How To Whiten Aging Teeth – Most teeth whitening ads in magazines and on TV feature attractive young people smiling and laughing. It’s no wonder we’re confused about who can and can’t whiten our teeth. In fact, bleaching aging yellow teeth can benefit many people if done responsibly and correctly.
While we deal with many seniors’ dental problems related to the aging process, some seniors are most concerned about whitening their aging yellow teeth. Dentists for Seniors use the American Dental Association, or ADA, recommendations to advise seniors on best practices to achieve their desired teeth whitening goals.
How To Whiten Aging Teeth
If you are interested in whitening your teeth or have questions about the aging of your teeth, you may be wondering why teeth turn yellow over time and as you age. Our teeth are made up of two layers. The first layer is called dentin. Dentin is the inner layer of nerve and blood supply.
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The second layer is called enamel. Enamel is the outer layer and consists of pure minerals. Tooth enamel is actually the hardest substance in our body. It consists of pure calcium and phosphorus crystals. The phosphor crystals in our enamel reflect and refract light. This causes the teeth to become somewhat opaque.
Over time, the protein gets into the enamel and changes the way light travels through the crystals, causing the teeth to turn yellow. This is a natural process, and even those who try to brush thoroughly can start to yellow their teeth over time and age.
Dentists for seniors believe that teeth whitening can be done at any age of adulthood. Teeth whitening products remove accumulated stains and brighten enamel. They are an affordable and easy-to-use solution to age-related yellow teeth. However, there are a few additional considerations for seniors if you are considering whitening treatment.
As we’ve discussed, a protein that gets into your enamel and changes the way the enamel crystals reflect light is responsible for yellowing teeth. Yellowing teeth can be whitened by using whitening trays or whitening toothpaste. Most whitening toothpastes contain less bleach. This method is effective, but it takes a long time to change the color of the teeth.
Whiten Your Teeth While You Tan!
Whitening trays can be purchased from your dentist or over the counter. Unlike whitening toothpaste, these whitening trays contain high levels of hydrogen peroxide. It is recommended that you get your whitening trays from your dentist, as the trays provided by dental professionals can be made in a laboratory and adjusted to fit your mouth exactly. It is a faster option to whiten yellowed teeth.
Whitening of aging yellow teeth is one of the many dental services requested by seniors. However, seniors should consider their oral health when deciding on whitening. This is another reason why you should visit your dentist rather than using over-the-counter whitening products. Elderly people with sensitive gum tissue and dry mouth should use caution as whitening may irritate these symptoms. Tooth decay is a common problem among seniors, and a dentist should be consulted before whitening can be safely performed.
Anyone interested in teeth whitening should know that they are very sensitive. It is important to avoid liquids such as coffee and red wine during whitening. With an effective procedure developed by a dentist, you can see results within a week. The popular myth that you can whiten your tooth enamel on the weekend is not true. Teeth whitening should be done responsibly and preferably under the supervision of a dentist.
According to the ADA, it is better to have your teeth professionally whitened at home than to use store-bought products on your own. Your dentist is likely highly trained in cosmetic teeth whitening. This is a common practice for many adults, and your dentist can help you choose the right course of action.
Can Seniors Whiten Their Teeth?
If you want to whiten your aging yellow teeth, make an appointment and visit the dentist’s office. This option is a bit more expensive than buying a toothpaste and whitening kit at the store, but it’s generally safer and more effective. An experienced geriatric dental professional will be able to assess any underlying health issues before you begin treatment. If you have any concerns that prevent immediate whitening, your dentist will be able to advise you on these issues.
You can consult with your dentist to determine the best course of action and get a whitening cost estimate. Following your dentist’s advice, using whitening trays or orthodontics will help brighten your teeth and prevent damage to your enamel. When in doubt, consult the senior dentists at Cano Health. Contact us today.At-home teeth whitening products usually require multiple applications over a period of one to two weeks and provide a gradual whitening effect that does not last very long. (iStock)
Walk past the typical drugstore toothpaste and you’ll see a variety of products that promise to whiten your teeth. Whitening toothpastes, whitening strips, whitening gels that can be painted on teeth with cotton swabs or used in mouth trays, two-step “daily cleaning and whitening systems” and more.
Clifton Carey, a chemist at the University of Colorado School of Dental Medicine, says, “I’m more focused on a pretty smile. Teeth whitening, in particular, is “a big thing these days. So many vendors, so many customers.”
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All drugstore products contain the same whitening ingredient – bleaching peroxide. If you go to the dentist for professional teeth whitening, they will use a more concentrated peroxide product.
With an in-office procedure, you can whiten very quickly, but it requires expertise,” says Matthew Messina, MD, a dentist at Ohio State University and a spokesman for the American Dental Association. With such high-powered whitening agents, “the dentist has to protect the gums,” he said. .
Prescription products are weak. This means less active bleaching when in contact with bleaching agents, but less risk to the gums. “All products are safe when used as directed,” Messina said. However, they can increase tooth sensitivity and irritate the gum tissue. “If things don’t work for you, you should go to the dentist.”
Teeth whitening is the best way to keep your mouth healthy, says Messina. Get a thorough exam and make sure your teeth are clean and free of plaque and tartar. Also, be aware that teeth whitening will not work on crowns or most fillings.
Yellow Teeth: Causes And How To Whiten Teeth
Professional whitening services, which can be immediate and last for years, can cost $500 or more and are generally not covered by dental insurance. At-home products usually require multiple applications over a period of one to two weeks and are gradual whitening agents that don’t last long. Whitening strips cost $25.
“Do-it-yourself products can be used as restoratives to keep teeth white after professional treatment,” says Carey. “Dentists often recommend it.”
How do these products work? “It’s a surface-type bleach,” Carey says, working on stains that stick to tooth enamel. “Bleach is a chemical that breaks those bonds,” Carey says. Dye compounds may remain, but bleach makes them clear.
The thickened products used by dentists can dry out the teeth a little. “It’s an immediate color change — bleaching and dehydration,” Carey says. As the surface of the tooth rehydrates over the next few weeks, people may notice that the whiteness of their teeth recedes by several shades.
Ways To Make Older Teeth Look Bright And White Again
Dental Anatomy Brief: Enamel is the thin, hard outer layer of teeth; Dentin is the next layer and is less dense than enamel. In the middle is the pulp, a soft tissue that holds the nerve center.
“Enamel is what you whiten,” Carey says. “It’s really thin near the gum line. If your gums are receding, it exposes your root tissue.” Dentists try to avoid applying concentrated products on or near dentin.
Dentin is naturally yellow in color and plays an important role in esthetics. As people age, enamel becomes thinner and wears down over decades. The thinner the enamel, the more likely yellow dentin will be exposed. This is why older people often have yellow teeth. In this case, whitening products will not help because they do not affect the teeth.
There are several other color variations that cannot be modified by the bleaching procedure. If you took tetracycline as a child, your teeth may have been stained with antibiotics because of an ear infection. Or if your teeth were damaged when you were young, but the enamel wasn’t formed, it won’t whiten
