Teeth Whitening For Smokers And Ex Smokers

You don’t have to put up with discoloured teeth if you’ve stopped smoking. Our Wickford dentists can help!

Hopefully, most of you reading this blog will be ex smokers, or have never smoked at all. We don’t want to ignore those who still do smoke though and we dedicate the first part of the blog to encourage those who do still smoke, to quit as soon as they can. Once you have stopped smoking, you can address the problem of the often yellow and discoloured teeth left in its wake.

If you have looked in the mirror recently and are unhappy with your stained teeth, the team at the Cygnet Dental Practice are here to help you return your smile to a whiter brighter one.

Why stop smoking?

First of all, for those who do still smoke, there is nothing but bad news. Smoking is incredibly harmful to your overall health and well being. Not only is it a key factor in many cancers and heart conditions, but it can also have a major impact on the health of your mouth too. Oral cancers and gum disease are much higher amongst smokers than those who don’t. Finally, there is the cost of smoking. Even a modest smoker will probably spend in the region of two thousand pounds a year on them, with heavier smokers spending much more. The best time to quit is now!

Your teeth whitening options in Wickford

There are three ways in which the colour of your teeth can be improved. The first of these is to have them professionally cleaned using a scale and polish procedure at our Wickford dental clinic by the hygienist. This procedure will not only remove some surface staining from your teeth but is an excellent way to help avoid gingivitis and periodontitis. As these can lead to tooth loss, and, being a smoker or ex-smoker, you are at a higher risk, this is one thing that you should definitely do, irrespective of any whitening benefits you might gain from it.

Whiter teeth

A scale and polish procedure can help to brighten your teeth a little but only treatments specifically designed to do this are likely to be truly beneficial. The first of these is the teeth whitening procedure that is rapidly becoming a ‘must have’ for anyone wanting to improve the way that they look.

In reality, this treatment will be most beneficial to those who are or have been lighter smokers and is likely to be of less benefit to those whose teeth are badly stained from years of smoking. Having said that, it is one of the most affordable cosmetic dental procedures and, following consultation with one of our dentists, you may decide to try this first rather than jump to the more invasive and costly treatments that will definitely prove to be more effective. The choice is yours of course and some patients may be happy enough with a moderate improvement. For those who are really looking to whiten their teeth following years of smoking though, porcelain dental veneers are possibly the most appropriate solution.

Dental veneers

If you are someone who has smoked for a long period of time or has generally been a heavy smoker, dental teeth veneers are likely to be your best option to recreate an attractive smile. Unlike a teeth whitening procedure which works on the natural tooth enamel, veneers often replace it. Essentially, a fine layer of the stained enamel is removed from the front of the tooth and this is replaced with an equivalent thickness of porcelain. This can be produced in any shade of white that you prefer. You can go from badly stained to brilliantly white or a more subtle shade in between for a more natural look.  Once trimmed and polished, your new ‘veneered teeth’ will look great and entirely natural. The veneers should also last for around ten years before needing to be replaced providing that you take care of them as instructed.

Treatment costs

You might be wondering about the cost of these treatments. The scale and polish is usually under £100, depending on the situation. A teeth whitening procedure can vary depending on your needs but is likely to start from around £300 while porcelain veneers are the most expensive option and the price will heavily depend on the number of teeth that need to be treated in this way.

Although a whiter smile may cost a little, remember that by quitting smoking, you will be saving a lot of money and what better way to spend it than on having a great looking smile again. For those who prefer to spread the cost over a period of time, we also offer a range of payment plans to help you to do this.

If you would like to discuss us helping you to have a whiter smile, whether you are a smoker, ex-smoker or have never smoked, we are happy to help. For more information or to book your initial consultation with us, please call the Cygnet Dental Practice today on 01268 733078.