Your Guide to Common Teeth Whitening Methods: Insights from a Lincolnwood Dentist
Whiter teeth can enhance your smile and overall appearance, so it’s no wonder why teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dentistry treatments in Lincolnwood.
In addition to the discoloration caused by using tobacco products and consuming certain foods or beverages, the average person’s teeth naturally darken with age. Professional teeth whitening in Lincolnwood, Illinois is a simple and easy way for people to brighten the appearance of their smile. However, not all teeth whitening treatments are suitable for everyone. This is why it’s important to check with your Lincolnwood dentist before deciding on the option that’s right for you.
Some teeth whitening procedures use bleach (hydrogen peroxide), while others do not. This is important to be mindful of, as bleach is not safe on everyone’s teeth. Bleaching does not work for patients with root canals, fillings, or crowns (“caps”). Because bleach works best on teeth with yellow tones, patients with very dark stains on their front teeth are also not the ideal candidate for this type of teeth whitening procedure. Only your Lincolnwood dentist should determine if your teeth and gums are healthy enough to undergo a whitening treatment.
If your dentist has determined that you are an ideal candidate for teeth whitening, you’ll need to choose which teeth whitening procedure to go with. Your options include the following:
1. Teeth Whitening Toothpaste
Whitening toothpaste uses special abrasives and additional chemical agents to help remove surface stains on the teeth. Since these abrasives are essentially finer versions of those used in regular toothpaste, they are unlikely to cause undue enamel wear. With that being said, whitening toothpaste may not be right for you if you hope to whiten your teeth by several shades, because it does not contain hydrogen peroxide.
2. Over-the-Counter Whitening Products
Because they contain hydrogen peroxide, which helps lighten the color deep inside the tooth, over-the-counter whitening products — such as whitening strips and gels — tend to produce more noticeable results than whitening toothpaste. They usually need to be applied for 30 minutes at a time, and for 14 consecutive days. The initial results can be seen in a few days, and the final results can be enjoyed for about four months.
3. Whitening Rinses
Like most mouthwashes, whitening rinses should be swished around in your mouth for a full 60 seconds. It is recommended that you do this after brushing your teeth twice a day. Despite containing hydrogen peroxide, whitening rinses are typically less effective than other over-the-counter whitening products. This is because they only come into contact with the teeth for two minutes a day, as opposed to 30 minutes for many over-the-counter whitening gels and strips. It can take up to 12 weeks for whitening rinses to show results.
4. In-Office Whitening
As you might already know, the most effective way to whiten your teeth is by visiting a Lincolnwood dental office. While in-house whitening procedures performed by your dentist are more expensive than the above-mentioned DIY teeth cleaning methods, they produce the best results. An in-office whitening procedure involves directly applying the whitening product to the teeth and combining it with heat, a special light, and/or a laser. This light-activated whitening procedure performed by your Lincolnwood dentist can lighten your teeth by up to eight shades. While multiple appointments are normally needed, you can still see excellent results after only one 30 to 60-minute procedure.
Looking for a Dentist or Dental Office in Lincolnwood, Illinois
If you are looking for teeth whitening solutions to brighten your smile in Lincolnwood, the Smile Innovations team can help. Call us at (773) 763 1000 or contact us online to request an appointment with Gordon J. Ziols, DDS, FAGD.