Your teeth will stain again, but you can lengthen the time between incidences by avoiding tobacco, tea, red wine, colored juices, curry, soy and soft drinks. If you are on well water, you might want to have the water tested. High concentrations of minerals in your water will cause staining of your teeth. Or, you may just opt for bottled water. The results from the teeth whitening strips are absolutely incredible and you would do well to give them a try.