People are constantly looking for ways to improve their look. Diets are a new fad; face lifts, and tummy tucks are infiltrating the market. Many people are even finding ways to polish up their smile by getting dental surgery, braces, or teeth whitening.
It is amazing the difference that takes place in a person's demeanor, confidence level, and even attitude when they feel they are attractive or have a beautiful smile.
Regular dentist check-ups and teeth cleanings can dramatically improve the confidence level of many people as well. Most dentists recommend getting your teeth checked twice a year starting at a young age.
Over the years, this can help keep your teeth healthy and beautiful looking. It may also lessen the up-keep needed for your teeth.
This doesn't mean that if you see the dentist twice a year, you don't have to brush two or three times daily. It just means that it may decrease the chance for cavities and other long term problems that may arise in the future.
Many people have also become enamored with the tooth whitening fad. In many cases, lifestyle choices have caused the yellow hue on their teeth.
Factors such as smoking, chewing tobacco, drinking coffee, and general lack of hygiene have been found to play quite a large role in the color or hue. Bad breath may accompany many of these factors as well, causing even less confidence.
However, research indicates that lifestyle is not always the reason for yellow teeth. Genetic, congenital (existing before birth), infections and environment have also been pin pointed as some other legitimate reasons for the yellowing of the teeth.
Environmental factors include things that one has no control over such as, excess fluorine in drinking water and high fever as a child. Controllable factors include, eating potatoes, apples, blueberries, and drinks such as coffee, (as mentioned above) cola and red wine have been known to cause teeth discoloration.
In order to still consume these food and drinks but help prevent discoloration of the teeth, dentists suggest drinking through a straw, and brushing your teeth within 20 minutes of food consumption.
However, they also suggest that if the food or drink you are consuming contains acid to wait at least 30 minutes before brushing, because acid softens the enamel and brushing too soon may cause the enamel to wear down even faster.
Dentin, a yellowish substance, is located below the enamel of our teeth, so as we age, and the enamel begins to wear down, our teeth begin to yellow. This is why many older people have yellow teeth.
Antibiotics, radiation, and chemotherapy have also been known to cause the yellowing of teeth, as well as numerous other factors of which will be discussed at a later date.
Prevention is the ultimate goal, but if it is too late to prevent the yellowing of teeth, or if genetic factors prevail, a teeth whitening procedure from your dentist may be the best solution for you.
Tooth whitening from a dentist is also the fastest way to see results, if you are an impatient person, or your teeth are severely discolored this is probably the best solution for you.
After the whitening procedure, you may find yourself smiling more. You may also discover that instead of a sheepish grin to hide your bad breath or yellow teeth that your smile now reaches from ear to ear.
A smile then may be considered priceless when it comes to the effect it has on your confidence level and attitude.
Author Resource:-
Jack R. Landry has authored hundreds of articles relating to general and cosmetic dentistry. He was a dental assistant for an implant dentist in Denver for 13 years.
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