If you smoke for years but have kicked the habit for good, congratulations! Our doctors at Cambridge’s Dental Restorative Group are proud of you for taking a difficult step to improving your medical and oral health.
A telltale sign that you’re a former smoker, though, may be discolored teeth. This can make you feel less than enthusiastic to smile wide. Yellowed teeth from former smoking may also make you feel self-conscious for having once participated in a habit that was harmful to your health.
You’ve turned over a new leaf by quitting smoking. It’s time you give yourself a new smile, too! Here are some tips for our Cambridge dental patients on how you can remove stains from your teeth that were caused by smoking.
Consider DIY Teeth Whitening Products for Light Stains
If your teeth stains are light, it’s possible that DIY products you can buy at your favorite big box store or pharmacy can do the trick of giving you a brighter smile. You just want to make sure you look out for a few important things, such as:
- An American Dental Association (ADA) Seal on the side of the product’s packaging. Never use any product or substance for whitening your teeth that doesn’t have this seal on it.
- Make sure you use the at-home teeth whitening solution exactly as directed. Sometimes, Cambridge dental patients get over-zealous at using DIY kits, which can cause harm to tooth enamel and also lead to tooth sensitivity.
If you have questions about using an at-home tooth whitening solution, feel free to ask our doctors about the product before you start using it.
Opt for Professional Teeth Whitening When You Have Dark Stains
Typically, DIY teeth whitening kits only work for former Cambridge smokers who have very light tooth stains. For a more robust solution to attack the darker stains that come from years of smoking, you’ll be better off seeking out professional whitening at our dental practice.
If you choose to have professional teeth whitening by Dental Restorative Group, the first step of your journey will be having your teeth examined by one of our doctors to ensure you’re a good candidate for the procedure. We use the Philips Zoom system, which comes in both an at-office and an at-home kit. Regardless of where you’ll be doing your whitening, we’ll take professional impressions to make custom whitening trays just for you.
Once you’ve been cleared for the procedure and your whitening trays have been created, we’ll make your whitening appointment, which will last approximately 2 hours. During the appointment, one of our doctors will:
- Prepare your teeth and apply the whitening gel to them
- Activate the Philips Zoom lamp, which speeds up the work of the whitening gel
Most Cambridge residents who are former smokers find that they need about 3-4 of these in-office treatments to get the shade of teeth they desire. In some cases, our doctors may suggest you use Philips Zoom’s at-home solution to maintain your brighter smile.
Schedule a Teeth Whitening Appointment Today!
Whether you aren’t sure if you want to use a DIY product off the shelf, or the Philips Zoom technology, our doctors are happy to talk with you about your options, and anticipated results based on the current color of your teeth. To schedule an appointment to discuss getting a brighter smile, call Dental Restorative Group today at (617) 492-5081.
