Should I Whiten My Teeth?

With so many options on how to whiten your teeth, it is important to know your options. We’ve broken down the top four methods that can help you achieve brighter and whiter teeth.

In-office treatment:

In our office, we have the ability to administer whitening products directly to your teeth and/or give you at home whitening trays. Our in-office treatment uses a highly-concentrated gel that requires more protection of the gums so it has to be done in-office. In a short time, we can give your teeth a quick whitening boost. We tend to pair this treatment with trays to extend the results longer.

Whitening strips:

Whitening strips aim to either bleach the surface of the tooth completely using low percentage containing peroxides or use chemical reactions to help remove surface stains only. When looking for the right product for you it is important to look into which option

 Toothpastes and Mouthwashes:

You can usually purchase toothpastes and mouthwashes that contain whitening agents in their chemical make-up from most larger retail stores. It is important to look at different factors like the active ingredients, price, and reviews so that you can get the best results for you.

 Limit foods that can stain your teeth:

Many of the foods and drinks we love can stain our teeth over time.  Limiting the amounts of coffee, colas, tea, wines, tomato juices, berries, high-sugared candies, foods with dye in their ingredients, etc. If it’s too hard to limit these, try adding a straw to your routine. You still get to enjoy your favorite drinks this way. Try incorporating more fibrous fruits like apples or pears, malic acid containing strawberries, high iron broccoli, and carrots which have an abrasive surface to naturally scrub residues off your teeth too.

 Whitening sensitivity problems: While some are able to take these options at full force, tooth sensitivity can be a limiting factor. If you have ever tried any of these previously discussed options and experienced discomfort we’ve included some tips for you too! They are:

  • Wear the trays or strips for shorter amounts of time
  • Brush with a sensitive teeth toothpaste that contains a potassium nitrate
  • Take longer breaks between whitening

 Now that you know some of the best ways to achieve a brighter smile, we hope you have more background information the next time you consider whitening your teeth.