When you know how important sharing your smile is with your family, friends, and colleagues, it is typical to think about different ways to improve it. Some people want to address missing teeth, others want to straighten their teeth and still others want to whiten their teeth. No matter how you want to improve your smile, the conversation needs to start with the dentist.
Start by Talking to Your Dentist
When you are ready to change the color of your teeth from yellow to white, the dentist will be able to help you achieve your goal. First the dentist will determine if your teeth and gums are healthy enough for whitening treatments. Next the dentist will determine what the source of your tooth discoloration is. If your teeth are superficially stained from daily habits like drinking coffee and smoking cigarettes, then your whitening options are plentiful. These extrinsic stains can be removed from tooth enamel with mechanical efforts like brushing with a whitening toothpaste. On the other hand, if your teeth stains are intrinsic or on deeper layers of your teeth, these stains require whitening agents that rely on a peroxide base with additional components. Depending on how long your teeth have been that color, how dark your teeth are, and how white your want your teeth to be, the dentist can determine the best treatment to help you smile bright. It is important to keep in mind that your venerers, crowns, implants, fillings, and bridges are not going to be able to be lightened with the same gels that will change your natural teeth. If you are looking to change the color of one of these restorations, then be sure to point that out to the dentist.
If you are looking to address minor stains or are not looking to change the color of your teeth faster than a few weeks, over the counter whitening methods will be the best option for you.
* Whitening Toothpaste
The abrasive nature of the toothpaste will help scrub the tooth bright by removing surface stains. You will probably see ingredients like baking soda or hydrogen peroxide to polish the tooth. The results will be gradual.
* Whitening Strips
There are thin layers of plastic strips with a coating of a bleaching agent that is applied to the surface of the teeth. These strips rely on hydrogen peroxide to improve the color of the teeth for a safe and cost-effective solution. If your teeth are not aligned, then it may prove to be tricky to keep the strips on your teeth.
If you are looking to address more moderate stains or you want to whiten your teeth quickly, in office whitening methods will be ideal for you.
* At-Home Whitening Trays
The dentist will fit you for a customized plastic tray to hold a gel against the surface of your teeth. The gel will have a concentration of peroxide anywhere from 10 to 38%. This approach will whiten your teeth more quickly than the over the counter options, but there are even faster options.
* In-Office Whitening
In this case, the peroxide gel is even stronger and can only be applied to teeth in professional settings to avoid harming your gums and mouth. The dentist may use a special light in conjunction with the gel to activate the whitening process. Typically, the treatment will last an hour and you will see the results instantly.