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Your Smile Is Turning Yellow | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

Are you tired of having yellow, stained teeth, despite your strict daily dental hygiene? You are not alone. There are millions of people suffering from the same problem. Not only is it a natural occurrence, but it will continue happen throughout our lives. So, if you brush, floss and visit your dentist regularly then why are your teeth still discolored? This happens because the outer layers of your teeth get stained over the years by our diet or bad habits like tobacco use. Drinking red wine and other dark beverages are fantastic and should be enjoyed. When these outside sources of staining are left to sit on the teeth all day until your next brushing, the dentin on your teeth becomes yellowish or darkened.

This is why keeping up with your daily dental practices are so important. But there are ways to brighten that smile of yours. And the best way to help your stained discolored teeth is professional tooth whitening.

While most of our teeth staining comes naturally over time, these are also some of the contributing factors to your teeth becoming yellow and stained:

  • Tetracycline based antibiotics used before the age of 8 years old
  • Excessive exposure to fluoride as a child
  • Internal bleeding due to trauma
  • Discoloration due to a health condition
  • Natural aging- as time goes by enamel gets thinner and thinner and will get a yellowish hue
  • Soda
  • Wine
  • Smoking
  • Caffeine

While staining is natural and will continue to happen, regardless of our efforts, there are simple ways to slow down the process. Here are some tips:

  • Visit your dentist regularly for teeth cleanings
  • Rinse your mouth out with water several times throughout the day
  • Use toothpaste with whitening agents; just be aware not to overdo it.

If you would like more information on brightening your smile, call Dr. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Greg J. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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Four Tips to a Brighter Smile | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

Everyone loves a professional whitening treatment. All you want to do is show off your smile! But getting treatment is just a start. It’s still important that you continue to look for ways to maintain your smile in between treatments. Here are some tips:

Use whitening toothpaste. With so many over-the-counter products available, you may want to ask your dentist to recommend you a specific type of whitening toothpaste to use at home, as well as further instructions on how to use such whitening products.

Chew gum and crunchy produce. Saliva is your mouth’s naturally means of cleaning bacteria and plaque. Chewing gum is designed to increase saliva production. Just make sure it contains xylitol. For a natural option, crunchy produce such as apples, carrots and celery can also help you keep your teeth bright and clean by helping to remove the substances that can cause stains and discoloration.

Take better care of your tooth enamel. Although considered as the hardest substance in the human body, tooth enamel cannot repair itself. If the tooth enamel has been affected by gum disease in the past, there’s no way to restore it. And if it’s weak, it’s also much more susceptible to stains. That’s why it’s important that you take good care of your tooth enamel by providing it with necessary protection with fluoride.

Drink plenty of milk. Or pretty much any other dairy product you can think of. Dairy products are high in calcium, which helps keep your teeth white and bright. Cheese can also help rid your teeth of food particles that can cause stains and discoloration.

If you would like more information on teeth whitening, call Dr. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Greg J. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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Whitening with Trays | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

As we celebrate thee holiday season, we are inundated with tons of photo opportunities with family and friends. And if your smile has a dingy tinge, it could be an uncomfortable thing to do. You can brush your teeth all you want – teeth will naturally begin to become stained as time goes on. It could be our diets, poor habits or even medications can cause our teeth to yellow. But there is no need to fret – a simple whitening procedure could be all you need.

While there are several over-the-counter teeth whitening treatments that can be used, like whitening strips or trays, they won’t work quite as effectively as custom whitening trays. One of the risks that come along with using over-the-counter teeth whitening products is that the bleach can leak from the tray or strip. This can cause your gums to become irritated or sensitive. Custom whitening trays are made to fit your teeth perfectly.

The process starts off with your dentist taking an impression of your teeth, then using the mold your dentist can create the custom trays. Once your custom whitening trays are complete and your go in for your second visit, your dentist will give you instructions to properly use them.

During the whitening process, you should start to notice a difference in the shades of your teeth as they begin to whiten. Once this short process is over, you should be able to enjoy flashing your significantly whiter teeth. To maintain the appearance of your pearly whites you may want to get treatments done every now and then.

If you would like more information about teeth whitening, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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Stews and Ciders: It’s Time for Autumn Eats | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

There is just something about the Autumn that makes the world a happier place. It could be the smell of pumpkin spice everywhere we turn or the chilly weather that makes us want to bundle up and crave a piping hot cup of hot chocolate. Not only that, but the autumn season starts the beginning of the holiday season, which means plenty of photo ops. Unfortunately, a lot of our diet consists of teeth-staining foods. Luckily there are plenty of foods that not only keep us healthy, but also brightens our smile for those holiday selfies:

What is more autumn than apples? The crispiness of the apple is what is doing most of the work for your smile. As you bite into an apple, you are strengthening your gums. And the juiciness of the apple produces saliva, which rinses our mouths of cavity-forming bacteria.

Broccoli is a veggie that is present in lots of warm comfort foods, but it is also Mother Nature’s toothbrush. Munching on these little “brushes” will not only supply your body with iron but gives your teeth a quick scrub. Carrots and celery are the next in this line of veggies, so stews are perfect for our smiles and the season. All great vitamins packed inside, and the high-water content is great for saliva production. And if you think about it, celery is like nature’s floss.

Dairy is chockful of calcium, foods like milk, yogurt and cheese strengthen your teeth and gums. The stronger your teeth enamel is, the whiter & healthier they become.

If you would like more information about healthy foods for your smile, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.

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How to Whiten Your Teeth at Home | Rancho Santa Margarita Dentist

Everyone of every age strives to have that perfect Hollywood smile. But unfortunately, there are many ways our smiles just miss the mark. One of the simplest dental issues that many of us face, but can remedy, is stained teeth. There are many reasons our teeth have become dingy – our diets, our lifestyle habits, even genetics can lead to yellowed grin.

Fortunately, there are ways to remedy this issue. From dietary chances to professional whitening treatments, you pearlies can return to their original shade of white. In order to maintain this whitened sheen, many are turning to over-the-counter products. In order to choose your preference, let’s break down the various types available:

Trays and gels. The original form of at-home products, these trays involve a “boil and bite” mouthguard filled with carbamide peroxide gel. The results will take some time (at least a few weeks) but may cause some irritation due to the gel’s ingredients.

Whitening strips. If you have a couple of weeks before your big event, you may want to invest in a strips system. Hydrogen peroxide is placed on a polyethylene strip, which is placed directly on the teeth. Just be aware that if you place it on your gums, they may become a bit irritated over time.

Paint-ons. Paint-on whitening pens will take the longest to produce results but is ideal when you need to target a certain tooth. Because it doesn’t have a closed system like the two previous, it takes more time.

Whitening devices. The newest in at-home whitening, but the closest to a professional experience, these high-intensity lights use heat to break down hydrogen peroxide in order to produce more whitening oxygens.

If you would like more information about teeth whitening treatment options, call Dr. Greg J. Herd in Rancho Santa Margarita, CA at 949-858-5147 or visit www.gregherddds.com.

Dr. Herd proudly serves Rancho Santa Margarita and all surrounding areas.