Category: Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening, or simply bleaching, is a straightforward, non-invasive dental solution for changing the color of natural tooth enamel, and to enhance the appearance of your smile. 

Getting whiter teeth is considered the most popular esthetic concern for most dental patients. Common reasons for teeth whitening include:

• Normal wear of tooth enamel
• Excess fluoridation (fluorosis) during early tooth development
• Stained teeth due to smoking or medications like tetracycline
• Brown or yellow stained teeth

Generally, any patient above the age of 10 years can consider teeth whitening to enhance their smile and boost confidence. However, it is not recommended for patients with oral issues such as dental cracks, leaky fillings, or dental decay, because the whitening products may irritate the tooth nerve, resulting in discomfort or more damage. In addition, patients with short teeth or a gummy smile may not necessarily look better after bleaching because whiter teeth tend to accentuate a gummy smile.

Your Consultation

Before you decide to whiten your teeth, it is important that you get a proper dental examination that includes X-rays to help establish the cause of tooth discoloration. In some cases, staining can be an indication of dental disease that requires a different treatment. But for simple whitening, options include bleaching from inside the tooth, for a dead tooth that has root canal, or a single-tooth bleaching tray for a living tooth.Once the cause and extent of discoloration and staining is known, you and your dentist can explore the different whitening options that apply to your case. 

Teeth usually don’t get discolored uniformly. So your dentist will come up with an appropriate strategy to whiten each tooth sufficiently to give you a uniform smile. This means that you can also choose to whiten only one or two teeth, or more. 

Final Note 

Restorations like tooth-colored fillings, veneers, bonding, bridges, and crowns do not stain or lighten. So, bleaching has no effect on existing dental restorations. As such, you may need to replace pre-existing dental work to match the new tooth shade achieved in your natural teeth following whitening.

Please visit your dentist to learn more about teeth whitening.

People can tell a lot from the shade of your teeth, including your age, state of oral health, and even your good and bad habits. And since everyone wants to look young and well groomed, teeth whitening has become one of the most popular cosmetic procedures in dentistry.

Advancements in teeth cleaning technologies have made the treatment more comfortable, predictable, long-lasting, and affordable for all people. Although there are many effective ways to whiten your teeth, they vary depending on the treatment time and frequency, type of stain that can be removed, and the level of whitening that can be achieved.

Some of the teeth whitening options available include:

Professionally applied bleaching:

With in office tooth whitening, the dentist applies a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide (bleach) to the surface of your teeth using trays that fit snugly around your top and bottom teeth. After the in-office treatment, your dentist may give you some hydrogen peroxide gel and custom-made trays to continue your treatment at home for a specific period of time to maximize the teeth bleaching results

Dentist-prescribed treatment:

Your dentist will give you a custom-made whitening kit for home use. This kit includes custom-made trays and some hydrogen peroxide gel. Teeth whitening at home is a gradual process that usually takes at least two weeks.

Which is the best option?

It’s best to consult a dentist for a thorough examination of your teeth so your treatment can be tailored to your unique needs. During your first appointment for professional teeth cleaning, your dentist will examine your teeth carefully, review your oral health history, and then determine whether bleaching is right for you. Please visit your dentist today to discuss your teeth whitening goals and smile concerns. 

If you want to get your teeth whitened, it’s important that you research the right dentist and dental practice. The procedure is safe and effective when done by an experienced dentist during the first visit and supervised by a dentist for subsequent treatments. Yet, before you get your tooth whitening procedure done, it is important that you visit a dentist for an examination and diagnosis to ensure you are a good candidate.

Here are some questions to help you choose the right dentist: 

Can teeth cleaning and polishing make my teeth whiter without bleaching?

Professional teeth-cleaning and polishing is done to remove tartar that’s caused by drinks like tea and red wine, tobacco products, foods, and more. However, this will not change the color of stained or yellowing teeth. Teeth cleaning can help you remove deep stains and discoloration that won’t go away with routine cleaning and polishing.

What is in-office teeth whitening?

The dentist applies a bleaching product (usually hydrogen peroxide) on the surface of your teeth using trays that fit snugly on your teeth. The tray sits in place for a short period of time to break down the agent, resulting in an oxygen compound that penetrates tooth enamel.

Will I achieve the results I want?

Yes. Most cases of tooth whitening are successful. That said, the treatments work differently depending on the extent of discoloration or staining at the start of the procedure. Your dentist will discuss your treatment plan with you and inform you of the best ways to whiten your teeth, as well as any difficulties that may arise, and what the expected results are.

Can teeth whitening be done outside a dentist’s office?

It’s recommended that you consult a dentist to design your bleaching plan that can then be done in the office or at home with a customized teeth whitening kit. The best dentists will lay out your options, the expected time(s) for improvement, and the duration of treatment if you want to undergo dental whitening.

In which situations might tooth whitening be unsuccessful?

Tooth whitening only helps to improve the shade of your natural teeth. This means that it may not be successful when used on unhealthy teeth, teeth with exposed roots, or teeth that have been restored with fillings, crowns, veneers, or have received root treatments. 

Please consult your dentist to discuss your bleaching plan and the expected results of your teeth whitening treatment.

Your smile is your most distinct feature when interacting with people. But over time with aging, the use of tobacco products, drinking colored beverages like wine and coffee, using some spices, taking antibiotics like tetracycline, consuming excess fluoride in water, and other factors can cause your teeth to discolor or darken, affecting the appearance of your smile. 

Fortunately, patients above the age of 10 years can consider the different methods of teeth whitening for their permanent teeth. Your dentist will determine whether your teeth are healthy enough to have a successful whitening procedure. There are some stains, such as those caused by tooth developmental conditions or medications that cannot be completely removed with whitening. Any dental restorations, including fillings and crowns, also do not respond to bleaching. To create uniformity in your smile, your dentist can recommend several alternatives or complementary teeth whitening options. 

When is Whitening Not Advisable?

If your tooth enamel is damaged and you are already sensitive to cold and hot foods and drinks, then bleaching or any other whitening procedure may aggravate your sensitivity. That said, there are lower strength whitening treatments that can be recommended to people with worn/eroded enamel or tooth sensitivity. The treatments can also be used less frequently to reduce sensitivity. In addition, your dentist can recommend a way to reduce sensitivity after the whitening procedure. 

Keep in mind that, there are many different whitening options for different teeth requirements, including those with very thin enamel. It is essential that you follow your dentist’s instructions for your specific treatment. 

Final Note 

Although teeth whitening leaves your teeth looking impeccably white, the longevity of the results will depend on your diet and habits. The amount of time that you can enjoy your sparkling smile depends on multiple factors. If you drink tea, coffee, wine, or use tobacco products, your teeth will stain again sooner, and you will need more subsequent whitening procedures.  

Please contact your dentist to discuss ways to improve your smile with teeth whitening.

The aging process, your diet, and other lifestyle choices can discolor your teeth over time. Whiter teeth are associated with beauty, success, and good health. They also draw attention away from other features, giving you a more youthful and vibrant appearance. 

Teeth whitening provides a fast and cost-effective way to get the smile of your dreams. It involves removing stains and discoloration to brighten your teeth and improve their appearance. 

Why Do Your Teeth Change Color?

There are many reasons why few people have impeccably white teeth, including:

• Age – tooth enamel is naturally white, but it thins over time due to normal wear, allowing the yellowish dentin to show 
• Fluorosis – teeth darkening due to excessive fluoride consumption 
• Food and drink – tea, coffee, red wine, and other food items contain intense color pigments known as chromogens that bond to tooth enamel, causing discoloration 
• Tobacco use – chewing and smoking tobacco exposes you to two chemicals responsible for creating stubborn stains: nicotine and tar
• Illness – early tooth decay or illness during tooth development can also cause spots on your teeth 
• Medications – tooth discoloration can be a side effect of taking certain medications, like antihistamines and antipsychotics. Fetuses and babies may also be at risk of tooth discoloration of the adult teeth if exposed to antibiotics like doxycycline and tetracycline. 
• Calculus – accumulated plaque can also reduce the sparkle of your teeth 

Any of these reasons can lead you to find a dentist near you for teeth whitening. 

Final Note 

Please keep in mind that teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that may help to improve your self-confidence, but to maintain the results for as long as possible, you must be prepared to uphold your dental hygiene by brushing and flossing properly, avoiding smoking, avoiding colored drinks that stain your teeth, drinking plenty of water, and getting professional cleaning twice a year. 

Please schedule a consultation with your dentist to learn more about teeth whitening and other ways you can improve your smile.

Everybody desires a beautiful smile. This not only refers to having the perfect shape and size of teeth that makes your smile appear beautiful and healthy, but also the color. If you’re planning to bleach your teeth, then you need to choose from a range of tooth whitening options that include:

• Professionally applied bleaching – performed in the dental office
• Dentist-prescribed treatment – a custom-made whitening kit for home use
• Over-the-counter treatments – using consumer products purchased at a store without a prescription, such as toothpastes, rinses, gels, and so on

In-office professional teeth whitening

During your first appointment for professional teeth cleaning, your dentist will examine your teeth carefully, review your oral health history, and then determine whether bleaching is right for you. As with any other treatment, your teeth whitening procedure must be customized to your unique needs.

With in office tooth whitening, the dentist applies a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide (bleach) to the surface of your teeth using trays that fit snugly around your top and bottom teeth. It’s important to note that teeth whitening is a gradual process that usually takes at least two weeks. So after the in-office treatment, our team member will give you some hydrogen peroxide gel and custom-made trays to continue your treatment at home for a specific period of time to maximize the teeth bleaching results.

For faster results, your dentist may recommend laser bleaching. This approach involves applying a bleaching product to the teeth, and then shining a laser on the teeth to activate the bleach and speed up the whitening process. This technology can make your teeth several shades lighter.

Visit your dentist today

Keep in mind that there’s no “one size fits all” when it comes to teeth whitening. Your treatment must be tailored to your needs. Please visit your dentist today to discuss your teeth whitening goals and smile concerns in order to design a plan that suits your needs.