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No one wants to have a blemish on their smile. Beautiful white rows of teeth look great in photos, and they help you feel confident in social settings. When your smile becomes compromised by discoloration, it can make you feel uncomfortable with your own smile. There are ways to recover from discoloration and restore your smile to its original, beautiful state. Before you can do that, you need to determine whether the teeth staining you’re experiencing is coming from bacteria or pigment. This will help you choose the proper course of action.

Tooth Discoloration Caused by Bacteria Needs to Be Treated with Restorative Dentistry

When bacteria build up on your teeth, they can create cavities — holes in your dental enamel. You’ll often notice those cavities become filled with dark pockets of bacteria. Not only does this condition cause your smile to look less-than-perfect, but it also creates an oral health risk. Your cavities need to be cleaned and filled by your dentist so that your tooth doesn’t sustain further damage. Your dentist will likely recommend a tooth-colored filling that provides both a cosmetic and functional recovery. In severe cases, your dentist may even want to use a dental crown.

Tooth Discoloration Caused by Pigment Can Be Treated with Professional Whitening

If you notice a general yellowing of your teeth across the board, this might not be the work of bacteria. More likely, it’s a product of pigment. The foods you eat and drinks you consume leave trace amounts of pigment behind, and this pigment can become trapped inside your dental enamel. In aggregate, this pigment can create a yellowing effect that causes your teeth to look unattractive. Yellowing can often be treated with professional teeth whitening. Professional whitening treatment can be completed at home, and it can drastically brighten your smile in a short period of time.

Talk to Your Dentist About Tooth Discoloration

Of course, you don’t need to make these determinations about tooth discoloration on your own. Your dentist can help you determine the source of the discoloration and provide proper treatment. If the problem is the product of bacteria, your dentist will want to treat this condition as soon as possible. If your dentist determines that you’re a candidate for teeth whitening, they can set you up with a treatment timetable for at-home whitening trays.

Find Professional Whitening at Cedar Dental

Tooth discoloration can be frustrating, and in some cases, dangerous for your oral health. You can treat the condition at Cedar Dental. Our professional staff can determine the source of the problem and set you up with a treatment that works for you. Make your appointment at Cedar Dental in Cedar Rapids, IA by calling our office at 319-364-7108.