What are Teeth Whitening Methods?
A quick and affordable way to freshen your smile is by having them whitened! Most dental offices offer some type of in-office teeth whitening at Kingwood Family & Cosmetic Dentistry treatment and may even sell a product you can use at home at your leisure. At-home options are not as quick as in-office treatments but when used correctly, they can yield great results. In-office whitening is also more expensive but takes only an hour or so where whitening on your own generally takes a couple of weeks to reach the same level of whiteness. There is always a risk of sensitivity with any whitening treatment but that will subside within a day or two.
A couple of at-home treatments on the market include whitening trays, strips, gums and oral care products. We will discuss them before getting to the professional whitening.
Over the Counter Whitening Strips and Trays
A much less costly option for whitening your teeth is to do it yourself! You can buy whitening strips or trays at most drugstores. They have a whitening gel pre-applied so all you have to do is apply them and go about your day. They are worn for 30 minutes to an hour each day for up to two weeks. The peroxide whitening gel is a lower concentration percentage so the process is much more gradual than professional whitening. This can be a good option for people with sensitive teeth. When you reach the shade you want, you can stop using them.
Whitening Toothpaste, Mouthwash and Chewing Gum
If you do not have a lot of staining or your teeth are just a little dull and yellowed, a baking soda toothpaste can help whiten your teeth and will also help keep newly whitened teeth free of daily staining. Peroxide mouthwashes are also available to help remove and prevent stains. Whitening gums are a nice little treat after meals that will help remove any food particles that can become trapped and cause staining and decay. Just make sure you choose a sugarless gum!
Professional In-Office Whitening Treatment
Your Dentist is able to use a whitening solution with a higher concentration of the peroxide solution than what is available over the counter. Your dental professional will paint the solution onto each tooth individually and apply a protective coating to your gums to protect them from burning during the procedure. The whole process only takes an hour and a half a most, though it can be less if you are not far from your desired shade at the start. You will see results immediately and they will continue to brighten up over the next couple of hours.
To get the best possible results, you may consider whitening a few days after your regular professional cleaning. After you complete your whitening treatment, it is very important to stay away from staining foods for 48 to 72 hours. If you are not sure what that includes, think “will this stain a white t-shirt?”!
Good oral hygiene and regular visits to your dental hygienist will keep staining at bay and make your whitening last as long as possible!
More on Teeth Whitening : Is Teeth Whitening for me?
