Options For Having Whiter Teeth As A Former Smoker

Have you decided to put that bad smoking habit to rest to become a healthier person? Even if you manage to stop smoking, your teeth may be a reminder of that disgusting habit you once had. Thankfully, you can have a cosmetic dental procedure done to restore their color to a more natural shade of white. Here are some options that you will have to choose from for teeth whitening:

Deep Teeth Cleaning

You may be surprised to learn that the discoloration can be fixed by having your teeth cleaned. This is especially true if it has been ages since your last teeth cleaning since you could have a lot of tartar stuck to your teeth that are discolored. Your dentist can remove the tartar to the best of their ability to restore the color of the teeth. Hopefully, they will not be as yellow as they once were.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening can be done from the comfort of your home or at the dentist's office. At-home treatments are best if you were not a very heavy smoker and only have a little bit of discoloration you want to fix. Home treatments can be purchased at your local drug store and will use a peroxide based bleach solution. Be aware that the kits use a weak concentration of peroxide when compared to what your dentist will use in their office.

Your dentist can offer a whitening treatment that is either done in the office or at home. Any treatment done at home will use a stronger concentration of peroxide that is applied with a custom tray, which has been custom made to fit your teeth. The trays help the peroxide stay in direct contact with all your teeth when you are applying the whitening solution at home.

The alternative is to have the procedure performed in the office. The peroxide used will be the strongest of the three options, so it must be applied in a controlled environment by your dentist. They help ensure that the peroxide is used safely and that the whitening solution is not left on the teeth for too long.

Veneers

Even horrible discoloration can be fixed. Your dentist can always apply dental veneers to your teeth, which is a shell that covers the front surface that is visible to others. While it essentially hides the damage that was caused by smoking, it will get your teeth the exact shade you desire immediately after the veneer installation.