Gingivitis 101: Recognizing the Early Signs of Gum Disease
Don’t leave something as essential as your oral health up to chance. See what the experts say about identifying and treating the early warning signs of gum disease.
From now until the end of the year, you’ll undoubtedly be invited to gatherings with friends and family. While you reunite with loved ones this time of year, you’ll want your smile looking its best.
Dr. Ryan Fait at Southern California General & Cosmetic Dentistry knows how frustrating it is when your discolored teeth are keeping you from showing how happy you are during the holidays.
Fortunately, he specializes in teeth whitening and offers only the best, most effective whitening options, so you can be sure that your smile will dazzle this holiday season.
You maintain a consistent oral hygiene routine and never miss your biannual cleaning, so why are your teeth yellow and discolored?
There are three main ways your teeth become dingy: extrinsic changes, intrinsic changes, and age-related stains.
Extrinsic changes occur when your teeth come into contact with harmful or heavily-pigmented substances. The most common culprits of extrinsic stains include:
There are also some medications and dental materials that can dim your smile’s brightness.
Teeth discoloration can also be the result of intrinsic changes that happen inside your tooth or your body. For example, diseases, infections, genetics, and even harsh treatments like radiation and chemotherapy can discolor your teeth.
Other times, your discoloration is completely out of your control and is simply the result of increased age. As you get older, the outer layer of enamel on your teeth slowly wears away, revealing the natural yellow tinge of the dentin beneath.
No matter the root of your smile issues, Dr. Fait has the solution.
Your teeth whitening journey begins with an evaluation. Dr. Fait checks your teeth for any dental issues like cavities and infections before recommending a teeth whitening program.
Once he’s decided that teeth whitening is an option for you, he recommends one of two methods: in-office or at-home.
Our in-office teeth whitening is the safest, fastest, and most effective way to whiten your teeth. Dr. Fait uses the Zoom!® whitening system, which contains a unique and safe chemical formula. This system has the highest amount of hydrogen peroxide (a powerful teeth-whitening agent) available in a gel.
During your teeth whitening appointment, Dr. Fait carefully applies the gel to your teeth and then uses a specialized light to activate the gel. You’ll leave our office with a whiter smile in less than an hour.
We also offer a convenient take-home system as an alternative to our in-office treatments.
First, Dr. Fait takes an impression of your teeth so he can create your custom whitening trays. Once the trays are made, you come back to our office to make sure they fit perfectly. Dr. Fait sends you home with the whitening kit and everything else you need to whiten your teeth at home.
Our teeth whitening methods are extremely effective, but they aren’t for everyone. We can reverse the effects of yellow teeth, but brown teeth are harder to whiten.
Additionally, whitening treatments don’t work on crowns, veneers, or fillings, and results aren’t guaranteed if your discoloration is the result of trauma or medication.
Ask Dr. Fait about his brightening options if whitening isn’t an option for you.
If you want to face the holidays with a brilliant smile, call our Long Beach, California, office at 562-294-6689, or schedule an appointment online today.
