What color are your teeth?

Owners of naturally white teeth are quite rare: usually, the enamel has a yellowish tint. Also, it fades over time.

Cause of discoloration of teeth:

• smoking, consumption of certain foods and drinks containing food or artificial colours, such as black tea, coffee, red wine, chocolate, and others
• the reasons for discoloration from the inside may be tooth depulpation (removal of the nerve of the tooth)
• taking certain medicines (tetracycline, minocycline)
• a range of diseases

But you should not be upset because of the unattractive appearance of a smile: beautiful snow-white teeth are a completely achievable dream. Modern professional whitening systems can whiten your teeth up to 12 tones! In modern dental clinics, teeth are whitened using special gels, a laser, and even light (photobleaching). It is necessary to choose the optimal whitening method together with a dentist, carefully weighing all the pros and cons. To ensure that the shade of the teeth is natural and does not resemble the dazzling “grin” of those who have finally said goodbye to a sense of proportion, the dentist will select the colour during the visual examination, guided by a table with a standard colour scale.

The effect of teeth whitening

What is the "white diet" after teeth whitening

To maintain a brilliant result within 48 hours after the procedure, it is necessary to switch to a “white” diet based on light-coloured products (yogurt, cottage cheese, light types of salads, white wine) and completely excluding colouring substances: beets, cola, tomatoes, etc. within two weeks after whitening, it is also recommended to avoid too bright products and brush your teeth with white fluoride paste. If nevertheless, the dye “leaked” into the diet, you should immediately rinse your mouth with water.

After two weeks, the restrictions are lifted, but you will have to say goodbye to the lifestyle of the coffee lover - was it worth striving for the ideal so much to spoil everything later? However, reasonable compromises in the form of adding milk to coffee will keep the brightness and beauty of the teeth in their original form for two years after the procedure. As with all oral care patients, professional hygiene should be performed after whitening every six months to maintain healthy teeth and gums, minimize tooth staining, and avoid the need for additional whitening.

Alternative to teeth whitening. Teeth whitening

Laser teeth whitening is one of the most advanced teeth whitening methods that appeared on the dental market five years ago. Whitening with the Prometey dental laser is considered more delicate than ultraviolet. During the procedure, the patient's teeth do not heat up, which eliminates pain. At the Harini Reddy, DDS clinic, the procedure is carried out using Heydent JW Power Bleaching Gel, which is designed to achieve the best results with the greatest care for the teeth. The gel absorbs heat, so after the procedure, the teeth do not become hypersensitive. This type of whitening is recommended for patients with hypersensitivity to thermal stimuli.

Teeth whitening after nerve removal

With a mechanical injury, the tooth may turn pink and then acquire a reddish-brown hue. The darkening of the tooth can also be caused by the removal of a nerve. To whiten such teeth, internal or endodontic whitening is used. In the first stage, the patient's teeth are polished with a brush with a professional paste to determine the initial colour of the teeth according to a standard scale. For the whitening agent to work as effectively as possible, all restorative and temporary materials are removed from the tooth. Fillings are removed from the palatal surface of the anterior or chewing surface of the lateral teeth, and a sealed cavity is created for the application of the gel. After the gel fills the cavity, the filling is put into place and polished. At the second visit, after 3-5 days, the filling is removed, the gel is removed and the cavity is sealed again. If necessary, the procedure can be repeated 1-2 times. The duration of each visit is 30-45 minutes.

To schedule a consultation or request more information about available services contact Harini B. Reddy, DMD, LLC, General & Cosmetic Dentistry by phone at (804) 501–0816 or send an email to appointments@drreddyrichmonddentist.com.

You can visit the therapy center at 3000, Hungary Spring Road, Richmond, VA, 23228.

Posted July 25, 2022 03:30