Do you find yourself staring at the beautiful, bright smiles of celebrities with longing? Do you notice the teeth of every person you come into contact with, wondering how they got them to look so good? If you’re wishing for your own natural-looking white grin, it’s time to explore tooth whitening.
Causes of Tooth Discoloration
As a child, those new little teeth come in bright white and beautiful. But, simply enough, aging, lifestyle, genetics, even illness and antibiotics can take their toll on your teeth, staining them brown or yellow.
There’s a reason dentists caution against too much sugar, coffee, tea, and the like – your enamel gets attacked by substances like these and, over time, the porous surface of your teeth begins to hold onto stains. Even the daily work of chewing can dull your smile, and eventually all of these conditions combine to make your teeth look transparent and dingy.
You can take comfort in the knowledge that tooth discoloration is very common – but instead of just living with it, get on the bandwagon and do something to whiten up that grin of yours.
Tooth Whitening Options
You undoubtedly know by now that over-the-counter whitening toothpastes and “miracle” products don’t really make a dent in the deep-down stains that have accosted your teeth. But the good news is that it’s likely your teeth will respond to professional tooth whitening.
Some people opt for take-home bleaching trays so they can manage the whitening of their smile in the privacy of their own home. Others prefer the innovative ZOOM! Whitening treatments, administered in the dentist’s office in about an hour. This type of whitening creates instant results – results so amazing that your teeth can look as much as 10 times whiter than they are now.
In the ZOOM! treatment, a whitening gel is applied to your teeth and then activated by a specially designed light. Tray bleaching involves a daily effort for a little over a week in order to carry out the full whitening process. This is often a great option for people who have experienced tooth sensitivity in the past.
Beyond Tooth Whitening
People with whiter teeth make a better first impression – that’s something you have likely experienced through your own observations. If you’re ready to talk white teeth with Dr. Ken Cirka, contact him at his Philadelphia dental office to schedule your consultation and determine what cosmetic dentistry procedure is right for your smile.
Be prepared for the possibility that your smile has reached a point where tooth whitening isn’t your best option for obtaining that natural-looking white grin. In that case, it’ll be time to learn about porcelain veneers or lumineers – both popular, fast treatments that give you a new smile that others will be envying as soon as you grin.