How You Can Get Whiter, Brighter Teeth
While natural teeth do have a slight yellow tint to them but it’s not impossible to get bright white smiles like the ones we commonly see in the movies.
Teeth stains can have multiple causes. Your dentist will be able to correctly identify the type of staining and refer the appropriate treatment, but here’s a quick rundown of how things work.
Extrinsic Stains
Extrinsic stains are stains on the enamel of the teeth. Enamel comes into contact with everything you eat or drink, and over time it can absorb the pigments left over by these foods and beverages. Red sauces, berries, soda, coffee, tea, red wine, and tobacco can have this effect on your teeth.
Because these stains are on the outer layer of your teeth, they are removable with whitening toothpaste. If whitening toothpaste isn’t enough, professional polishing and scaling will usually get the job done.
Intrinsic Stains
Intrinsic stains are stains on the dentin, the layer that’s just below your enamel. This layer is naturally yellower and darker, which can show through if the enamel wears away. There are many possible reasons for this type of staining, including tetracycline antibiotics during tooth development or physical trauma to teeth.
These stains can’t be removed with just whitening toothpaste. Instead, at-home whitening kits or a chairside treatment by your dentist may remove these stains. The active ingredient in whitening treatments works similar to how bleach does. It is very safe, although it may cause sensitivity for up to 48 hours after treatment.
Age-Related Stains
Several changes occur as you get older: your dentin gets darker and your enamel gets thinner. These changes can lead to your teeth seemingly becoming yellower with age.
Here at TAG Dental Clinic, Johor Bahru, we offer chairside treatments that will leave you with brighter teeth. If your teeth still aren’t as white as you’d like it to be after whitening treatments, you can talk to us about getting restorative treatments such as veneers, bonding, or crowns to help cover up the stains permanently.