Teeth Whitening: What You Need to Know

Teeth whitening is one of the easiest and most popular cosmetic options available It can brighten your smile, lift your mood, and give you a boost in confidence. Your smile is one of the first things people notice about you and it’s always good to make a positive first impression.

But, how do you choose a method when there are so many options available? Here is what you need to know.

There are several reasons teeth become discolored. While our teeth naturally darken as we get older they are also exposed to food and drinks that cause stains. Antibiotics, tooth injury or dental disease can also impact the look of your smile.

Surface stains that are mostly caused by exposure to substances like coffee, tea, red wine, fruit drinks, and cigarette or cigar smoke are easier to remove. Teeth whitening toothpastes and regular professional teeth cleaning and polishing by a hygienist may be enough to keep them away.

Deeper stains require a bleaching process with formulations that contain peroxide. There are several ways to do this:

–Whitening strips – these may work well for light discoloration and teeth that are fairly straight and easy to apply the strips to

–Over the counter bleach trays – they come with a mild whitening product and one size fits all trays.

–Professional teeth whitening through your dentist – the most common method is to have trays made that are customized to your teeth so that all areas are treated equally. The products are stronger, take less time, and you have the support of your dental team though out the process.

Some people experience tooth sensitivity when whitening their teeth. Often, taking a break and shortening or spacing out exposure time can help. If you are working with a dentist, she will help you through this.

Another reason we recommend professional teeth whitening is there can be factors that impact your results negatively. Some types of stains and dental restorations like crowns, veneers, composites, and bonding will not whiten, leaving you with a mismatched smile.

You can trust that we will check thoroughly for any issues that may impact your results in a negative way and provide options so that you can get the beautiful, white smile you truly want.

To schedule teeth whitening or any other dental service, give us a call at the number below. We promise to take great care of you.

KN Dentistry – Orange CA – (714) 633-2562