Blame it on the selfie phenomenon, social media, or the age of the influencer — teeth whitening is more popular than ever. The teeth whitening market topped $6 million in 2021, and it’s expected to continue growing.
If you’re sick and tired of dingy dentition and ready to see what life is like with an Instagram-ready smile, our team of experts at Lifetime Dental is standing by to help.
Here’s what you should know about why your teeth are yellow and how our advanced teeth whitening treatments are the fastest way to brighten them.
Before we recommend teeth whitening treatments, we get to the bottom of why your teeth are yellow in the first place. Here are a few common causes of a yellow smile.
In some cases, you’ve got bad habits that have turned your teeth an unflattering color. For instance, if you smoke cigarettes or use tobacco products, yellow or brown stains eventually accumulate on the surface of your teeth.
Bruxism (teeth grinding) is another common cause of tooth discoloration. The more you grind your teeth, the faster your white enamel breaks down, weakening your teeth and exposing yellow dentin below.
From your joints to your eyes, just about every part of your body wears down as you get older — the same goes for your teeth.
The hard, white enamel that covers your teeth slowly thins after years of use and exposure to acidic foods and drinks. For most people, the teeth take on a yellowish hue, but others notice that their teeth turn a grayish shade.
What you eat and drink can affect the color of your teeth. Tomatoes in pasta sauce, curry spices, balsamic vinegar dressings, and berries are all heavily pigmented and can easily stain your teeth. Dark or acidic drinks, such as tea, coffee, wine, and sodas are other culprits.
There’s a chance that your yellow teeth actually run in the family. If one or both of your parents have problems with tooth discoloration, chances are yours will end up the same way.
Some antibiotic medications contain substances that stain teeth, especially teeth that are still developing. The National Institute of Health found that if your mother took antibiotics during the second half of her pregnancy, or if you took antibiotics before the age of eight, you may have permanent stains on your adult teeth that only respond to professional whitening treatments.
Fluoride is an excellent protective tool, however, overexposure can quickly become harmful and cause yellow or brown spots to pop up on your teeth. The biggest sources of fluoride are in your drinking water, in your toothpaste, and in supplements meant to strengthen your enamel. Talk to us if you think you’re getting too much fluoride, and we can help you make adjustments.
The impact from an accident can crack your enamel and even damage the interior structure of your teeth, all of which can lead to discoloration.
Though it can be tempting to grab a teeth whitening kit from the nearest store, brightening your smile is better left to the experts. We offer Philips Zoom!® teeth whitening system— the most advanced teeth whitening treatment available.
The Zoom! system contains up to 40% more hydrogen peroxide than store-bought whiteners, which allows it to brighten your teeth by up to eight shades in just a single 45-minute treatment. If you went the DIY route, you could be waiting weeks to whiten your smile.
We begin by thoroughly cleaning your teeth to clear away surface stains, plaque, and bacteria. Then we protect your gums by placing rubber guards and applying protective gels. Finally, we apply the whitening gel to your teeth and activate it with a special light.
One round of whitening treatment takes around 15 minutes, and we repeat it up to four times until we reach your desired goal. Once we’re done, you simply brush, rinse, and head out of our office with a new smile.
No time to come in for in-office treatments? No problem. The Zoom! system also allows you to whiten your teeth at home. We custom fit you for a set of whitening trays and send you home with everything you need to brighten your smile. Bonus: You can use the at-home kits to extend the results of your in-office treatment.
If you’d like to dramatically improve your smile in under an hour, don’t wait. Call or click to schedule an appointment at our Woodbridge, Virginia, office today.