Tips for a Whiter Smile

Spring is here, and we are all ready for a little renewal! This is the perfect time to think about easy ways you can spruce up your smile! Nothing can ruin a smile faster than teeth that are stained or discolored, and nothing can fix it faster than a professional teeth whitening treatment.

Many patients of the Manhattan Beach cosmetic dentist are interested in learning more about options for keeping their smile bright. Here are a few tips to help you smile confidently into the Spring season.

Why Your Bright Smile Is Fading

In recent years you’ve probably noticed that it is getting harder to keep your teeth shiny and white as you get older. You may be following the same brushing and flossing routine, but the results are not keeping up with the changes to the appearance of your once youthful smile.

We commonly hear from our patients that they don’t understand why their teeth are becoming duller and harder to whiten. There are actually a number of reasons dental enamel can change in appearance over the years. Environmental factors contribute to some extent but more often this dulling is part of the natural aging process.

The teeth of a young person are covered with a thick layer of white enamel, concealing the inner core of the tooth. As you age, this enamel begins to erode, exposing more of the dentin beneath the surface. Dentin is naturally a darker, yellow color so older teeth often appear dull and yellow in comparison to healthy new teeth.

Avoiding Discoloration and Staining

You can remove some stains on the surface of dental enamel with regular flossing and brushing and professional cleanings at our dentist office. These stains are often caused by consuming stain-producing food and drinks such as colas, coffee, dark teas, and red wine, which can all leave stains on teeth.

But the absolute worst thing you can do is use tobacco products. Smoking or using chewing tobacco makes enamel appear dark, dull, and discolored. When they are relatively new, these stains can often be removed with a whitening treatment by a cosmetic dentist, but will eventually seep into porous enamel, making them difficult to remove.

Reverse the Effects of Aging with Effective Cosmetic Treatments

Your teeth will naturally change appearance and lose some of their luster over time in addition to accumulating environmental stains. But today’s modern cosmetic dentistry can restore the bright and luminous nature of your teeth, resulting in a more youthful looking smile.

Different teeth whitening options are available depending on your cosmetic goals, the extent of discoloration, and urgency with which you need to see results. There are patients who respond well to professional teeth bleaching treatments developed to lighten discoloration using a solution of hydrogen peroxide.

Dental veneers, which completely resurface enamel using thin layers of porcelain, may be a better option for patients with extensive or resistant staining.

Call the Manhattan Beach cosmetic dentist office today to learn more about teeth whitening and other cosmetic treatments that will rejuvenate your smile.