Naturally, as we age, the colour of our teeth can begin to turn light yellow or grey. Over time, surface stains can build up from lifestyle habits like smoking or even just consuming specific foods and beverages. Whether or not you know the particular reason for your not-so-bright smile, one thing that is for certain is that more and more patients are seeking teeth whitening in South Edmonton. There is a large variety of whitening products on the market including, surface whiteners and bleaches. To be effective, whitening products require time and concentration, and products that remain on your teeth for a longer period are more effective. For this reason, in-office or professional teeth whitening near you is the most effective teeth whitening option as it entails bleaching agents that are more highly concentrated and are applied for a longer period than over-the-counter products.
Surface Whiteners:
Whitening Toothpaste
All toothpaste consists of mild abrasives to eliminate surface stains on your teeth. However, whitening toothpaste in specific also contains chemicals or polishing agents which means they are more effective at removing stains than traditional toothpaste. With that said, whitening toothpaste does not consist of bleach, it can only remove surface stains. To prevent using toothpaste that is too abrasive and can damage your teeth, you should only use CDA approved toothpaste and products.
Whitening toothpaste can whiten your teeth approximately one shade. In-office teeth whitening near you, on the other hand, can whiten your teeth between three to eight shades.
Note, you should ensure you brush after each meal to prevent the formation of surface stains and keep your teeth bright.
Bleaches:
Whitening Gels and Strips
Whitening gels are clear, peroxide-based, and are applied directly to your teeth. Whitening strips, on the other hand, are plastic strips that are coated with peroxide whitening gel and are applied to your teeth. Both types of these products consist of bleaching agents and results should be visible within a few days.
Whitening Rinses
Similar to regular mouthwashes, whitening rinses freshen your breath and serve to combat the build-up of plaque and gum disease. Additionally, they contain ingredients such as peroxide. Generally, you will be instructed to swish the rinse for around one minute before you brush your teeth. You can expect the results to appear very slowly, usually, this takes twelve weeks.
Tray-Based Teeth Whiteners
You can purchase tray-based whitening products over-the-counter or when you visit your dentist in South Edmonton. These systems will require you to fill a mouth-guard such as a tray with a gel whitening solution that contains peroxide. You will then insert this tray in your mouth for a few hours per day or overnight.
Professional Teeth Whitening
In-office whitening treatments conducted by a dentist near you such as the Philips Zoom Whitespeed are the fastest and most effective method to whiten your teeth. In-office bleaching involves applying the whitening products directly to your teeth followed by heat, a laser, or a special light. Typically, you will achieve immediate results in only thirty to sixty minutes.
Professional teeth whitening provided by your dentist in South Edmonton is more effective than over-the-counter treatments for a few reasons. For one, your dentist will perform a full oral exam and review your health history with you to determine if teeth whitening is the correct treatment for you. The level of effectiveness of each type of bleaching treatment is dependent on the type and extent of the stains. Your dentist will determine which treatment is most effective for you for the personalized dental care you can bank on.