It's practically impossible for smokers to have a dazzling white smile. If a professional teeth whitening treatment is performed, the results are generally not as distinct as they would be for a non-smoker. These results don't tend to last either. About the only way for a smoker to have consistently white teeth is to become a non-smoker. If you've recently given up smoking (congratulations by the way), it's an extremely good idea to schedule an appointment with your dentist. It's time to have your teeth professionally cleaned.

External Elements

There are multiple reasons for teeth discoloration, but most smokers experience extrinsic staining. This is staining caused by external elements introduced to your teeth. For smokers, these elements are primarily tar and nicotine, which has permeated your dental enamel via the thousands of microscopic pores in the surface of each tooth. Professional teeth cleaning can drastically reduce the severity of these extrinsic stains. 

Scaled and Polished

Professional teeth cleaning is not accomplished with a toothbrush, toothpaste, and a fair amount of elbow grease. Your teeth are actually scaled and polished, which minimizes (or removes) extrinsic staining. Although this type of cleaning is standard during a dental checkup, smokers won't necessarily enjoy the ongoing benefits of the service. This is because their teeth are immediately re-exposed to extrinsic staining agents via smoking. 

Lasting Results

Now that you've given up cigarettes, the effects of a professional cleaning will persist for much longer, although these effects must be maintained with appropriate at-home oral hygiene. Professional cleaning will also address a key element of discoloration in a smoker's teeth: dental tartar.

Plaque and Discoloration

When plaque develops on a tooth and is not removed, it can calcify. This is tartar, and your toothbrush cannot remove it. Tartar is bad news for anyone's teeth, but it's especially noticeable in smokers. Tartar is more porous than dental enamel, and will literally soak up the staining effects of nicotine and tar. Smokers can have especially dark, noticeable tartar around the margins of their teeth (close to the gum line). Professional cleaning gets rid of  tartar, using a process called debridement, where the calcified plaque is simply removed from the tooth.

Although teeth whitening treatment might still be necessary, anyone who stops smoking should see their dentist. Professional cleaning will eliminate a great deal of extrinsic stains, while removing harmful, discolored tartar. This allows your teeth to get the best start to their smoke-free new life.

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