Teeth Whitening – Easy and Beneficial

Many people strive for that brilliant movie star smile but few can achieve it on their own. Similar to your skin, your teeth contain pores that absorb color molecules from the foods and drinks you consume. Some types of food and drink, such as coffee, wine, and dark berries, are more likely to cause staining. Although brushing does a great job at removing surface stains, brushing alone is not always enough to get rid of deeper or set stains on the teeth. In these scenarios, teeth whitening can be highly advantageous.

What Is Teeth Whitening?

Also referred to as teeth bleaching, this is the effective process of lightening the color of teeth without removing any tooth surface. It is common for teeth to yellow over time due to age, diet, bad habits like smoking, and similar causes. Teeth whitening uses various methods to gradually whiten and brighten the teeth.

There are several teeth whitening options currently on the market. For people who want to spend the least amount of money, there are teeth whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes that can be purchased in most drug stores. However, most at-home teeth whitening methods are not as effective as in-office or professional take-home teeth whitening treatments provided by your dentist.

Extrinsic vs. Intrinsic Staining

To whiten your teeth effectively, you will first need to determine what type of staining you have to ensure that the whitening method you choose is adequate. There are two main types of tooth stains: extrinsic staining and intrinsic staining.

Extrinsic tooth stains are stains that develop outside of the tooth. These types of stains are usually caused by environmental exposure to various elements, such as artificial food colorings, certain foods and drinks, and habits like smoking.

Intrinsic tooth stains are stains that develop inside the tooth enamel. These types of stains can develop as a young child even before your teeth erupt. Intrinsic staining can be caused by high levels of fluoride exposure, antibiotic use, or natural aging.

Professional Teeth Whitening

According to the American Dental Association, whitening treatments can be effective for both extrinsic and intrinsic stains. If you want to whiten your teeth safely, consider speaking with your dentist in Clermont about your options. Treatments offered by dentists use higher concentrations of active ingredients to achieve visible results more quickly than what you could achieve with over-the-counter (OTC) whitening products.

At Hancock Village Dental, our Clermont dentist recommends take-home teeth whitening trays that allow patients to get a whiter, brighter smile in the comfort of their own homes.

When you contact our Clermont dental office, we’ll schedule an appointment to have you come in for an impression. We’ll then use the impression to make custom trays that fit your mouth comfortably. These take-home trays come with a whitening gel that should be applied for 14 consecutive days, for 1 hour per day.

Having your teeth whitened can cause some minor side effects but they usually subside within a few hours or days. The most common side effect that you may experience is temporary tooth sensitivity. Gum and mouth irritation can also occur, especially with treatments that use hydrogen peroxide.

It is important to remember that no matter what type of tooth whitening treatment you use, the results will not last forever. Most at-home teeth whitening products purchased OTC will start to fade within a few months. Professional whitening treatments provided by your dentist can last considerably longer with results lasting up to two to three years.

Call Hancock Village Dental

Teeth whitening has the power to boost your self-confidence and enhance your appearance. Your oral hygiene may also improve as you’ll likely put more effort into brushing and flossing to maintain your results. Best of all, you can whiten your teeth without breaking the bank. Today, it is affordable and for some people, can be life-changing.

For more information about our teeth whitening services or to schedule an appointment for teeth whitening treatment, contact our Clermont family dentistry at 352-989-5815 or send us a message and our staff will get back to you as soon as possible.