Why People Whiten Their Teeth

Posted on: 6 March 2018

Teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry treatments, and with good reason. Here are some of the reasons people whiten their teeth:

To Look Younger

There are many causes of teeth discoloration, and aging is one of them. As you age, the thickness of the outer layers of your teeth (the protective enamel) reduces due to the accumulative effect of years of natural wear and tear. Unfortunately, this lets the color of the dentin (the layer of the tooth under the) show through—and the dentin is yellow in color. This is one of the reasons kids have whiter teeth than adults, and it means bleaching your teeth may make you look younger.

To Get Rid Of Embarrassing Spots on the Teeth

Sometimes, you may have teeth that aren't exactly discolored but have darkened spots that most people consider embarrassing. Depending on the severity of the spots and their causes, you may find it necessary to whiten your teeth and get rid of the embarrassing spots.

To Create Uniform Teeth

There are also people with mismatched teeth, where some teeth are brighter than others. For example, you may find that your upper teeth are darker than your lower teeth or one side of your face has darker teeth than others. That kind of teeth coloration isn't exactly aesthetically pleasing; fortunately, teeth whitening can help you bring your teeth to uniform coloration.

To Change Their Appearance

You may not know this, but your appearance is the sum of different features and parts of your face. It is the size and shape of your teeth; the size, shape, and color of your teeth; and the size and color of your eyes, among other things. This means changing even a single thing on your face may result in a dramatic change in your appearance. It's not easy to change most parts of your face, but whitening your teeth is relatively easy and can give you a change in appearance if that is what you want.

To Feel Good

Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you, which is why many people are self-conscious if they don't have "perfect" teeth (meaning they have teeth that aren't exactly white). It's perfectly normal to whiten your teeth just to earn the bragging rights of a good smile and feel good about yourself. However, don't think that whitening your teeth will automatically and magically change the way you feel about yourself.

Consult with a dentist at a dental office like Alliance Family Dental first if you wish to whiten your teeth; don't head right for the over-the-counter treatments. The dentist will advise you on the treatment that works best and address any dental problems you may have before bleaching.

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