Dentistry for seniors suggests tooth whitening can be done at any age of adulthood. Tooth whitening products remove built-up stains and brighten the enamel. They are affordable and easy-to-use solutions to the problem of aging yellow teeth.
Teeth that have yellowed with age
As we age, the enamel becomes thinner due to wear and tear, revealing the underlying layer of tooth structure called dentin. Dentin is naturally yellowish and cannot be lightened with teeth whitening products.
If you want to keep your teeth sparkling white as you get older, you have a few options. A whitening toothpaste includes low-concentration bleach, hydrogen peroxide, or urea oxide. This is an easy method because it doesn't add any steps to your daily routine, but it does take time to be effective.
It's never too late to improve your smile. Even if you are in your 70s or 80s, you can still have your teeth whitened. Teeth whitening is a safe and effective way to improve the appearance of your smile, and it can be done at any age.
Patients with the following conditions or circumstances may not be the best candidates: Pregnant and lactating women. People who have restorations such as fillings, implants, crowns and dental bridges. Children under 16 years of age.
For the safest and most effective at-home teeth whitening method, the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (AACD) recommends you use custom-fitted trays supplied by your dentist. Ill-fitting teeth whitening trays can cause the gel to ooze out and irritate your gums.
Professional teeth whiteners are safe, effective, and done under the supervision of a dental professional. In most cases, it is worth the extra cost to visit the dentist to get long-lasting, safe results.
As we get older, the porous outer layer of enamel on our teeth begins to thin. This allows the naturally yellow material beneath it, called dentin, to show through more prominently. The thinner your enamel, the more dentin shows through, giving your teeth a yellow tint.
As you begin to age, your tooth enamel will start to wear away, revealing the dentin within the tooth. This dentin has a yellowish colour. Your teeth will also begin to create more dentin as you age, which also causes teeth to have a darker appearance.
Most commonly, tooth darkening occurs as a natural effect of aging. As we get older, the outer hard tissue covering our teeth, called enamel, wears away and exposes the darker dentin beneath it. This can cause our teeth to appear more gray or yellow rather than white.
There is no expiry date on self-esteem, so as you get older, it's just as important to feel good about yourself and your appearance. Teeth whitening treatment is a big step towards a more confident, happier you, and it's never too late to bring out those pearly whites!
What Can Be Done to Whiten Yellow Teeth? If you're looking for a radical change in the coloring of your teeth, you need professional-grade whitening to get the job done. Your cosmetic dentist can provide treatment that penetrates deep into the enamel and removes years of stains with a powerful bleaching agent.
Some of the best toothpastes for older adults include the Sensodyne Pronamel Daily Protection Enamel Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth and Sensodyne Rapid Relief Sensitive Toothpaste. Other products worth mentioning are 3M Oral Care Clinpro Tooth Crème Anti Cavity Toothpaste and Colgate Sensitive Toothpaste.
Research shows that hydrogen peroxide products might damage proteins in your teeth's dentin layer. Dentin is the hard tissue that lies beneath your teeth's surface enamel. Another study shows that whitening products might also roughen or soften your teeth's surface.
If your teeth have biofilm or plaque buildup, this can prevent the bleaching agent from reaching the target stains. Before considering any teeth whitening treatment, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment for a dental cleaning. These cleanings remove all signs of biofilm and plaque on the surface of your teeth.
While most teeth stains can be treated with whitening, some severe stains and all internal stains may not be treatable with traditional whitening methods. Your teeth may also become more yellow as you age because your enamel tends to thin and wear out.
Whitening yellowing teeth can be achieved through the use of bleaching trays or whitening toothpaste. Most whitening toothpaste brands have low-concentration bleach in them. This approach can work but takes an extended period of time to show a change in the color of your teeth.
Because baking soda removes discoloration from the surface of your teeth, it won't remove deeper stains. According to the Mayo Clinic, toothpaste containing baking soda can help coffee and smoking stains, and it could take between two to six weeks for you to notice a difference.
Baking soda is good for teeth whitening because it is a very mild abrasive, which helps remove stains from the surface of your teeth. In addition, baking soda is alkaline and salty, which helps lighten acid-based food stains – such as those from coffee, tea, and red wine – on teeth.
Dentin, the hard inner surface of the tooth, contains a pulp that is yellowish in color. As enamel thins, the thicker interior will show through the more transparent, thin enamel surface. Yellow teeth can make you look even older than you are as well as give you an unhealthy appearance.
Thankfully, yellow teeth aren't forever. Not only can your teeth be whitened, but you can also adopt habits that keep them looking good. Use this blog to learn about why teeth become yellow, how you can fix them, and what you can do to prevent future discoloration.
Professional, in-office teeth whitening is the most expensive option with a national average of $650 per visit (pricing can vary between $500 to $1,000). However it does have the benefit of being performed by an experienced dental professional, helping to ensure that you get the sort of results you're looking for.
Professional teeth whitening costs can vary, starting at around $250 for bleaching trays and getting as high as $650 for in-chair whitening procedures.
Because there is such a wide range of whitening options, the average teeth bleaching results can last anywhere from six months to three years. In most cases, however, people tend to have results that last about one year.