In-Office Dental Whitening – The Faster and Better Teeth Whitening Option

Teeth are naturally white, but they can change their colour for poor dental hygiene practices, taking certain medications, drinking coffee and wine. This may rob you of confidence accompanied by a great smile. If your teeth are stained or discoloured, and you want them to regain their white appearance, they will need to be whitened.

Causes of Teeth Discoloration

The causes of discoloration are:

• Poor Oral Hygiene

When food particles stick on your teeth, and they turn into plaque. When plaque accumulates on your enamel, it hardens and becomes tartar. This results in a yellow layer forming on your enamel. This mostly happens if you don’t practice oral hygiene.

• Tobacco Use

Tobacco contains tar and nicotine that can cause teeth discoloration. When you use tobacco for a long time, your teeth are likely to get stained and discoloured.

• Food and Drinks

Coloured foods and drinks such as grape juice, coffee, blueberries, and red wine are staining agents. Therefore, their consumption will stain your teeth, especially if taken daily.

• Age

As one grows old, the enamel gets eroded, exposing the dentin. The dentin is yellow, and therefore your teeth will appear yellow.

• Medications

Some medications such as antihistamines and blood pressure drugs might affect your tooth colour. Apart from medications, medical procedures such as chemotherapy and neck radiation can cause teeth discoloration.

Types of Teeth Bleaching

The options for whitening are professional dental whitening or at-home teeth whitening. Professional teeth whitening proves to be a better option as it is safe and effective to brighten your smile. The main products used in professional teeth whitening are hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. On the other hand, at-home teeth whitening uses abrasive toothpaste to remove the stains mechanically, making your teeth weak.

Other over-the-counter whitening pens, kits, and skits use peroxide too. The difference between them and professional whitening is the amount of peroxide used. Professional teeth whitening can isolate teeth and gums. Our dentist will use a special rubber to protect your gum from peroxide, which will irritate them.

Why Professional Whitening is the Faster Option

At-home teeth whitening products contain around 3 – 20 percent peroxide, while professional products contain 15 – 43 percent. The more peroxide is used, the faster the process. Our dentist will apply the cleaning products to your teeth within less than an hour. Light and heat are used to hasten and intensify the whitening process.

Other options may take a lot of time before you see actual results. Whitening toothpaste, for example, will take something between 2 – 6 weeks before teeth appear whiter. Professional whitening can be done with just a single visit to our dentist in Minnetonka.

Results Last for Longer Time

Although professional teeth whitening will not last a lifetime, the effect will last up to three years, but this will be dependent on you. It won’t last long for people who smoke, take red wine, tea, or coffee. This is because they stain your teeth.

The effects of OTC whitening products do not last long, with you having to brush twice a day with whitening toothpaste to keep your teeth white. However, it is advisable to have your teeth cleaned once every six months.

Professional Whitening Treatments Are Safer

A concentrated solution of peroxide kept on your teeth for a short time will make them whiter. If kept for a long time, it will dehydrate your teeth increasing their sensitivity. This can lead to pain and other dental problems. For this reason, professional teeth whitening will be safer since our dentist won’t overexpose your teeth.

Using a lower percentage of at-home teeth whitening solutions will also result in pain and sensitivity when you eat certain food. Since you are not a dental professional, you will most likely misuse the at-home whitening products, causing sensitivity to your teeth. The safety of this procedure is credited to the vigilance of our dentist.

Do you need a brighter smile, and do you live in Minnetonka? Book an appointment with Holger Dental Group. When you come for teeth whitening at our dentist’s office, we will discuss the available options with you and treat any dental problem that you may present with.