You may not like it, but at least you can do something about it.
We’re talking about your yellow, stained teeth. It’s something that happens for a number of reasons. When it does, we hope you will contact Cosmetic Dental Associates to help you.
Professional teeth whitening is the safest and most effective way to remove deep stains from your smile. Whether you want your smile to look its best for a big events (wedding? reunion?) or you want to improve the appearance of your smile for personal or professional reasons, our dentist office in San Antonio, TX, can help.
Call 210-951-4444 (Medical Center) 210-942-5047 (Alamo Ranch) or fill out our online form if you would like to request a consultation. This is your first step toward a brighter smile.
Before you do anything, we want you to know a few things about teeth whitening.

Your Teeth Will Get Darker As You Get Older

In some ways, yellow or dark teeth are inevitable. As long as you continue to eat and drink, you will be doing things that add to the stains on your teeth.
Just think about how many cups of coffee you’ve enjoyed in your lifetime. How many sips of sweet tea or soft drinks have you taken over the years?
Apple pie, barbecue, cake, doughnuts, egg rolls, French fries, gumbo, hamburgers … all of these things add to the stains on your teeth as well. We don’t advise that you give up eating, but we do want you to be aware using your teeth every day does affect how they look in the long run.

Tobacco Makes Your Stains Worse

We’ve already established that most of the things that you eat or drink will add to the stains on your teeth over time.
But nothing is worse for the health or the appearance of your smile than tobacco. It really doesn’t matter which kind of tobacco either. Smoking is bad for your smile. So are the many kinds of smokeless tobacco you could use.
We won’t lecture you (today) on the harmful health effects of tobacco use. But we do want to point out that if you want to keep your smile looking its best, using tobacco is not going to help.

You Should Talk To A Dentist Before You Attempt To Whiten

This isn’t just our suggestion. This is the recommendation of the American Dental Association.
The ADA Council on Scientific Affairs researched the various types of “whitening” products on the market and issued a report.
One of the concerns with commercial whitening products is overuse. When used incorrectly, too long, or too often, this can actually damage your teeth more than it helps.
Likewise, some people are not good candidates for teeth whitening. For this reason, having your teeth examined by a dental professional can help you know if you are a good candidate for teeth whitening or if you should consider a different approach, such as veneers, to change your smile.

Professional Whitening Is More Effective

You can walk down any toothpaste aisle and find dozens of products that claim they will whiten your teeth. It’s tempting to buy a “whitening” toothpaste or a box of whitening strips. After all, they seem so simple to use, and they aren’t too expensive, right?
The ADA Council found that “whitening” toothpaste does nothing more than remove surface stains from your teeth. Commercial whitening products can remove some stains below the surface, but they have much lower concentrations of the bleaching agents found in professional whitening products.
When used correctly under the supervision of a dental professional, professional teeth whitening products can remove the deepest stains from your teeth. In a short amount of time, you could have your bright, white smile again.

Not All Discoloration Is Caused By Stains

This is another reason you should talk to a dentist before you try teeth whitening. While stains are common, they aren’t the only reason teeth can become discolored.
Injuries and illnesses can affect the color of your teeth. Certain medications can cause discoloration as a side effect as well. Whitening will have little or no effect when stains aren’t the real problem.

Visit Us When You Are Ready To Change Your Smile

Whether you get teeth whitening or one of our other services, Cosmetic Dental Associates want you to be happy with your smile.
To get started with a consultation, call 210-951-4444 (Medical Center) 210-942-5047 (Alamo Ranch) or request an appointment online form.