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Dental hygiene tips for healthy teeth & gums

What You Can Do About the Color of Your Teeth?

All of us like to have a perfect smile, and the color of our teeth can either hamper or brighten our smile. Are you concerned about the color of your teeth as they do not appear as white as before? Then you are at the optimal site as we have underlined a few things that you can do to brighten your teeth, and you will also learn why the discoloration happened.

Discoloration of Teeth – Reasons

A yellow tooth is not necessarily a sign of a bad oral routine, nor does it necessarily depict poor oral health. The color of your teeth might change gradually and subtly. Sometimes it could be age and other times other factors as listed below:

  • Extrinsic, i.e., is caused by something which comes in contact with your teeth. Some of those substances could be:
    • Foods and drinks such as coffee, wines, potatoes, apples, etc.
    • Tobacco use
  • Intrinsic, i.e., something inside your teeth or body is causing the discoloration such as:
    • Many treatments can affect dentin and enamel (the hardest surface of your teeth) of your teeth like chemotherapy or radiation for the neck and head.
    • Infections in pregnant women can cause teeth discoloration in their babies as it affects enamel development.

Professional Whitening Of Teeth

Dentists may use professional whitening products if you want sparkling teeth. Some of the methods employed to achieve teeth whitening are:

  • Use of Hydrogen Peroxide Solution – A hydrogen peroxide solution can expedite the whitening process of teeth. Sometimes you might require heat and a special light to accelerate the process of bleaching. The products are safe if performed by experts.
  • Dental bonding – In this process, a white resin is applied to the teeth and then hardened with a special curing light. With the use of light, teeth and resin are bonded together to improve your teeth’ color and structure.
  • Dental crowns – Dental crowns are primarily used to cover, protect, and restore a damaged tooth, but they can also whiten your smile. Your dentist can do customization of the dental crown to match your teeth’ color.
  • Dental veneers – These are custom-made porcelain shells to cover the tooth’s front portion, which improves the teeth’ structure, color, and shape of your smile. Veneers are very delicate and are about the size of a false fingernail. If you choose to go for veneers, your dentist would advise you not to bite down too heavily on hard food as it might cause breakage of veneers.

How Can You Reduce Yellowing Of Teeth in the Future?

Once you get the perfect white teeth you wanted, you would need to follow a few preventive measures to stop further yellowing of teeth with time. A few lifestyle changes are listed below:

  • Avoid or lower consumption of beverages and food, which can cause coloration of teeth.
  • Get a nightguard if you tend to grind your teeth.
  • Drink lots of water, especially if you eat or drink staining drinks and foods.
  • Quit smoking

In case you brush your teeth two times per day for 2 minutes, floss regularly, pick the suitable paste with lightening products, and sip your liquids with a straw, be sure of healthy oral condition and longevity of white teeth.

Book an Appointment to find out which treatment might be best for you.