Teeth Whitening
When asked what the number one thing you would change about your smile, 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 has its 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.
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. Hydrogen peroxide breaks up those particles by oxidation and makes the teeth appear whiter again. Whitening is completely harmless to the teeth.
Choosing Your Whitening System
· 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 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.
Decide what works better for you and you can be on your way to your new, pearly whites! For more questions or to schedule an appointment, please contact our office!