Our Blog

Looking back at childhood photos, you may notice picture after picture of yourself with a mouthful of shiny white teeth. When you look in the mirror today, you wonder what happened to that beautiful smile. Many adults struggle with tooth discoloration and find it embarrassing to show off their teeth in a smile. Once you identify the cause of your tooth discoloration, there are treatment options at Elite Smiles Dental that can restore your teeth and your confidence.

What Causes Tooth Discoloration?

There are a host of factors that may cause your teeth to discolor. Some are directly under your control, and others may not be preventable. Here is a list of common reasons that teeth become discolored.

• Genetics: Much of your dental health is determined by genetic factors beyond your control. Some people naturally have thinner enamel or discolored teeth.
• Medications: Several medications lead to tooth discoloration as a side effect. If you received the common antibiotics doxycycline or tetracycline as a child, your teeth may have discolored as a consequence. Antihistamines, high blood pressure medications, and antipsychotic drugs can also discolor teeth. If you think a medication may be leading to tooth discoloration, talk to Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum. Never discontinue the use of a medication without consulting your doctor, however.
• Medical Conditions: Genetic conditions such as amelogenesis or dentinogenesis cause improper development of the enamel, and can lead to yellowed, discolored teeth.
• Poor Dental Hygiene: Failing to brush your teeth at least twice a day or regularly floss may lead to tooth decay and discoloration.
• Foods and Tobacco: Consumption of certain foods, including coffee, tea, wine, soda, apples, or potatoes, can cause tooth discoloration. Tobacco use also causes teeth to turn yellow or brown.

Treatments for Tooth Discoloration

There are a variety of treatments available to individuals with discolored teeth. One of the easiest ways to reduce tooth discoloration is through prevention. Avoid drinking red wine, soda, or coffee and stop using tobacco products. If you drink beverages that tend to leave stains, brush your teeth immediately or swish with water to reduce staining.

After determining the cause of tooth discoloration, Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum can suggest other treatment options. Over-the-counter whitening agents might help, but in-office whitening treatments provided at our Appleton, WI office would be more effective. When whitening agents do not help, bondings or veneers are among the alternative solutions for tooth discoloration.

If you are worried about your teeth becoming yellow or brown, think carefully about your diet and medication use. Talk to Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum to identify substances that may be causing the problem. After treatment for tooth discoloration, you will have a beautiful white smile you can be proud to show off.

You can probably see how teeth straightening can make your smile more attractive, but you might be wary of how Invisalign Teen treatment works. If you’re like most teens at our Appleton, WI office, you love hanging out with your friends, and you don’t want to be different, watch what you eat, or worry about how you look. Invisalign Teen has several benefits over traditional metal braces that can make your treatment easier.

People won’t know you’re wearing them.

Invisalign Teen consists of clear trays that are virtual impossible for others to see. Chances are, the only people who know that you are getting your teeth straightened will be your family and any of your friends whom you choose to tell. You won’t need to answer to “Tinsel Teeth” and “Metal Mouth” as some of your classmates with metal braces do.

You can eat what your friends eat.

You take your Invisalign Teen aligners out of your mouth for meals and snacks, so you can eat just like you normally would. You don’t need to worry about food getting stuck in your braces or leading to a bracket popping off. Unlike with braces, you can enjoy the following foods with your friends during Invisalign Teen straightening treatment:

• Popcorn at the movies
• Trail mix with dried fruit when you’re hanging out together
• Ribs and chicken wings at a party
• Eating a peanut butter sandwich, apple, and carrot sticks for lunch

You can take care of your teeth more easily.

It would be a shame if you took the trouble to straighten your teeth and then found out that you had developed tooth decay while wearing braces. This is less of a problem with Invisalign Teen aligners because they are removable. You can brush and floss your teeth as normal just by taking the trays out of your mouth.

Getting straighter teeth can be a serious confidence-booster in the long run, and with Invisalign Teen, the treatment isn’t that bad. You can wear these clear aligners without letting people know that you’re straightening your teeth, and they won’t interfere with your diet or dental hygiene.

Orthodontic health is a vital aspect of dentistry that goes beyond enhancing the aesthetic appeal of your smile. Orthodontics is the portion of dentistry that deals with the alignment of your teeth. Having properly aligned teeth is more important than just looking good, it also positively affects the function of the teeth, jaw, chewing, and your ability to adequately clean your teeth.

The long-term benefits of having orthodontic treatment are a healthy jaw joint, teeth that are easier to keep clean, less chance of breaking teeth due to improper bite, and a beautiful smile.

For those wondering if it’s time for them to start their orthodontic journey, just know It's never too early or too late. Dentists should evaluate the need for orthodontics from very early on. Some patients benefit from orthodontic treatment in phases, starting as early as six years old for phase one of treatment. There is no such thing as being too old for orthodontics. We have had patients in their seventies go through with treatment to correct their smile.

While not everyone will require orthodontic treatment, most people would benefit from some sort of orthodontic work. Since orthodontics goes beyond just the look of straight teeth, even those with a very nice-looking smile might need some orthodontic work to ensure that their jaw and their bite are in proper relation.

Maintaining an ideal orthodontic oral health routine is crucial, particularly during treatment. It is harder to see areas of decay while a patient is in braces, and it is harder to get into every small space with brackets and wires on the teeth. For these reasons, it is imperative that patients take extra time to keep their teeth clean while in orthodontics. A normal routine would be brushing well after each meal, flossing at least once per day, and taking care to ensure that all food debris has been removed after each brushing.

As Halloween approaches, patients should avoid sugary treats, especially sticky, chewy, or hard candies like taffy, caramel, and frozen bars, which can damage orthodontic appliances. Always remember to brush after indulging in any candy to prevent sugar from lingering on your teeth.

To make your orthodontic journey even more rewarding, take advantage of our Zoom! Whitening special this October. This in-office treatment, now available for just $295 (regularly $425), can lighten your teeth up to eight shades whiter in a single two-hour session. Approved for ages 16 and older, it's an excellent post-orthodontics procedure to make your newly straightened smile shine.

We hope to see you soon and if not have a Happy Halloween!

Adults are no strangers to feeling like there is never enough time in the day to get everything done. Your alarm clock rings and within minutes you ping pong around trying to spread peanut butter on sandwiches, answer your cell phone, remove the dog hair from your clothes, and make sure your child has completed his or her science fair project. Brushing your teeth can easily fall to the wayside. That is why our office promotes a simple, daily oral health regimen that you can easily incorporate into your busy lifestyle.

The American Dental Hygienists' Association (ADHA), in partnership with the Wrigley Jr. Company, is celebrating National Dental Hygiene Month (NDHM) during October. The ADHA encourages people to "Brush. Floss. Rinse. Chew...Keep it Clean, Keep it Healthy!" and offers some great tips for a quick and effective home oral health routine, below:

Oral Health Routine at Home

• Brushing your teeth twice daily is the most important thing you can do to diminish the accumulation of plaque and the potential for other oral problems such as cavities and gingivitis.
• Flossing once daily removes plaque and food from beneath the gums and between teeth that brushing alone cannot remove. Tooth decay and gum disease often begin in these areas.
• Rinsing your mouth with an antibacterial, non-alcohol based mouthwash kills plaque and gingivitis germs that brushing and flossing do not catch. We recommend using a mouthwash with the ADA Seal of Acceptance.
• Chewing sugar-free gum helps produce saliva, which battles cavities. The gum also neutralizes plaque, strengthens enamel, and removes remaining food. It is especially important to chew gum after eating or drinking.

It's easy to put the toothbrush down in order to take care of matters you feel are more urgent, but remember, a good oral health routine at home is the best way to prevent periodontal disease. "Periodontal disease is the most common cause of tooth loss in adults. An estimated 75 percent of Americans reportedly have some form of periodontal disease," said the ADHA. Periodontal disease also is linked to more serious illnesses such as diabetes and stroke.

Also, remember to keep regular visits with our office. Dr. Dale Scharine and Dr. Mark Pflum can help you learn more about proper care for your teeth and gums.