Turning back the clock on your looks is easier than you may have thought! In a survey conducted by Kelton Research on behalf of the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, a whopping 45% of respondents think that a bright, healthy smile can help a person look younger as they age. But what’s the best way to get a sparkling, youthful smile. Dr. Gilly Calcagno, your Rochester family and cosmetic dentist, discusses why teeth begin to look older and suggests a couple of solutions for recapturing the smile of your youth.
Why Do Older Teeth Look Yellow?
Take a quick look at your high school yearbook picture. Once you get over the acne and the tragic 80s hair, you’ll probably notice that your teeth look much whiter than they do now. So, what happened? When you consume certain foods and beverages, such as coffee, pasta sauce, or red wine, they leave trace stains on your tooth enamel. Over the years, these stains accumulate, causing your teeth to look dull and yellowish. If you smoke or chew tobacco products, these stains may intensify and look brown. As with the accumulation of wrinkles or love handles, you may not notice these stains building up.
Brighter Teeth in About an Hour
Luckily, your dentist can offer professional teeth whitening to remove accumulated stains and turn back the clock on your smile. Zoom! Whitening is the teeth whitening system of choice for many dentists. During this procedure, your dentist or hygienist will isolate your gums and then brush a special gel containing hydrogen peroxide onto your teeth. An ultraviolet light activates the gel, releasing oxygen into the tooth enamel and dissolving stains. Afterward, your dentist will apply a fluoride treatment to reduce tooth sensitivity. Zoom! Whitening can brighten your teeth up to nine shades.
What About Severely Stained Teeth?
The stains that accumulate on your enamel are called extrinsic stains. Some grey and dark brown discolorations originate from within the tooth and are called intrinsic stains. Common causes of intrinsic staining include certain medications, like tetracycline, and root canal therapy. In these cases, Dr. Calcagno recommends KoR Deep Bleaching. KoR involves three stages:
1) Initial in-office bleaching. No ultraviolet light is used in the KoR deep bleaching method.
2) Take-home whitening trays. You wear these custom-fitted trays in the evenings for 7-14 days.
3) Second in-office bleaching.
With KoR, most patient report little tooth sensitivity and the revolutionary treatment plan can whiten severely stained teeth up to 16 shades.
Teeth Whitening with Your Rochester Dentist
To discuss how a teeth whitening system can help you look younger, schedule an appointment with Dr. Calcagno. To contact our Rochester dentist office, call (507)281-3659. We serve proudly patients in Rochester, Red Wing, St. Charles, Winona, Farmington, the 55902 zip code, and surrounding communities.
