Stained or discolored teeth can affect your appearance. Therefore, you should seek treatments such as dental whitening to improve your smile.
There are many tooth whitening options, including products you can obtain from your dentist and natural ways. Before you consider getting tooth whitening treatments, you should consult with your dentist to ensure you are eligible for the whitening therapies.
Tooth whitening is ideal for you if you have healthy gums and unrestored teeth. Dental whitening treatments respond better if you have yellow teeth. However, your dentist can clear you to get dental whitening treatments if you meet some of the conditions that make you eligible for teeth bleaching.
Types of Tooth Whitening Treatments
Dental whitening options can be in-office or home-based treatments, depending on how severe your teeth are stained or discolored.
In-Office Treatments
If you have moderate to severe teeth staining or discoloration, your dentist might recommend in-office treatments. Some of the in-office whitening treatments include deep bleaching and zoom teeth whitening.
Deep bleaching involves the use of peroxide-based bleaching agents to whiten your teeth. During the teeth bleaching procedure, your dentist will apply the peroxide gel on your teeth and leave it for 15 minutes. After the 15 minutes, you can see the effects of the bleaching agents. However, your dentist might recommend more appointments for dramatic results.
On the other hand, zoom whitening utilizes peroxide-based bleaching agents and laser technology to whiten your teeth. Your dentist applies the bleaching agents on the teeth and uses a special light to help the bleach penetrate your enamel to eliminate deep stains. You can achieve a bright and white smile in one zoom whitening appointment.
Home-Based Treatments
If you have mild to moderately discolored or stained teeth, your dentist can recommend home-based treatments to achieve a white and bright smile. Some of the home-based dental whitening treatments include:
- Whitening toothpaste. All types of toothpaste can remove the stain since they contain mild abrasives. Therefore, your dentist can recommend mild stains on teeth enamels. However, there are some types of toothpaste that contain gentle or chemical polishing effects for dental whitening.
- Whitening strips and gels. Whitening gels contain low concentrations of peroxide to bleach your teeth and eliminate stains. You can apply the strips or gels directly or use trays that resemble invisible aligners. For desirable results, your teeth whitening dentist can recommend you wear the trays for eight hours.
- Whitening rinses. To eliminate mild stains on your teeth, you can use whitening mouth rinses. Just like antiseptic mouthwashes, you can gargle the rinses for a few minutes daily and will start seeing whitening results after some time.
Natural Dental Whitening Products
If you have signs of mild staining and discoloration, you can try some home-based natural dental whitening techniques such as:
- Oil pulling
- Baking soda
- Good oral hygiene
- Activated charcoal
However, natural whitening remedies are not always effective. Therefore, if you have stains on your teeth, you should consult your dentist first.
How Long Do Dental Whitening Effects Last?
After a dental whitening procedure, you might enjoy the results for a lengthy period. However, dental whitening is not permanent. Therefore, you will require to visit your dentist for retouches every six months.
To maintain the results of dental whitening, you should take care of them, by doing the following:
- Brushing your teeth twice daily using fluoride toothpaste
- Flossing your teeth at least once a day to prevent the accumulation of plaque
- Visit your oral hygienist regularly for professional dental cleanings to remove plaque deposits on teeth surfaces, preventing staining
- Avoid or minimizing consuming some staining foods and drinks such as coffee, red wine, and grape juice
- Stop smoking of using any tobacco products since they can cause tooth yellowing
Are Dental Whitening Treatments Safe?
Dental whitening treatments are safe. However, some people might experience some side effects of dental whitening, if the following conditions:
- Age. Dentists don’t recommend dental whitening for children under the age of 16 since the bleach can irritate their teeth’ pulps.
- Pregnancy. Your dentist in Port Charlotte, FL might not recommend dental whitening for pregnancy since it can cause some side effects.
- Sensitive teeth. If you have sensitive teeth or receding gums, you should consult your dentist first.
- Allergies. Dr. R. Boyd Gilleland DDS does not recommend dental whitening if you are allergic to peroxide.