A bright and friendly smile has been proven to make a big difference in anyone’s life, from meeting people casually in social situations, on first dates, at a job interview, or during discussions at work, whether with colleagues, customers, or vendors.
Few of us, however, are born with perfect smiles and most of us were never shown how to properly care for our teeth when we were growing up. Dr. Cluff and her team are here to correct any problems you were born with or are the result of inadequate care. The most common is that teeth very easily become darkened just by eating everyday foods or drinking common beverages, even if we brush twice a day.
The most common culprits are coffee, tea, red wine, and cola, but berries, beets, tomatoes, and other strongly colored foods can stain (so can certain medications and smoking). Simply avoiding these or brushing right after consumption helps, but over time small amounts build up.
If you’ve tried over-the-counter whitening strips, gel trays, toothpastes, or rinses, you already know they aren’t very effective at reducing discoloration.
The easiest and quickest way to get teeth back to their natural appearance–or to make them an even whiter shade than you were born with–is San Diego Healthy Smiles’ Whitening Forever program. This starts with an examination, including a digital x-ray, to assess your oral health and the condition of your teeth, to be sure this is the appropriate whitening solution. If you qualify, you will be given a kit that includes a professional grade of whitening gel and plastic trays that are custom-fitted to be worn for several hours each day. You will need to come in for check-ups twice a year, when you will be given more gel at no extra charge.
If you follow your whitening program diligently, including avoiding leaving food and beverage stains on your teeth for hours, you should be able to maintain a gleaming smile. If, however, your whitening goals are not met with the original plan, our dentists may recommend increasing the amount of time the trays are worn. In the most challenging cases, such as the yellow dentin showing through the thin enamel surface of teeth due to genetics, age, or prior dental habits, veneers of biocompatible dental porcelain may be the solution.
Of course, you will also need to continue brushing for two minutes after breakfast and lunch, as well as flossing just before bedtime, to be sure you clean off any food particles and the bacteria that might cause cavities or periodontal disease.
