Professional Teeth Whitening Procedure Options
If you are like many dental patients, teeth whitening has probably crossed your mind. Even a person with moderately stained teeth might want to remove that discoloration and get whiter teeth. After you do a treatment, you can expect to have a brighter, more attractive smile. Be aware, however, that there are multiple whitening options. It is helpful to understand how they each work so that you can choose which one makes the most sense.
Keeping teeth white
Of course, with the right approach, a patient may never have to consider a teeth whitening treatment. Patients who are diligent can maintain white teeth and the smile they want. One of the most important steps is to brush and floss regularly. This will remove sugars and starches from the teeth and gums, which then prevents staining, in addition to oral health concerns. Also, seeing the dentist regularly is crucial. At semiannual checkups, the hygienist will clean patients’ teeth thoroughly and identify discoloration.
Even with good oral hygiene, staining can occur. For some people, it is genetic to have yellow or gray teeth. Other patients experience discoloration due to smoking or drinking a lot of alcohol, coffee, tea, or cola. Some foods can also stain teeth. These include tomato sauce and berries.
Products from the store
For many patients, the first lines of defense are toothpaste, gel strips, and mouthwash products. These are available in grocery stores and drugstores and come with teeth whitening agents to remove stains. Though these products are cost-efficient, they are not as effective as professional treatments at the dentist’s office. It can take weeks or months to see results. Plus, the whitening will not typically last more than a year.
Take-home trays
For a different approach, patients can consider treatment at home that comes from the dentist’s office rather than a store. Teeth whitening trays are like mouthguards that fit over the patient’s teeth. In them, the patient will place whitening gel and wear the trays overnight for several weeks. The gel typically contains up to 20% hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The results are longer-lasting and more noticeable than what store-bought products give patients.
In-office professional teeth whitening
Overall, people see the most effective results from in-office treatments. Like at-home treatments, this method uses whitening trays to deliver the stain-breaking gel. However, in-office treatments usually use 35% to 45% hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Also, instead of having to come into the office several times over the next few weeks or months, only one or two visits are necessary.
The patient will get comfortable in the dental chair. The dentist then cleans and dries the teeth. After covering the lips, tongue, and cheeks, the dentist places a mouthguard with the peroxide gel over the patient’s teeth. Using a laser, the dentist will activate the ingredients. The gel breaks down the stains and delivers almost instant results.
Know how to treat your discolored teeth
Having stains on your teeth can negatively affect your smile. You can combat this through teeth whitening. Consider the different procedures available to you. Then, call your cosmetic dentist to get started.
Request an appointment here: https://www.burtonsvilledentalsuite.com or call Burtonsville Dental Suite at (301) 259-5016 for an appointment in our Burtonsville office.
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