We're all born with naturally white smiles. Unfortunately, over time these white smiles fade. The foods we eat, attack our smiles on a daily basis.

Normally, our tooth enamel is covered with a clear colorless layer of protein known as the pellicle. Food stains stick to this protein pellicle, blotching our beautiful, white smiles.

Especially damaging are:

1. Foods like soy sauce, berries, curry, coffee, red wine, and tea. These foods easily stain teeth.

2. Foods that are slightly acidic (lemon juice, soda etc). These foods open up the pores of the tooth enamel allowing stains to more easily move into our teeth.

3. Tobacco. This is one of the biggest culprits in ruining white smiles. Tobacco quickly stains teeth yellow.

4. Extremely hot or cold liquids. These are dangerous to our white smile because they change the temperature of our teeth. This temperature change (hot and cold cycling) causes teeth to expand and contract, allowing stains to penetrate the teeth.

Try cutting down on these types of drinks (including coffee and tea) or try drinking them with a straw to reduce the amount of time they are in contact with your teeth.

Tooth Whitening or bleaching  has been done in one form or the other for more than 100 years. The current procedures go back to about 10 years and have proved to be safe and effective. Many individuals who have discolored enamel are not satisfied with the appearance of their teeth and go to great lengths to achieve the perfect smile. Tooth bleaching can be a solution. This can be done by a dental professional in the dental office or at home. Any person considering using home bleaching products should seek advice from an oral health professional such as your dental hygienist or dentist. This visit is crucial as home bleaching treatments may not be effective or preferable for every individual. For the best and safest results, the individual should be monitored by an oral health professional throughout either home bleaching or professionally applied treatments, because the stains could be extrinsic (on the surface) or intrinsic (deep inside the tooth). Different stains require different solutions; therefore it is important to have a consultation with an oral health professional.

Extrinsic type of staining can sometimes be removed by good tooth brushing habits or by professional prophylaxis (cleaning) or to some extent by products available over the counter like tooth pastes and tooth whitening strips etc. 

Continuous use of foods like red wine, tea, coffee, cigarettes, cigars or foods that contain a lot of spices (as explained above) cause stains to penetrate deep inside the tooth surface. These types of stains cannot be removed by brushing and flossing alone. 

A small number of people might experience temporary discomfort during the bleaching procedure, such as gum or tooth sensitivity. These symptoms disappear within one to three days after completion of the treatment. It is important that the manufacturer’s directions are followed precisely. If any side effects are more than mild or they persist, contact your oral health professional. Overall, tooth bleaching under professional supervision is an effective method for whitening the teeth. 

                                                     For more information and case studies click here