We all want a bright white smile that can better represent all the hard work we put into keeping it healthy. But our favorite foods and drinks may be working against us. They can stain our teeth over time in spite of how well we brush our teeth. An in-office dental cleaning can often produce excellent results, but for a truly bright and white smile, you should consider dental whitening by your Raleigh, NC, dentist. Contact Dr. Ashley Lloyd to find out whether professional teeth whitening or another treatment, can best provide you with the smile you've been dreaming of.
Colorful Foods
It may come as no surprise that colorful candy can stain teeth as you can often see the results immediately after eating these. You may be able to remove most of the coloring but some will linger for a long time, especially if you partake too often in this tasty treat. But this advice extends to all manner of colorful foods, namely colorful fruits and their derivatives, including wine.
Among drinks, wine, coffee, and tea are big contributors to stains. Similarly, so are soft drinks and colorful sports drinks. The ingredients in tobacco can cause teeth to discolor, along with contributing to other dental problems.
How Whitening Can Help
Reducing how much of these foods and drinks you consume is a good step toward limiting stains on your teeth. Using straws can help as well for those drinks you can't give up just yet. Cutting back more drastically on sugary foods and drinks, and even tobacco can improve not just the appearance but also the health of your teeth.
To whiten your teeth your dentist uses a special bleaching agent that breaks up these stains on the enamel. The result is teeth that are whiter and brighter and can remain so for a significant amount of time. Over-the-counter products often use these same bleaching agents, but they must do so at a much lower concentration. Only in the safety of your dentist's office can stronger agents be used that provide much faster and much better results.
Teeth Whitening in Raleigh, NC
If you are ready to improve the appearance of your smile schedule a consultation today with Dr. Lloyd of Raleigh, NC, by dialing (919) 828-1001.