The Before and After of Tooth Whitening

Your smile is an asset. "When someone has a big smile, it shows they’re willing to open up and expose a part of themselves," says Pamela McClain, DDS, a past president of the American Academy of Periodontology. The difficulty is in keeping your smile looking white and bright.

Tooth whitening, sometimes referred to as bleaching, is probably the most common cosmetic dental procedure requested by dental patients today. If you’re thinking of talking with your dhealth cosmetic dentist about an in-office or at-home tooth whitening procedure, here are a few facts to know beforehand.

Reasons You May Need Tooth Whitening

Although we all start our lives with sparkling, white teeth, here are five reasons why tooth color may change.

• Stains. Long-time consumption of food and drink such as red wine, coffee, blueberries, and carrots, can cause stains.
• Tobacco. The nicotine in smoking or chewing tobacco leaves brownish deposits on teeth.
• Medications. Some medications, such as tetracycline, may cause a grey or brown ribbon effect on teeth, particularly in young children.
• Grinding. People who grind their teeth are apt to see more stains in the small cracks tooth grinding causes to teeth.
• Age. Over time, it’s natural for teeth to darken and accumulate stains. That’s why tooth whitening typically works best for younger dental patients. However, that doesn’t mean it’s impossible to get worthwhile results in older dental patients. 

Another reason that teeth may appear to lose their vibrant color is due to thinning enamel. Enamel is the outer layer that helps to protect and insulate your teeth during daily use. What you eat and drink as well as genetics and medication have much to do with how your teeth wear. Unfortunately, your dhealth dentist cannot correct thinning enamel through tooth whitening.

Steps to Take to Maintain Tooth Whitening

It’s important to understand that tooth whitening will not make your teeth healthier or stronger. Additionally, it is not a permanent solution. Teeth may stain again if you continue to expose them to the substances that stained them previously. You’ll need to follow the same dedicated oral hygiene process – daily brushing and flossing – that you followed prior to the whitening procedure.

Moreover, your dhealth cosmetic dentist may recommend you:

• Stop smoking immediately
• Avoid eating certain foods that can cause stains or weaken your tooth enamel
• Sip dark-colored beverages through a straw, specifically aiming the straw at the back of your mouth and away from your teeth
• Rinse immediately after consuming stain-causing beverages or foods
• Continue using an at-home treatment, such as whitening toothpaste, to remove surface stains and yellowing
• Check with your dental professional to see if you need a touch up 

Before you decide that tooth whitening is right for you and to ensure the best tooth whitening results possible, talk to a cosmetic dentist.

5 Cosmetic Dentistry Options for a Great Smile

Your smile is nice; however, you want it to be great. That may mean you’ll need some cosmetic dentistry work done to get it in tip-top shape. Here are five cosmetic dentistry options that may be right for your needs.

Tooth Contouring

This dental procedure involves reshaping a tooth to improve its overall appearance. Your dhealth cosmetic dentist traditionally uses tooth contouring to correct chipped, crooked, or pointed teeth, or to lengthen and shorten teeth. Additionally, in some cases your dental professional may suggest it as an alternative to braces.

Although the process is generally quick and painless, it does remove irreplaceable enamel. Be sure to discuss the procedure with your dentist thoroughly before you decide.

Tooth Bonding

If you have teeth that are decayed, chipped, cracked, discolored, short, or misshapen, or if you have spaces between your teeth or have exposed gums, your dhealth dentist may recommend tooth bonding.

This process involves applying a tooth-colored resin material to the tooth surface. Once reshaped and polished it looks as natural as the rest of your teeth. It’s probably one of the easiest and least expensive methods of giving you a great-looking smile.

Dental Bridges

Many times when dental patients lose a tooth, the dentist may recommend replacing it with a dental implant. However, your dhealth cosmetic dentist may recommend a less-expensive dental bridge.

Dental bridges are one or more permanent false teeth attached between two adjacent natural teeth. They fill up the area left by missing teeth. Unlike dentures, you don’t remove them. They can help reduce the risk of gum disease and correct your bite.

Dental Veneers

If discolored or stained teeth, spaces between your teeth, or worn, chipped, and misaligned teeth mar your smile, you may want to opt for porcelain or laminated dental veneers.

These thin tooth covers are custom made to the color, shape, and size you desire. Bonded to the front of your natural teeth, they can give you a fresh, new smile. After that, it’s up to you to keep it that way.

Gum Lift

Sometimes dental patients have what dental practitioners refer to as a “gummy smile” – when excessive gum shows causing teeth to look shorter. The normal width of unworn teeth is typically 75 percent to 85 percent of their length. To improve this length to width ratio, your cosmetic dentist may suggest a gum lift to raise and reshape your gum line.  

Generally, a gum lift is an elective procedure to improve the look of your smile. However, gummy smiles are sometimes the result of how teeth erupt or your jaw develops leading to bite issues.

If you want to bring harmony to your overall dental health and smile, talk with your dhealth cosmetic dentist to find out if any of these five cosmetic dentistry options are right for you.