We don’t have any choice about getting older, but we do have a choice about feeling older–and looking older.
One of the things that can help you maintain a youthful appearance is taking care of your smile. Maintaining a healthy and attractive smile will help you look younger. And, when maintenance fails, we can often turn back the clock with cosmetic dentistry.
Bright Smiles Are Youthful Smiles
Our teeth start out with bright white enamel and over time become discolored. So it makes sense that people use the color of your teeth as a rough indicator of your age. Prevention is the best way to keep your teeth bright white.
You can help your teeth stay whiter longer by avoiding staining habits. Smoking is one of the worst habits for your oral health and can badly stain your teeth. In addition, staining foods and beverages can cause your teeth to darken: red wine, dark beer, coffee, tea, chocolate, and even berries can all darken your teeth. Chase staining beverages with water, brush your teeth at least twice daily, and make your regular checkups to help your teeth stay white.
But sometimes that’s not enough. If your teeth are stained, teeth whitening can reduce staining to help you look younger.
Tooth Damage Makes Your Smile Look Older
As we get older, our teeth can get worn down. This happens naturally, but it can be sped up by bad habits like chewing on objects other than food or using our teeth as tools to open jars, bottles, or packets. An imbalanced bite and stress-related clenching and grinding (bruxism) can also speed wear on our teeth.
Identifying these problems early on can slow tooth wear and help you look younger longer. But if tooth wear has progressed, we can reverse the problem with restorations like porcelain veneers or dental crowns.
Tooth decay can also make your smile look older. Not only does the decay itself discolor your teeth, but old-fashioned metal amalgam fillings can discolor your teeth. This is another reason to get rid of these toxic restorations.
Whole Smiles Are Youthful Smiles
Probably the most dramatic factor that can make your smile look older is the loss of one or more teeth. That’s because the risk of tooth loss increases with age. But just because you’ve lost a tooth, it doesn’t mean you have to accept the loss.
Dental implants are a tooth replacement option that can make your smile whole again. The replacement tooth will look just like a natural tooth, and it’ll function like one, too. You can smile with confidence knowing that your replacement tooth will always be in place.
Show Your Smile to Look Younger
But one of the things that really make a difference is just feeling comfortable and confident with your smile. The happier you are with your smile, the more likely you are to show it. And when you’re smiling, people perceive you as more youthful and energetic.
If you think your smile makes you look older, we can help. To learn what we recommend for your smile, please call (585) 244-3337 today for an appointment with a cosmetic dentist at Contemporary Dentistry today.
