There could be many reasons why you have stained teeth. Your teeth could be stained for reasons that you have control over and reasons that are, unfortunately, beyond your control. The most common causes of extrinsic dental stains, those on your teeth’s outer surface, are daily habits that you can actually control. On the other hand, causes of intrinsic dental stains, those that occur on your teeth’s inner surface or dentin, are those that you can’t control (e.g. genetics and aging).
With that said, while your dentist in Harrisburg, PA, Dr. Aziz Majid, can provide professional teeth whitening treatments to address stubborn stains, you can take certain preventive measures at home to try and prevent stains from forming in the first place.
How to Prevent Dental Stains at Home
The easiest and most effective way to prevent dental stains is to practice proper oral care habits. This means that you should brush your teeth twice every day, utilize dental floss daily, and see your dentist for professional oral health inspections and cleanings at least twice annually. These are hands down, the most effective ways to avoid enamel-level, extrinsic stains.
You can likewise stop smoking and limit your intake of tea, coffee, dark wines, and foods that stain the teeth. Additionally, you should be drinking plenty of water, not just for overall health, but to help flush bacteria from your mouth and promote sufficient production of saliva as well. Further, you can look into teeth whitening products with the ADA seal of approval.
If, on the other hand, you’re looking to get rid of intrinsic stains, the only way to do that is to ask your dentist in Harrisburg, PA, for professional teeth whitening solutions.
Professional Teeth Whitening
For extremely stubborn stains or intrinsic types, going to your dentist is your best bet. With less stubborn stains, your dentist may perform in-office bleaching with the use of bleaching gel and a LED light that will help speed up the procedure. Each bleaching session will take roughly around 30 minutes to an hour and you may have to undergo a couple of sessions for best results.
For stains that don’t respond to bleaching, your dentist may recommend dental veneers to conceal multiple stained teeth or dental bonding for smaller stains.
For More Details on Teeth Whitening and Dental Stains Prevention, Call Us
Dial (717) 652-5288 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Aziz Majid here in our Harrisburg, PA, office.