You’ve lived this long, you’ve earned it…

No doubt about it. We’re living longer, we’re living better. All that effort put into diet and exercise is paying off. And while you’re going through your paces on the treadmill, do consider another part of you that might need a bit of improvement: your smile.

With age, one of the first things to go is the freshness of your smile. At about thirty, tooth color begins to dim. There is a natural tendency for dentin—just beneath the enamel—to yellow. And if you smoke or overindulge in coffee or cola, darkening can be dramatic. Exercise and low-fat foods count for less if your smile gives you away.

But just as our health habits have improved, so has cosmetic dental technology. Now we have the tools and techniques to perfect the color—and so the healthful look—of your teeth.

Tooth whitening systems take many forms. There are gels and solutions accelerated by light; the laser is coming into use to “jump-start” the whitening process. We can change color fast or over time.

In any case, the result is visible in days and, with touch-ups, will last as long as you do.

While perfect thighs are next to impossible, a perfect smile is within everyone’s reach. Go for it—don’t let your smile age faster than the rest of you.