Ways To Whiten Your Teeth

Dentist Blog

If you have teeth that are darkened or yellowed, you may want to have them whitened. Depending on the reason for the dental discoloration, there are multiple ways to make your teeth whiter. Here are a few dental applications used to whiten the teeth:

Teeth Bleaching

Often, dental discoloration is caused by the foods and drinks that you ingest. Darkly colored fruits and vegetables are great for your body, but they also stain your teeth. The pigments in the foods become lodged within the pores of your tooth enamel. Over time, as they continue to build up, your dental discoloration becomes progressively worse. 

One way to help remove dental staining that is caused by your diet is to bleach the discoloration away. Teeth bleaching is performed by applying a peroxide-based dental bleaching product to your teeth for a prescribed period. The product may have to be applied repeatedly to obtain the highest level of bleaching, but the duration and frequency of the application should never exceed the product's recommendations. The abuse or misuse of dental bleaches can result in chronic dental sensitivity.

Teeth-bleaching products can be purchased over-the-counter or applied in a dental office. Over-the-counter options are usually less concentrated and may require more applications to achieve the desired results. Professional products are applied by a dental professional and may yield rapid results. Many dental patients who receive a professional teeth-bleaching application notice a significant improvement in the color of their teeth after a single appointment.

After the desired level of whiteness is achieved from a bleaching product, you may use other whitening products, such as whitening rinses or toothpastes, to help maintain the new color of your teeth.

Veneers

Dental veneers can also be used to improve the color of your teeth. They are especially helpful for people who have permanent dental discoloration. Sometimes, teeth are discolored permanently because of a birth defect or an injury to the mouth. In these situations, chemical dental bleaches will not improve the color of the teeth.

Dental veneers actually cover the discoloration, so they can be used to whiten teeth, regardless of the reason for the staining.

Traditional veneers do require your teeth to be prepared before the veneers are placed. A small amount of tooth enamel from the front surface of your teeth must be removed to allow the veneers to fit flush with your natural bite line.

To learn more ways to whiten your teeth, schedule an appointment with a cosmetic dentist in your local area.

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17 February 2017