Have you ever smiled at yourself in the mirror and wondered why your teeth looked so yellow? Don’t worry – this isn’t a permanent problem. Your teeth are probably just stained. Luckily, it’s pretty easy to remove these unsightly stains from your teeth with help from your trusted dentist.
How Stains Appear
Whenever you eat or drink, your teeth get exposed to the substance in your mouth. Since teeth are slightly porous, particles from dark-coloured foods and drinks often cling to their surface. This forms dark, unsightly stains on the teeth.
Foods like tomato sauce, curry, and beets can cause staining with consistent repeated exposure. However, most people don’t eat these foods often enough for this to happen. Instead, they get stained teeth from the liquids they drink. Everyday staples like coffee, tea, and even dark-coloured sodas can all quickly darken your teeth if you drink them every day.
How Your Dentist Can Help
If you’re worried about your stained teeth, it’s time to visit your dentist.
During your routine cleaning, your dentist or dental hygienist will use a high-powered ultrasonic scaler to blast off any tartar build-up on your teeth. These tools can also loosen up and remove stains from the surface of your teeth. Polishing the teeth helps scrape away the last of the staining particles, leaving you with a brighter smile.
If you want to go a few shades lighter still, your dentist can give you an in-office whitening treatment. These treatments penetrate the pores in your teeth for a more thorough whitening effect. They’re great for tackling stubborn stains that the scaler can’t quite remove, especially if those stains have been there a long time.
Note that these methods only work on extrinsic stains (stains outside your tooth enamel). Teeth can also become intrinsically stained (stained inside the enamel) due to trauma or by taking certain medications when you’re young.
If you have intrinsic stains on your teeth, your dentist won’t be able to remove them. However, they can use cosmetic dentistry treatments like veneers to cover up the stained enamel and make your teeth look as white as you want.
Why Whiten Your Teeth?
While stained teeth won’t harm your oral health, that doesn’t mean you should ignore them. Getting your teeth stains removed can:
- Improve your self-confidence
- Help you blend in with the crowd
- Open up new social and economic opportunities
- Help you feel comfortable smiling, laughing, and generally expressing a full range of emotions
In other words, you’ll feel better about yourself and have a better quality of life. You deserve that!
Freshen Up Your Smile
If your tooth stains have been holding you back, it’s past time to get rid of them. Visit Coscarella Dentistry for a cleaning and dental check-up, then ask us about our professional in-office whitening treatments. Contact us today to book your appointment and get started.
