Every Dentist Needs Your Help Keeping Your Teeth Healthy

Most people have a bad habit that they just can't seem to shake, but some vices are more noticeable than others. If, for example, you drink more than one soda per day, you may soon start to notice signs of visible deterioration in your teeth. If you have recently decided to cut down on your soda drinking and would like to reverse this damage, you may have several options to explore with your local cosmetic dentist. 

Treating Cases of Tooth Decay

Whenever you prepare for extensive dental work, you should start with a mouth full of healthy teeth as a clean canvas. Soda's ability to eat away at your tooth enamel makes it a particularly common culprit behind tooth decay, and excessive soda drinkers often need to have a few cavities repaired. It is best to get this out of the way early so you can rest easy knowing that your major dental work is finished, leaving you free to focus on their appearance. 

Repairing Your Enamel

When the sugars and preservatives of soda wash against your teeth, they are converted into acids that gradually wear away at the protective enamel coating. When this erosion is unequally distributed, it can lead to yellower patches appearing on your teeth. These are not stains, but simply areas where the yellowish dentin is more visible. You can repair this enamel to an extent through regular brushing, but you may need to undergo resin bonding to truly restore your teeth's outer layer. 

Erasing Stains 

Enamel that has been eroded in this fashion is more likely to become stained, and the dark colors of many sodas make them particularly prone to discoloration. Even when the extent of the staining is quite severe, your cosmetic dentist should be able to bring your teeth back to an acceptable brightness through a regular schedule of teeth-whitening procedures. It may take several appointments to begin seeing real results, but most patients find that their improved smile is well worth the dedication. 

Starting Fresh

If you have been drinking soda for decades, your teeth may have deteriorated to a point that restorative work may no longer be the most cost-effective solution to improve your smile. In these cases, you may be better off receiving veneers, which mask your teeth with a healthier, whiter front to create a natural and attractive smile. Schedule an examination with your cosmetic dentist to get a realistic assessment of your individual situation and run through your options to recover your teeth after years of soda drinking. Visit sites such as http://www.thefamilydentist-lakeland.com to find a cosmetic dentist in your area.