Dr. Mogell Dental Blog

Boca Raton Cosmetic Dentist

How white is your smile

Thursday, August 07, 2008

How White Is our Smile

You maybe staining your teeth without realizing it, just by drinking certain drinks, medications and eating certain foods.
Coffee and cigarettes are the two major culprits of teeth discoloration. Some antibiotics and over the counter medications a dull your smile.
As you get older, your teeth have less of a chance of staying white. This is because the enamel of your teeth wears thin and the natural yellow or brown color of the underlying dentin layers shows through.
Damage to your teeth from an accident or fall can cause discoloration, if the nerve in the tooth dies, it will discolor.
Coffee and tea are well known beverages that will stain your teeth. Red wine and soda can also discolor them; anything that can stain your carpet can stain your teeth.
Heavily pigmented foods such as blueberries, cranberries and soy sauce and cherries can tinge your teeth.
Poor brushing techniques and forgetting to floss means stain-producing substances are not routinely removed from teeth. Improper home care can allow bacteria to build up on your teeth which can result in yellow and green discolorations.

Lea Goldstein, R.D.A.

Kenneth A. Mogell, D.M.D.