As people age and engage in certain dietary and lifestyle choices, they may notice that their teeth lose their natural white color. In fact, their teeth may become yellow and appear to be aged. Individuals who care about how others perceive them and who want to have a brilliant smile often consider tooth whitening. This dental method helps restore a person’s oral appearance and can even improve their natural coloring. Even more, this procedure is noted to be safe and effective in reversing damage that may occur from smoking, taking certain prescription medications, and eating or drinking certain foods.
As a matter of fact, foods like chocolate and beverages like coffee and soda often leave residue on people’s teeth, which can lead to a discoloration. Despite daily brushing and flossing, people may be unable to remove these stains. Additionally, people who smoke or use tobacco products often notice that their teeth become yellow and aged after a certain amount of time. Removing tobacco stains proves to be a difficult task. Likewise, people who take prescription drugs for conditions like seizures or migraines often suffer from tooth discoloration as a side effect of their medications. In all of these circumstances, individuals may consider tooth whitening to help eliminate unsightly discolorations and stains.
Professional tooth whitening generally involves the dentist applying high concentration amounts of hydrogen peroxide to the teeth’s surfaces and then shining a specialized light on the patient’s teeth for a certain amount of time. The light helps the hydrogen peroxide activate and remove discolorations. Hydrogen peroxide, in fact, is a chemical component that has been noted by the dental and medical community to be highly effective in removing oral stains. Even more, it is generally considered to be safe with few side effects. Indeed, patients may notice that their teeth may be more sensitive after treatment, but they rarely suffer more consequences. Depending on how stained the person’s teeth are, he or she may need to undergo several treatments to help restore their mouth’s natural appearance. However, many dentists indicate that this procedure is highly effective and safe.
Costs vary for such treatments and some insurance providers may cover the costs for these procedures. For more information, contact your dental provider to find out about specific information about tooth whitening, its side effects, and the associated costs with undergoing the steps to remove stains and residue from your teeth.