Daily brushing and flossing is one way to keep our teeth white and healthy. Nevertheless, over time, you notice that your teeth have lost their glow (your teeth get dull and stained) and you feel that your daily dental care isn’t enough to give you a dazzling smile. Worry not! With the advanced teeth whitening treatment , teeth discoloration is not a grave dental woe anymore.
Teeth discoloration (staining) can be extrinsic or intrinsic.
- Extrinsic (the enamel) – when the outer layer of the tooth (superficial) is stained or discolored. While extrinsic stains can be reversed by over the counter products and do-it-yourself remedies, your teeth whitening dentist can provide more powerful and thorough treatments to prevent further discoloration.
- Intrinsic (the dentin) -when the inner structure of the tooth ( beneath the enamel) is stained or discolored. This is a deep stain that cannot be corrected by over the counter products or home remedies, but it requires in-office advanced teeth whitening treatment to be performed by a teeth whitening specialist.
Zoom and Glo are amongst the well known dental clinic teeth whitening treatments done by a teeth whitening specialist . With Zoom and Glo, your intrinsic (deep) stains can be reversed in less than an hour. Both treatments use a professional-grade hydrogen peroxide-based whitening gel to coat your teeth, and then a special light is used so that the whitening gel will be well absorbed by enamel and dentin, reversing the discoloration. With these procedures, patients are happy and the dental teeth whitening results are amazing.
Here are some factors that cause teeth discoloration.
- Diet
Acidic foods can wear away the outer layer/protective coating of your teeth (enamel) which can cause discoloration. Also dark colored beverages like coffee, tea and red wine contain deep color pigments that can leave stains on your teeth.
- Cigarette Smoking
Cigarettes contain harmful chemicals, tar and nicotine, which form stubborn stains. Your teeth can turn yellow in a very short time and turn almost brown after years of smoking.
- Aging
As we age, the protective coating of our teeth (enamel) gets thinner and exposes the darker/yellower dentin (dentin is the layer under the enamel). This can cause our teeth to look more yellow or gray rather than white.
- Medications
Certain medications like tetracycline and doxycycline (antibiotics) can cause discoloration when given to children (under age of 8) whose teeth are still developing. Medications for high blood pressure, antipsychotic medications, and antihistamines (like Benadryl) also cause teeth discoloration. Mouth rinses which contain chlorhexidine and cetylpyridinium chloride can also stain teeth.
- Trauma
If you’ve been hit in the mouth, it can bleed internally after the injury. When this happens your dentin can be damaged, causing tooth discoloration (ranging from a mild gray to a blackish color).
- Genetics
Some people have inherently whiter or thicker enamel than others.
If your teeth appear to be not-so-bright and your smile is lacking some glow, make an appointment with your dentist to find out the best dental treatments for you. Dental teeth whitening cost varies depending on the cause of discoloration, yet the return is worth the price – a pearly white smile!
