What Causes Teeth Discoloration and How Can I Whiten My Teeth?

Introduction

Teeth color can improve your appearance and boost your self-confidence Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure. Whitening your teeth may not make it pearly white, but it will make it some shades whiter, thus improving your look.

What Is Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is essentially bleaching your teeth to lighten their color. The procedure is not supposed to remove the material from your tooth surface. Teeth whitening at Loudoun Family Dental in Ashburn, VA is effective. Dr. Sidhu and the team at Loudoun Family Dental is available to ensure that you get the best services without putting your oral health at risk.

What Causes Tooth Discoloration?

Some foods and drinks are teeth staining. These include teas, coffee, and red wine. Starchy foods like potatoes can also discolor the teeth. Other lifestyle habits that can cause tooth discoloration include smoking and improper oral hygiene.

Trauma to the teeth, especially for children under eight years, can affect enamel formation and decrease the level of blood flow to the tooth. Sometimes, the nerve in the affected tooth dies. Furthermore, excessive fluoride treatments during tooth formation can form white spots and discolor the teeth. High fluoride levels in water or fluoride rinses and toothpaste are sources of fluoride.

Other tooth discoloration sources include genetics and aging. With age, the teeth’ outer layer wears out and reduces tooth translucency. Also, medications such as tetracycline can affect children’s enamel formation, thus discoloring their teeth.

Teeth Whitening Methods

There are two major teeth whitening methods. Dr. Sidhu and her team will discuss with you and examine your teeth to determine the best teeth whitening method for you. You can whiten your teeth in two ways including;

• Home Whitening: in this case, a dentist will take an impression of your teeth and give you a custom-made tray. Usually, the teeth bleaching agent in this method is carbamide or hydrogen peroxide. These bleaching agents are applied through the trays. If you wear the trays for about 2 to 5 hours every day, you should. See a significant difference in your teeth color within 2 to 3 weeks. If you want faster results in about a week, you should use your trays for about 8 hours every day.
• Laser whitening: This method is a one-hour session. You’ll require three visits to the dentist to get the best results. In this method, the dentist coats your teeth’ surface with a bleaching gel. Afterward, a dentist uses a laser to activate the bleaching gel.

Can You Use Home Whitening Kits?

Using home whitening kits is not as effective as getting teeth whitening at a dental clinic. Most store-bought kits do not contain enough peroxide to bleach the teeth. Furthermore, home whitening kits increase the risk of teeth sensitivities. Also, the trays that come with these kits are not custom-made. Therefore, the bleaching gel may leak into the gums.

Where Can You Whiten Your Teeth?

You can get teeth whitening near you when you visit Loudoun Family Dental in Ashburn, VA. It is important to note that whitening your teeth in a beauty salon is risky because beauty salons do not have dentists or registered dental professionals.

How Long Does Teeth Whitening Effect Last?

The effects of professional teeth whitening should last between a few months to 3 years, depending on maintenance. You can maintain your white teeth by avoiding teeth-staining food and drinks, maintaining proper hygiene, and avoiding the use of tobacco products.

Conclusion

Whitening your teeth can improve your smile and appearance. However, it is best to whiten your teeth the right way. You should visit a dentist if you have tooth discoloration and discuss the best whitening method for your teeth.