You know it—smoking is never good for your oral health. It constantly exposes your teeth to nicotine, causing them to get yellowed or stained over time. It also puts you at risk of gum disease. The nicotine in tobacco reduces your saliva production, making it easier for tartar and bacteria to build up and lead to gum infection. But even if you’re aware of these consequences, it might still be hard to kick the habit.
Interestingly, one oral treatment can take you a step closer to quitting. It’s teeth whitening. It can get rid of yellow stains on your teeth—and help motivate you to quit smoking or, at least, cut down on the tobacco products you usually consume.
How to Whiten Smokers Teeth
Although frequent tooth brushing and flossing can help remove smokers’ teeth stains, toothpaste might still not be enough, especially if your teeth already have severe discolouration. In this case, you will need to have your smoker’s teeth whitened.
When it comes to dental whitening, you have two options. The first one is to use at-home teeth whitening products. These include whitening strips and gel pens you can purchase over the counter. These items can be cost-effective, but be wary of whitening products that contain excessively abrasive ingredients. Make sure to select whitening gels or strips that will remove stains by polishing the enamel gently.
Another option is to get professional teeth whitening. It may cost a bit more, but if the stains on your teeth are too deep and stubborn, you’ll likely find that in-chair teeth whitening is more effective than over-the-counter (OTC) products. Plus, such treatment often comes with a dental consultation and after-care instructions.
For instance, here at SmileBar, our professional teeth whitening treatment involves applying a non-peroxide whitening gel to your teeth. Then, you can relax sitting in our designer chair as our LED light technology activates the gel on your teeth. In several minutes, you will notice visible results on your teeth—they will be a few shades lighter than before. If your teeth are too stained, you may have to undergo a few more in-chair sessions to remove the hardened residue of each cigarette.
Here’s the thing, though: even if OTC whitening products or professional teeth whitening removes your smoker’s stains, the results won’t last if you go back to smoking after the treatment.
Smoking After Teeth Whitening is a Huge Mistake
You might want to celebrate your brighter smile with a puff of a cigarette—but don’t. When you smoke after getting your teeth whitened, you immediately introduce a yellowish tint and other nasty stains onto your freshly shined teeth.
After teeth whitening, the generally accepted waiting period before you can smoke is at least 24 hours. But it’s way better if you use your teeth whitening results as a motivation to kick the habit or, at least, cut down your daily or weekly tobacco use.
In addition to being detrimental to your oral health and overall wellness, smoking is one of the fastest ways to re-stain your teeth. You will likely find yourself constantly touching up your teeth to maintain a bright smile. It’s recommended to quit smoking not only for good health reasons but also to keep your pearly white smile.
It’s Never Too Late to Quit Smoking
Even if you’ve smoked for many years, getting your teeth whitened and quitting smoking in the process can reduce your risk of gum disease & other oral issues.
Many studies have shown that quitting smoking lowers the risk of gum disease—both its onset and progression. It has also improved the outcomes of non-surgical periodontal therapy, helping heavy smokers turn their lives around.
Kicking the habit also lowers the chance of tooth loss, oral cancer, heart disease, lung disease and other serious health problems. Even if you’ve smoked for a long time, quitting today can bring long-term benefits to your overall physical health.
Start with SmileBar’s Professional In-Chair Teeth Whitening
Getting your teeth whitened could be the nudge you need to quit smoking once and for all. On average, positive & visible results from an in-chair teeth whitening can last for a year or two. You can prolong your results with good oral hygiene—including cutting out on tobacco products. So if you want to restore your smile and keep it pearly white for years, it’s high time that you give ‘quitting smoking’ some serious thoughts.
If you’re ready to get professional teeth whitening, feel free to contact us today.
