#smilewithconfidence Brushing and Flossing are a great way to keep your teeth bright, white and super healthy.  Here’s the thing, you may feel like your smile is still lacking that sparkle or it is more yellow than it used to be.  You are not alone in this feeling.  When the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry took a poll amongst people asking the question “what would they most likely want to improve about their smile”, the most common response was whiter teeth!  Teeth Whitening San Tan Valley AZ

Are you thinking about teeth whitening?  You need to know the facts first, so here are the most commonly asked questions about the process. 

Why do the teeth change color? 

Over time, your teeth will go from white to not-so-bright for several reasons:

• Food and Drink:  Coffee, tea and red wine are the most staining culprits.  What’s the common factor?  Intense color pigments called chromogens that will attach to the white enamel of the tooth. #martindental
• Tobacco Use:  There are 2 chemicals that are found in tobacco that create stains, tar and nicotine.  Tar is naturally dark.  Nicotine contains no color until it is mixed with oxygen.  Once mixed, it turns into a yellowish substance and can stain surfaces.   
• Age:  The first layer of the teeth is called the enamel.  Underneath this hard and white shell is the softer area called dentin.  Over time, this outer layer gets thinner with brushing.  This causes the yellowish dentin to start showing through. 
• Trauma:  If you have been hit in the mouth, your tooth can change color when it reacts to injury by laying down more dentin, which is darker in color.  Teeth Whitening San Tan Valley AZ
• Medications:  A side effect of certain antihistamines, antipsychotics and high blood pressure medications can be tooth darkening.  When a young child is exposed to antibiotics like tetracycline and doxycycline while their teeth are forming (in womb or as a baby) may have to deal with discoloration of their adult teeth later on in life.  Chemotherapy and head and neck radiation can also cause the teeth to darken.