Teeth Whitening

A smile that reveals a mouthful of bright white teeth is a confident smile.  A white smile is a sign of good oral health; a sign that someone brushes their teeth twice daily and flosses.  But our smiles can loose their brilliant sparkle even with terrific oral care.  Our teeth are effected by many different things.  Food and drink can stain teeth: coffee, tea, and red wine are primary, everyday culprits, because they all contain intense color pigments that can attach to the enamel of the tooth.  Tobacco, smoked and smokeless, stains teeth—The nicotine and tar in the tobacco turns teeth a brown to yellow color.  One factor that we are all unable to control is that when we age our enamel on our teeth breaks down, and the softer underside called dentin shows through—dentin has a slightly yellowish pigment.  Medications such as antihistamines and some high blood pressure medications can cause a darkening of the teeth.

You don’t have to quit drinking coffee or red wine to have white teeth.  Teeth whitening is a simple process that can be done in a variety of ways both at home and at the dentist’s office.  Your dentist can help you decide which type of whitening process is best for you.  A simple solution is a whitening toothpaste.  Whitening toothpaste works because of the abrasives inside the toothpaste that scrub the surfaces of the teeth.  Toothpaste can only clean the surface of the teeth and it wont actually change the color of the teeth.  Peroxide gels that are placed in a tray that fits your teeth or whitening strips are another option.  These two methods can be used at home at the discretion of your dentist.  Also, in office visits, which usually only require one office visit.  In the office your dentist will protect your gums and apply a bleach to the teeth.

While there are no drastic side effects to tooth whitening, some people may experience tooth sensitivity, because the peroxide in the whitener penetrates the dentin of the tooth and irritates the nerve.

If you are interested in teeth whitening, please schedule an appointment with one of our  today!