smile Archives - Senior Care Central

Guest Blog: Everything You Need to Know About Tooth Discoloration in Seniors

A perfect smile with pearly teeth can be a real confidence booster. However, as you age, you might experience teeth discoloration. Therefore, it becomes important to understand what causes the discoloration of teeth in the elderly and what you can do about it.

Tooth Discoloration in Seniors

Teeth naturally are not perfectly white, and the color may vary from person to person. It ranges typically from white gray to light yellow in hue. However, in rare cases, it may be a bit more yellow or brownish despite good dental health. This visible color is of tooth enamel. It is the hard substance that protects the underlying delicate tissue of the tooth.

Enamel is the hardest substance in the body and shields the teeth. The purpose of enamel is to protect the surface of the teeth from erosion or stains. It further defends the teeth from sensitivity caused by very hot or cold foods and drinks.

As you age, the outer layer of the enamel on your teeth gets worn out to reveal the natural yellow color of dentin. Since the enamel does not have living cells, once damaged, it cannot grow back. Other than aging, there are other factors that contribute to tooth discoloration in seniors. Here are some of them:

1. Disease and medication
A number of diseases and treatments, including procedures like chemotherapy and radiation, can affect the teeth color. In addition, infections may also cause the natural teeth color to fade. Medications like tetracycline, doxycycline, antihistamines, and drugs for hypertension are also known to cause teeth discoloration.
2. Poor dental hygiene
Not brushing the teeth properly and skipping flossing can lead to yellow teeth as it will allow plaque to develop.
3. Foods, drinks, and tobacco
Certain foods and drinks like coffee, tea, wine, fruits, and vegetables can lead to teeth stains.
4. Excessive fluoride
Use of excessive fluoride, often found in teeth whitening products like toothpaste or mouthwash can cause yellowing of teeth.
5. Genes
Genetics can also be a major factor. Some people have more yellow tooth color than others, while others have thinner enamel.

How to treat discoloration in old age

Enamel, once destroyed, cannot be repaired. Therefore, the first thing you can practice is prevention. Nevertheless, teeth discoloration with age is unpreventable. Some of the treatments to get rid of teeth stains are mentioned below.
– Practice good dental hygiene and brush your teeth properly.
– Avoid foods or drinks that may cause staining.
– You may consult your dentist and consider bondings or veneers to hide or remove yellow teeth.
– Your dentist may be able to help you through teeth whitening procedures.
– Over-the-counter whitening agents can be the saviors in some cases.

Author Bio: Dr. Anu Isaac, DMD, runs a successful dental practice in Salem, MA. As the founder of Coral Dental Care, she is dedicated to creating healthy, beautiful smiles for her patients and also to educating dental and non-dental community with her engaging articles on all things related to oral health, recent dental innovations, and latest treatment modalities.

Markham Smile Center: Best Ideas for Your Cosmetic Dental Smile Makeover

A smile is contagious and can uplift the mood of other people. Be it from simple things or bigger ones, we smile to show that we are glad about it. Sometimes we lose what we call spark in us. There are situations in our life that we lose our confidence to smile, not because we are unhappy, but because our teeth don’t look that good. Many people lose their self-confidence because of their teeth.

Thus, these problems could still be fixed with the help of experts. Bringing back the smile you once have will not be a problem anymore as Dental Makeovers are here to save your day. To address the specific problem, you have the Cosmetic Dental Smile Makeovers. It could help you with your teeth problems and bring back the best smile you’ve ever had.

Ideas for a Smile Makeover

Teeth Whitening

People especially those who are into smoking, as well as those who have poor oral hygiene, are prone to tooth discoloration. Many individuals have undergone this problem. And, it truly affects their day-to-day interaction with others. Good thing, there’s a solution to confront this issue today. The teeth whitening solution is the answer for teeth discoloration. The process is mainly done with the guidance of the dentist. A solution is applied to your teeth that will penetrate and break the stains on your teeth surfaces. So, if you have a problem similar to this, you can visit your dentist and undergo a tooth whitening procedure.

Dental Veneers

Aren’t you happy with how your teeth look? Well, these might be the solutions you’ve been looking for. This process is mainly the solution given for individuals who have an issue with their teeth appearance. Improving the way your teeth look with this procedure is helpful. It covers your tooth that changes its color, size, shape, and even length.

Dental Veneers are longer-lasting, which means you just need to visit your dentist from time to time. This is to keep them safe from any crack and damages. Thus, the cost of this solution is expensive yet if you can afford this, you can bring back the best smile you’ve ever had then.

Tooth Implants

Tooth Implants or Dental Implants are the processes employed for patients who want to have an artificial tooth. This process replaces the old tooth you have by attaching a metal, screw-like one on your gums beneath the jaw or skull and covered with replacement or permanent teeth that will act as your tooth later on.

This may sound too painful and may take 1-2 weeks for its initial healing process for 3-6 months. The dentist attaches the implants to the jaw’s bone. Thus, the result will surely satisfy your need. Especially for some who lose their tooth due to decay, you can still bring back the tooth in its new and hefty capability.

Enamel Shaping and Recontouring

It is often called cosmetic contouring or Enameloplasty. This process is done to help people with unequal shapes and with sharp-edged dental imperfections. This changes the form making it look perfect and free of any unbalance forms. The process goes where enamel (the hard-protecting layer of your tooth) is reshaped through drilling or laser. This process is often quick and painless. This event doesn’t require any recovery period. Visit your dentist to check whether these solutions are right for the problem you have.

Teeth Alignment

This might be the most common dental procedure undergone by many today. Teeth alignment is the process where your teeth are arranged perfectly fit and straightened as well. This comes often under braces and clean teeth aligners where people who have imperfect tooth growth commonly choose.

Having your teeth aligned makes it more pleasing and healthier. It protects your gums especially those who have issues with separated teeth. Well, if you wish you have this procedure, there are some precautions you need to consider. Also, you need to visit your dentist to have it fixed when it becomes loose.

Benefits of Getting a Smile Makeover

Having a dental makeover gives us a lot of benefits. Because it could keep our teeth healthy, for some people who have lost or missing teeth, it could help them restore these. For people who have a misshapen or discolored tooth, a dental makeover could fix them in just a period.

These procedures being discussed give back the natural look of the patient’s teeth, smiling at them like they used to have.

Conclusion

It is important to take care of our teeth, especially when we are still young. As we grow older, we lose the elasticity of our teeth. And, this leads to some dental problems which eventually make us suffer. Thus, before we think of undergoing these solutions, as early as today we must be really careful.

By doing the most common way of protecting your teeth which is brushing you could protect them. Thus, for some who have this kind of issue when they are still young, they could still address the problem with these dental solutions.

If you wish to address this kind of issue, you can visit your nearest dental clinic and have them give you the best solution to your problem.