Fluorosis is the technical name for the ribboning and discoloration of teeth caused by excessive fluoride exposure. Common in people born before 1980, fluorosis can be a very difficult condition to treat because it does not respond well to topical tooth whitening. In fact, many teeth whiteners can make fluorosis look even more pronounced as they improve the shade of enamel surrounding the ribboning without lightening these deeper stains at all. This is just one of several reasons you should always work with an experienced cosmetic dentist to whiten your smile.
Northern Virginia cosmetic dentist Dr. Michael Chung offers advanced teeth whitening options such as Zoom!, which has shown to be very effective at addressing deep stains. However, even Zoom tooth whitening may not be enough to fully lighten stains caused by fluorosis. Stains caused by fluoride and certain antibiotics may respond somewhat to Zoom tooth whitening, but often require a solution like porcelain veneers for complete elimination.
Many people mistake deep stains for fluorosis and may have even had bad experiences trying to whiten teeth at home. To avoid creating problems where they needn’t exist and to ensure the most pleasing results, please contact Softouch Dental Care online or by calling our Northern Virginia office at 703-319-6990 to schedule a consultation today. We welcome patients living throughout Northern Virginia at our conveniently located Oakton office.