The Scoop On Whitening
Everyone wants whiter teeth. When asked what the number one thing that you would change about your smile is, it almost always includes “whiter teeth.” People who whiten their teeth are often inspired to take better care of their teeth to maintain their new smile. Studies have even shown that whitening your teeth makes people more confident in themselves and to the people around them. To top it off, whitening your teeth can make you look 5-10 years younger because yellowing teeth is a sign of aging.
The first step in getting a brand new, whiter smile is to start with a professional cleaning! Brushing and flossing every day have their obvious benefits, but even still, calculus (hard deposits) builds up on your teeth in those hard-to-reach places that your hygienist can get off during a cleaning. At that appointment, your dentist will usually check for any cavities and want to fill them and do any other work before moving on to the whitening process. Schedule your next teeth cleaning here.
Why Do Teeth Get Darker Anyway?
To understand how whitening your teeth works, knowing why they get stained is a good place to start. Teeth have layers; the hard outer layer is enamel. This layer of our teeth is porous, allowing for staining agents to get down into the teeth and build up over time, causing the teeth to appear darker. There are a few different systems you can try to whiten your teeth, but almost all use a form of hydrogen peroxide to break up those particles by oxidation and make the teeth appear whiter again. Whitening is completely harmless to the teeth, though it may make them a little hot/cold sensitive for a couple of days, depending on which system you use.
Choosing Your Whitening System
At Whitehaven Dental, we have seen and used it all. Our staff has tested almost every system of whitening there is over the years! Based on our comfort level, the results we achieved, and what you get for your money spent, these are the options that we offer in our dental office to our patients:
Crest Teeth Whitening Strips with Light: See results in as little as three days, but plan on at least 20 to get the full effect. Press the strips on your teeth and wear for one hour, followed by the light for 5 minutes. The light helps break down stubborn stains for a brighter white.
Opalescence Home Advanced Teeth Whitening: Simple, pre-filled tray conforms to any smile. The gel fills in around teeth, ensuring you never miss a spot. Uses 10% or 15% hydrogen peroxide to whiten teeth up to 4-5 shades. Wear 15% trays 15-20 minutes and 10% for 30-60 minutes.
GLO Science Pro Home Teeth Whitening: Available only through a dentist. Noticeable results in one day to impressive results in one week. Uses 6% and 10% hydrogen peroxide and warming heat acceleration, which means less wear time and no sensitivity. Whiten up to 12 shades or touch up after in-office whitening.
GLO Science Professional In-Office Teeth Whitening: Get up to 12 shades whiter in 16-32 minutes with no sensitivity. GLO in-office treatments have 24% and 30% hydrogen peroxide to attack those more stubborn stains.
The Bottom Line
Everyone's teeth can be whitened, but everyone will whiten at a different pace, depending on which system you use and how much stain you have to begin with. Most whitening systems have pros and cons, but both will ultimately give you the same results in the end. Decide what works better for you, and you can be on your way to your new, pearly whites! Talk with Dr. David Ripplinger today if you have questions. You can contact our office at (208) 614-0067.
