You’re not born with teeth. When you’re little, they sprout like small seedlings in a garden. As you grow, they grow – all shiny, white, and bright.

Eventually, however, they’re replaced with an adult version. These, too, are sparkling white in the beginning. They’re meant to last a lifetime. They won’t fall out like your baby teeth, unless you don’t take care of them.

Tooth care requires you to brush and floss daily. It also requires you to see your Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist on a regular basis. Good oral health goes a long way to retaining a great-looking smile. However, even the best of care won’t keep them white forever. For that, you need to talk to your Century City cosmetic dentist about the process of tooth whitening.

The Road to a Dull Smile

Teeth can discolor two ways. Surface stains occur when you consume dark-colored foods and beverages such as wine, tea, coffee, and berries or when you smoke or chew tobacco. Additionally, natural wear influences the color of your teeth.

However, tooth staining doesn’t just occur externally. Some stains form inside teeth caused by normal aging, exposure to certain medications, and even trauma. These stains are more difficult to whiten.

Discoloration of your teeth happens when tiny micro-fractures occur naturally over time usually through chewing and grinding. Stains and debris accumulate in these fractures and dull the shiny white of your tooth enamel.

The Highway to a Sparkling New Smile

Once you understand what causes your sparkling smile to dim in the first place, the next step is to take action to end or even reverse the process. Here are a few suggestions to regain your sparkling smile.

• Watch what you eat and drink. You don’t have to stop eating blueberries or drinking coffee. Just make sure to rinse your mouth with water or chew sugarless gum afterwards to decrease the chance of staining.
• Stop smoking. Whether smoked or chewed tobacco is a leading factor in tooth discoloration and can lead to other dental problems as well. Stop now and you increase your chances of improving your dental as well as your general health.
• Try a home-whitening product. Talk to your Beverly Hills cosmetic dentist first, and then if you want to get a preview of the potential results of tooth whitening, consider trying an at-home gel or whitening strips.

Here’s one last tip from the fashion world to make your smile look brighter. If you wear lipstick, choose a color with a blue undertone. It will make your teeth appear whiter.

For more information on tooth whitening, talk with your Century City cosmetic dentist about options you might want to try.