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Dental hygeine is paramount for the health and appearance of your teeth; your teeth won't grow back if they fall out, meaning you could need costly dental work or inconvenient and uncomfortable dentures. How can you tell how healthy your teeth are? You can look at teeth stains to find out.
Tooth stains can be unattractive and annoying, impacting your social life and career. Although teeth stains can look dreadful, they can be reduced easily by following expert guidance and our top 5 tips.
Whitening toothpaste is one of the safest and most effective ways to clean your teeth, helping to remove minor stains if you continue to brush regularly. Although toothpastes are marketed as having whitening effects, they do not typically produce dramatic effects like dental teeth whitening or composite bonding. This is because whitening toothpaste or mouthwash targets extrinsic teeth stains. Extrinsic teeth stains affect the outer layer of your teeth, the enamel. Stains develop due to contact with food, drink and other chemicals over time, such as red wine or nicotine.
Toothpaste brands such as Colgate Max White and Crest Complete Whitening can help to reduce surface stains on the teeth but it is important to brush with the correct technique. The proven method is to brush both up and down as well as side to side. Make sure not to miss the back of the teeth. Many people miss this area, causing dark stains that can spread to the front of the teeth. Ensure you brush twice a day for two minutes, but no longer. If you brush too much, you can end up damaging your enamel. Flossing is also important for cleaning between the teeth or dentures.
An Air Polish is a simple hygiene treatment that effectively removes stains on the teeth and discolouration while thoroughly removing dental plaque. This innovative technique removes plaque and staining, often caused by drinking red wine, tea/coffee and smoking, to restore a natural smile.
Unlike standard dental hygeine, an air polish can remove deeper stains and break up tough pieces of tartar and plaque. Air polishing has additional benefits:
While teeth whitening tooth paste and over-the-counter whitening gels can help to remove extrinsic staining. Dentist led teeth whitening can help to reduce deeper intrinsic stains or age-related teeth stains.
Unlike online treatments or whitening toothpastes, which are often ineffective or at worst dangerous, teeth whitening in our Birmingham clinic is completely safe, pain-free and results are clinically proven and guaranteed!
The procedure uses medical grade whitening gel, only available through the dentist, in combination with custom trays which fit over your teeth. You wear these trays over night for up to 14 days until you achieve the shade you desire.
Stains often result from excessive consumption of coffee, tea, and red wine. By reducing your intake of these beverages and allowing your mouth a respite from tannins, you may observe a noticeable improvement in the whiteness of your teeth within a few months.
It's important to note that the recommendation isn't to completely eliminate these enjoyable beverages from your life. Instead, the emphasis is on moderation. Stains tend to develop when pigmented liquids linger in the oral cavity for extended periods. Therefore, by consuming these beverages in moderation and being mindful of their impact on your dental health, you'll soon observe a positive transformation in the shade of your teeth.
Beyond the cosmetic benefits, this adjustment may also bring about relief from toothaches and the subsequent headaches often associated with dental issues. By maintaining a balanced and moderate approach to the consumption of staining liquids, you're not only taking steps towards a brighter smile but also promoting overall oral well-being.
Although home remedies can help to reduce teeth stains, it is important to check with your dentist prior to starting any treatments. Some recommendations may be harmless, such as eating more fruit, but others, such as using activated charcoal, need to be used in moderation to avoid excess damage. Typically remedies include:
Make sure to consult with your dentist prior to trying any of these home remedies.
Regrettably, the pristine whiteness of teeth doesn't endure indefinitely. Various factors contribute to the staining of teeth, including:
At different points in life, your smile may encounter one of three distinct types of stains.
These stains affect the enamel, the outer layer of each tooth. Enamel, though resilient, comes into contact with various substances you consume, such as berries, red wine, or nicotine. Over time, the enamel absorbs the colors from these items, resulting in a stain. The good news is that extrinsic stains remain confined to the enamel and do not penetrate the dentin, the softer layer beneath. Consequently, these stains are the most easily addressed with at-home teeth-whitening systems.
Intrinsic stains occur when the dentin, the sensitive layer beneath the enamel, becomes stained. Dentin naturally possesses a darker, more yellow hue than enamel. Exposing dentin may occur due to the thinning or erosion of enamel, either from life's wear-and-tear or insufficient oral hygiene practices. While intrinsic stains are somewhat more challenging to remove, there are effective methods available. At-home treatments with active whitening ingredients like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide can be used, and for a more potent solution, professional whitening treatments are also an option.
As the natural course of ageing unfolds, changes in your body extend to your teeth. Two prominent changes occur:
This combination results in teeth discoloration, a process beyond your control, regardless of your diligence in maintaining oral hygiene. Age-related staining, akin to intrinsic stains, affects the dentin. Therefore, whitening techniques effective for intrinsic stains are also applicable for addressing the discoloration associated with ageing teeth.
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