Do you hate how dingy your teeth have become, perhaps after years of incessant coffee drinking or even exposure to tobacco products? It can be difficult to smile confidently when your smile is noticeably discolored, much less deeply stained. Fortunately, dental treatment can help to address the wide variety of causes that can lead to visible discoloration. That means you no longer have to settle for a stained smile. You simply need to speak with your dentist about how professional dental treatment can help.

What Is the Cause of the Discoloration?

A professional dental cleaning could be what is actually needed to improve your smile’s appearance, as well as your overall oral health. Regular cleanings help to prevent tartar buildup, which can cause an unsightly yellow film on the teeth, and eventually lead to cavities, as well. These can create white patches in the surface of teeth, as well as grey lines along the crevices of teeth.

If it has been more than six months since your last checkup, you are actually already overdue for preventive care. So make sure you schedule routine cleanings if you want to enjoy a healthy and white smile.

Is Whitening the Solution?

If the cause of your staining is purely cosmetic, the dentist may recommend professional whitening treatment. In most cases, professional teeth whitening can lighten teeth by several shades, quickly, by helping to break up surface stains and reveal whiter teeth. Take-home treatments through a cosmetic dentist usually only take a few weeks to complete, yet they can lighten teeth by up to eight shades.

Few over-the-counter products are designed to create such effective results, much less in such a short period of time.

That said, if your staining is found to be permanent in nature, there are still other ways to achieve a whiter smile. Cosmetic bonding, for instance, involves sculpting a composite resin material onto the teeth in order to hide stains and other imperfections. Porcelain veneers can also help to hide stains and other common flaws.

Can Your Smile Benefit from an Update?

If you think your smile could benefit from dental treatment, schedule a visit with your dentist. To schedule cosmetic or restorative treatment, call Columbia Dental & Orthodontics in East Dallas, TX, today at (214) 827-8000.