Your teeth may have started bright and white, but over time, teeth lose their whiteness because of stains and discoloration. While less-than-pearly-white teeth may not be dangerous to your health, they can affect your self-esteem and make you self-conscious about your smile.
In Butte, Montana, Robert F. Wilcox, DMD, and our team can restore your smile, giving you white, brighter teeth after just one visit with professional dental whitening. We also offer at-home whitening treatments for patients who prefer to address stains at home.
Many of our patients wonder why their teeth lose their whiteness. Here’s a look at some of the most common ways you stain your teeth and how we can help.
As you age, your teeth yellow because the dental enamel (the hard shell on the outside of your teeth) gets thinner. Thinner enamel makes it easier for substances to penetrate the surface of your teeth and change the color.
But you don’t have to be older to have discolored teeth. Regardless of age, you can discolor your teeth in other ways.
Extrinsic stains affect the outer surface of your tooth, while intrinsic stains are the result of something in a deeper layer that affects the tooth’s color.
Some people have both types of discolorations. Unfortunately, you can stain your teeth in many ways. Here’s a look at some of the most common.
Your favorite foods and beverages could damage the enamel of your teeth. Some of the most common problem foods and drinks include:
If you’re worried about the color of your teeth, avoid consuming these products. If you do eat or drink them, brush your teeth or rinse your mouth as soon as possible.
Tobacco products are terrible for your health and for the color of your teeth. That’s because tobacco products contain nicotine, which stains the enamel of your teeth yellow. Over time, it can get darker and darker. Sometimes, long-term nicotine use makes your teeth look brown.
Some health conditions affect the enamel on your teeth. They can cause it to thin, making it easier to stain, or make your teeth change color. These conditions include:
Radiation and chemotherapy can also affect your teeth.
Some medications can change the appearance of your teeth. Your risk of developing dental stains, dull-looking teeth, and discoloration increases if you take any of these medications:
Don’t stop taking your medicine, even if you’re worried about the appearance of your teeth. Instead, talk to your provider about switching medications or ask Dr. Wilcox about ways to keep your teeth brighter.
If you want whiter teeth, good oral hygiene is a must. If you find yourself skipping regular brushings and flossings or not making your way to the dentist at least twice a year for professional cleanings, your risk of yellow, stained teeth increases.
We use the Philips Zoom!® professional in-office whitening system to give our patients the brightest, whitest smiles possible. Once Dr. Wilcox confirms you’re a candidate, he reviews the level of whitening you desire to create a customized whitening plan for you.
The Zoom! whitening solution uses safe and effective substances to break down the pigments that stain your teeth. Then the Zoom! light boosts your whitening, giving you a smile up to eight shades whiter after just one appointment.
If you would like to whiten your teeth at home, Dr. Wilcox can provide at-home whitening kits that help you get brighter teeth outside the office, but you see results over weeks instead of after one treatment.
To learn more about why your teeth have lost their whiteness or to get started with professional whitening, schedule an appointment with Dr. Wilcox in Butte, Montana.
