How Can I Improve the Whiteness of My Teeth?
Have the years of coffee or tea drinking finally caught up to you?
Are you concerned about the image of the person with the yellow teeth smiling back at you in the mirror?
Your once pearly white smile you were once proud to show off is now concealed and hidden from the world. You no longer feel comfortable being in pictures and you’re careful when smiling and laughing in conversations with friends.
You want to reverse the discolored damage done to your smile that your diet preferences have caused.
Besides the obvious abandonment of foods and drinks (yes, your beloved coffee) that have been known to stain teeth, what are other methods of whitening teeth?
Types of Teeth Whitening
You’ve likely seen or heard about at-home teeth whitening. These kits are sold in most grocery stores. There are two common types: trays and strips.
With at-home teeth whitening trays,
At-home teeth whitening strips contain sticky, clear, thin, plastic strips that are placed onto the outside surface of your teeth. The sticky part of the strip contains a diluted bleaching agent that lifts stains out from weakened tooth enamel.
Both these at-home teeth whitening methods are inexpensive, convenient and can be done in the privacy of your own home.
The downside to these at-home teeth whitening methods is that the results are gradual, taking months to see noticeable improvements in the color of one’s teeth.
The whitening, bleaching agent can also irritate the gums, causing slight discomfort and both methods can be messy and frustrating to be done properly if you don’t follow directions.
An alternative to the at-home teeth whitening is professional teeth whitening done at the dentist office.
A professional teeth whitening can be done on as little as 30 minutes and patients can walk out the door with noticeably whiter smiles.
When you get your teeth whitened at the dental office, the dentist uses a more highly concentrated bleaching agent that is activated by UV lighting. The immediate whitening of the bleaching agent when exposed to the UV light means your teeth will be dramatically whiter within minutes.
The expertise of the dentist ensures that neither the whitening bleach or UV light will neither damage or irritate your gums and other tissues in the mouth.
While professional teeth whitening at the dental office produces immediate, significant results, it is more expensive and you’re required to make an appointment and go into the dental office.
If you’re not in a hurry or simply want to halt further yellowing of your teeth, you can heed the advice you’ve been hearing to stop eating and drinking foods and drinks that stain teeth.
You can also buy teeth whitening toothpaste and mouthwash to use twice a day.
A white smile can make you happier, healthier and more confident.
LeDowns Dentistry has been whitening smiles and changing lives in Denver area for years. Call us today and let our expert dentists help you regain your white, beautiful smile.