
Nov
Keeping your smile healthy requires several things – eating well, drinking plenty of water, proper and frequent brushing and flossing, and regular checkups with your dentist. However, even with the best oral health habits patients can begin to notice that their smile doesn’t sparkle the way it used to. That’s because certain foods, especially those that are dark in color, can leave particles on the teeth that begin to cause discoloration and yellowing of the smile.
Patients who want to improve their smile and remove the teeth discoloration often wonder where to start. A trip to the grocery store uncovers a wide variety of whitening toothpastes, gels, or strips and many patients purchase these products hoping for a quick and cheap fix. However, while these products make strong claims, they often fail to deliver the results that patients want. Further, in some cases, the products can damage the teeth or gums or lead to increased sensitivity due to improper use of the product.
Dr. Dean Dietrich of Pleasant Dental® near Chicago, IL, works with his patients to achieve, and keep, their beautiful smiles. The first step, Dr. Dietrich advises, is to avoid certain foods. For example, the morning cup of coffee that many patients drink every day may help them get their day started, but coffee can leave dark particles on the teeth that cause staining or discoloration. Dr. Dietrich tells patients to either avoid these items or to brush their teeth after consuming them. Other tips for keeping your teeth from becoming stained include frequent brushing and flossing and drinking a lot of water to ensure that food particles aren’t sticking to the teeth. Also, regular checkups with your dentist are important because they include a professional cleaning that removes plaque and bacteria from the teeth.
However, once the teeth have become discolored, the best way to reveal a whiter smile is to have them professionally whitened. Professional whitening treatments are not only effective, but they’re safe and deliver more predictable results leading to greater patient satisfaction. Dr. Dietrich offers both in-office and at-home professional whitening treatments to help patients get the smile they want. In-office treatments offer the benefit of being fast. Most patients spend only one to two hours in the dentist’s office and leave with a drastically whiter smile. On the other hand, at-home whitening treatments can be done when it’s convenient for the patient, from the comfort and privacy of their own home.
If you’re considering professional whitening treatment, call Pleasant Dental® today to find out more about professional teeth whitening.