If you’ve been looking in the mirror lately and wondering if there’s something you can do about that discoloration that you see on your teeth, the answer is yes! Sometimes, even with the most diligent attention to your oral health regimen you still will see stains accumulating on your teeth. This can be for a number of reasons, including habits like smoking or food choices like drinking coffee every day. Thankfully there is a growing number of methods for dealing with your stained teeth with or without a trip to the dentist.
Teeth Whitening At Your Pharmacy
Let’s start with the types of things you’ll find at your local pharmacy in the dental aisle. Every year new innovations in whitening technology come out that provide opportunities to whiten your teeth in a frankly staggering number of ways. Below we’re going to list a few of them.
- Whitening Toothpaste – These kinds of toothpaste contain special chemicals that help slowly bleach away the stains. In some cases, they have peroxide in them or baking soda, but in all cases, they’re fairly gentle on your teeth and work overtime. This is not an instant fix, but a maintenance technique.
- Whitening Gel Strips – These work a little faster and are intended to be a once in a while treatment for stained teeth. These contain the same elements you can find in the above kinds of toothpaste but in higher concentrations. Never use these longer than the indicated time on the package, and never more than one in a week.
- Whitening Gum – This is one of the newer inventions in the whitening game. Research into the effects of chewing gum on oral health has led to this new invention being added. Sugar-free gum helps to remove debris from your teeth that your brush may miss while Xylitol has been shown to kill bacteria associated with decay. Finally, these gums can add a protective layer to your teeth that prevent staining. An amazing way to get your gum and chew it too.
If these techniques don’t work for you you can talk to your dentist about other options that may be available. Dentist’s offices have higher power gels and whitening agents that can be used if your teeth are healthy enough, as well as laser whitening tools and other implements. There are even special whitening techniques that can only be used on teeth that are in need of a root canal. All of these are available at most dental offices, so be sure to ask your dentist.
When you’ve decided that it’s time to get some help with your battle against stained teeth contact Dr. Ross Quartano in the Covington, LA area. Along with his team of specialists, Dr. Quartano has been helping patients battle stained teeth at his Magnolia Dental Office. Don’t let stained teeth make you hide your smile. With a little work and help from your dentist, you can restore that beautiful white grin you’ve always been so proud of. Call for an appointment today!
