Maintaining natural, healthy teeth as you grow older is a big accomplishment. 69% of adults aged 35 to 44 have lost at least one permanent tooth, and that increases to 12 teeth by age 50. Because of the gaping spaces, many people develop low self-confidence. However, simply having healthy teeth might not be enough. Stains and discoloration can also cause you to feel self-conscious. Tooth whitening, though, has become a safe, easy, and extremely fast way to solve the problem.

Bay Dental Group in San Jose, California provides dental care to everyone, regardless of their age. This includes those who want to appear younger by whitening their teeth. We understand that having a white smile can draw attention towards your fresh, healthy teeth, and make you appear younger and more self-confident in the process.

How does aging affect your teeth?

As you age, every part of your body ages with you. This includes your teeth and gums. That’s why dental care becomes more important as you grow older. Your aging mouth requires more upkeep to stay clean and healthy, so it’s important to you stay on top of your dental hygiene and checkups.

There are a few ways that aging affects your teeth in particular, including:

• Dry mouth. As we get older, we produce less saliva, and certain medications can make this worse. However, saliva plays a large role in cleaning teeth and preventing tooth decay.
• Natural wear. Like most things, our teeth wear down as we use them. As you get older, your teeth will look different than they did in your youth.
• Natural yellowing. Your teeth are going to yellow as you get older. This is entirely natural, and it’s caused by a variety of factors, including stains from food and drink.
• Staining. As mentioned above, stains are natural. However, consuming a lot of coffee or tea can speed up the process, which makes your teeth look older and less healthy.

While natural wear-and-tear cannot be solved without restoration, this is generally an unnoticeable feature. However, yellowing and staining are the primary causes of old-looking teeth, they can be difficult to prevent, and they are very noticeable.

What are the benefits of teeth whitening?

While you can brush, floss, and use home remedies to maintain your teeth and keep them as white as possible, many people struggle to get a pearly smile without a visit to the dentist. Teeth whitening not only removes stains, but also brightens the color of your natural teeth.

The end result is a whiter, fresher, younger-looking smile. If you don’t have the patience for skin tightening, facelifts, and other cosmetic procedures, whitening alone can shave years off your appearance by drawing attention to your teeth instead. If you’re interested in getting a more youthful smile, the Bay Dental Group offers in-house teeth whitening for those who want fast, efficient results. Take-home kits are also available, depending on your needs. Make an appointment with us by calling (408) 725-2442 or by requesting one online.