Soda (particularly colas), wine, tea, coffee, and foods like chocolate can all cause teeth to be become dull and yellow over time. The effects are seldom instantaneous, but occur gradually.  Cosmetic tooth whitening is the answer for many people who want to restore the color of their smile.  Cosmetic dentists typically offer two types of tooth whitening (also called tooth bleaching):  in-office and at-home.  In-office procedures can be completed in as little as a single appointment and usually use a combination of bleaching gel and a special laser.  For at-home kits, dentists will most commonly take impressions of a person’s teeth in order to make custom-fit trays.  Bleaching gel is placed in the trays and patients wear the trays anywhere from an hour to overnight for a specified number of days.  The amount of time will vary depending on each dentist’s instructions and the strength of the bleaching gel used. 

If you are a regular coffee, tea, cola, or wine drinker and have noticed that your teeth have lost their luster over time, consider contacting a cosmetic dentist about tooth whitening.  It can completely rejuvenate the look of your smile and give you a renewed sense of confidence.