A White Smile Doesn’t Mean a Healthy Smile

teeth whitening in Beaverton

When it comes to teeth whitening in Beaverton, our staff at Barrett Family Dental understands that most people desire a bright smile. In fact, studies have found that between 18 to 52 percent of people are dissatisfied with the color of their teeth. It’s not surprising then that teeth whitening has become the most popular cosmetic dental treatment performed in the U.S.

Considering the desire so many people have for a brighter smile, you’d think that white teeth are not only more attractive, but healthier as well. But the color of teeth depends on a variety of factors, including our age, genetics, and their natural shade. Our diet, smoking habits, oral hygiene habits, and even the prescription medications we take also play a role in determining the color of our teeth.

Just because a smile looks good doesn’t mean you enjoy quality oral health. After all, you can paint a fence but that does nothing but hide the termites that live underneath. So while teeth whitening in Beaverton may seem like a way to improve the health of your smile, you shouldn’t ignore what problems may be the causing the color of your smile to dim.

Color Can Be Deceiving

While a bright smile might seem desirable, it doesn’t serve as a good indication of your overall oral health. Teeth that become discolored can actually indicate a number of health factors that require more attention than a few teeth whitening treatments.

As we age, our tooth enamel can begin to thin. This allows the yellowish dentin, the delicate layer of our teeth that lies underneath our enamel, to become more visible. A deterioration of tooth enamel does more than just reveal what’s underneath, it also weakens the overall structure of our teeth, making them more susceptible to the effects of tooth decay and gum disease.

It’s not just growing older that causes enamel to deteriorate, the problem can also be caused by diet, oral hygiene, and even the medications we take.

Certain types of prescription medications, such as those used to treat conditions as varied as depression, anxiety, sleeplessness, and high blood pressure, can cause dry mouth as a side effect. While dry mouth may seem fairly innocent as side effects go, saliva flow plays a vital role in helping to protect your teeth from the harmful oral bacteria that causes decay. In a mouth that remains dry throughout most of the day, it’s far more likely that enamel thinning occurs and your oral health suffers as a result.

Acid reflux diseases such as GERD can also cause enamel thinning, as stomach acid that travels up into the mouth is incredibly corrosive to tooth enamel. Struggling with acid reflux for years can cause more than just heart burn, it can permanently damage tooth enamel.

The same is true of those who suffer from teeth grinding, as the constant excessive pressure can slowly erode enamel, revealing the dentine underneath.

Unfortunately, teeth whitening treatments can’t actually repair the damage done by enamel thinning. When we perform teeth whitening in Beaverton, the treatment involves the use of strong bleaches and abrasive agents that work to scrub and strip stains from the surface of the patient’s teeth. Since discoloration due to enamel thinning has nothing to do with stains, the procedure is ineffective at improving the color of a patient’s smile.

When Does Teeth Whitening in Beaverton Makes Sense?

So when should you come visit Barrett Family Dental for teeth whitening? Simple, if you enjoy quality oral health but suffer from stains due to foods and drinks like coffee, wine, tomatoes, soy sauce, etc. than you can immediately see the benefits of whitening.

Using prescription strength whitening agents, Dr. Barrett can dramatically change the complexion of your smile several shades lighter after just one teeth whitening treatment. In fact, we’re currently offer Lifetime Free Teeth Whitening to all of our current and new patients. If you have always dreamed of getting a brighter, whiter smile, you owe it to yourself to schedule a teeth whitening consultation with Dr. Barrett.

We provide you with an at-home whitening kit complete with a  custom-made professional whitening tray, prescription strength whitening gel, and full instruction on how to get the whiter, brighter smile you desire. Why wait, start smiling with confidence today!