Teeth Whitening: A Cosmetic Dentist Explains the Basics

Teeth whitening has become extremely popular as more people strive to have pearly white teeth and the awesome smile that come with it. Over the last several years, teeth whitening usage has grown, which naturally creates a very competitive marketplace. With more teeth whitening options than ever before, it can be difficult to determine which solution will be the most effective choice.

A variety of options

Today, Americans spend money on teeth whitening products, which range from toothpaste to professionally whitening teeth by visiting a cosmetic dentist. Regardless of how people are teeth whitening, one can be sure that this trend is not going anywhere. As a cosmetic dentist, we are happy to be a leading provider of teeth whitening.

Even more important than just whitening teeth, we are committed to showing patients ways to avoid losing that beautiful coloring with bad habits that damage the shade of one's teeth. When we whiten teeth, the peroxide-based solution works with free radicals in the tooth to make it more translucent and appear to be white. When food or other substances stain the teeth, they lose this translucency and become yellowish.

Teeth Whitening Tips

Following a teeth whitening procedure, the goal is to avoid situations where the teeth might be exposed to substances that can stain or damage the shade of the teeth. Ironically, most people do not even realize that the food they eat, the drinks they consume, and even the habits they have work directly against the teeth whitening. While everybody is aware or should be, that habits like smoking will stain the teeth, very few patients we see realize that more harmless substances like soy sauce are leading causes of discoloration.

There are many things that can work against newly-whitened teeth, and avoiding all of these is not possible. Thus, we always remind our patients to clean their teeth roughly 30 minutes after having something to eat or drink. By doing so, patients can wash away any substance that may cause discoloration and also remove any excess acid that may have formed.

Schedule an appointment today

For patients who come in to get teeth whitening, we remind them that one of the hardest things to protect the teeth from is frequent snacking. As a cosmetic dentist, we understand that people love to snack. This is not a bad thing and can be healthy, if you are consuming healthy snacks, of course. However, regardless of the type of snack, there are two elements that can ruin your teeth whitening.

First, all foods, natural and synthetic, contain color. This color is either natural or added and works to color your teeth. Second, all food has a pH level, which is the acid level of the food. The more acidic a food, the more likely it will damage your teeth. Since few people consider snacking as “eating,” most people do not consider you should be brushing your teeth after snacking, as well as after a meal. Call us today to schedule an appointment.