Most people would agree that a great smile is one of the best assets you can have. But it’s hard to feel good about your teeth when they’re stained and discolored. Along with seeing a cosmetic dentist who offers multiple options for teeth whitening, there are some ways you can naturally minimize discoloration in the first place. Want to know more? Keep reading to learn how to avoid staining and the best way to brighten your smile!
What Causes Staining and How Can You Avoid It?
Stains can range from lighter, surface stains to deeper layers of discoloration in the teeth. In some cases, the teeth have stubborn “white spots” that don’t respond well to traditional teeth whitening. There are many reasons for staining, including:
- Age
- Certain foods and beverages
- Genetics
- Medications (e.g. antibiotics in childhood such as tetracycline)
- Poor oral hygiene
- Demineralization (where some parts of the tooth contain less mineral than others)
- Developmental defects in the enamel
- Tobacco
- Blunt force trauma to the teeth
Clearly, you have control over some of these factors, and not others. To prevent staining as much as possible, do a great job with brushing and flossing, don’t smoke, and be careful with your consumption of coffee, tea, red wine, and foods like turmeric or berries.
When you do enjoy these foods and beverages, be sure to swish with water several times. You can also use a whitening toothpaste, which will remove surface stains but won’t actually bleach your teeth to make them a different shade. To do that, your best bet is professional teeth whitening.
What Are Your Options For Teeth Whitening?
Store-bought whitening products have to be safe for the general public, so the FDA limits their strength. There are multiple types of professional treatments that are not only strong, but safe as well. The best way to find out which one is right for you is to schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist who offers various options. Once they determine the kind of staining you have, they’ll recommend the best choice.
Take-Home Whitening:
- This option whitens your teeth from 5-7 shades and is done in two visits. At the first, impressions are taken to custom-make plastic trays for you to use at home.
- When you return to pick up your trays, you’ll get a supply of whitening gel along with instructions.
- Then you’ll wear the trays from 4-8 hours a day, or overnight for best results, for about 10-14 days.
Opalescence Go Disposable Trays:
If you’d still like to whiten from home but want your results a bit faster, Opalescence Go may be a great option. It includes pre-loaded, disposable trays (one size fits all) that you’ll wear for 20 minutes a day for 10 days. However, it’s important to note that this option may not work for all tooth shades and has a somewhat higher risk of causing temporary sensitivity.
Icon Treatment:
An Icon treatment is perfect for anyone who has white spots that can’t be addressed with other types of whitening. This involves applying a very thin layer of composite resin (a tooth-colored filling material) to the tooth to give it an even, uniform appearance.
Then, once it’s been done, following up with a whitening treatment will be much more effective. The end result will be a smile that’s not only brighter overall, but also has no white spots.
Regardless of which type of treatment you need, there’s an option for you that will give you the beautiful smile you’ve always wanted!
About the Author
Dr. Joanne Bancroft is a general, restorative, and cosmetic dentist with over 15 years of experience. One of her favorite parts of her job is seeing the self-confidence her patients get after teeth whitening. Whether someone has stubborn white spots or other types of discoloration, she offers multiple whitening options to make sure everyone gets great results. If you want a whiter smile and have any questions, she can be reached via her website.