Teeth whitening is a central component of maintaining a solid and well-rounded dental health routine. To get the best results, you need a combination of professional and at-home teeth whitening practices. Although teeth whitening is generally categorized as cosmetic dentistry, it’s also essential to maintaining good dental and oral health. Making an effort to whiten your teeth can counteract the effects of discolouration caused by certain foods and beverages such as coffee, tea, and soft drinks.
But there’s more to it than that. Teeth whitening also ensures that your teeth and gums are thoroughly cleaned on a regular basis to prevent gum disease, periodontitis, gingivitis, and other dental health problems. Here are some of the most popular clinical and at-home teeth whitening treatment options that can maximize your dental health and improve the look of your smile.
Professional Teeth Whitening Treatment Options
Long-lasting and healthy dental care treatment starts in the dentist’s chair. From an early age, your dentist is responsible for teaching you how to effectively and thoroughly care for your teeth. That includes showing you the proper way to floss and brush your teeth, so that you can do these things at home.
However, there are certain teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry options that are only available at the clinic. Here a few professional teeth whitening options that are guaranteed to keep your pearly whites clean and sparkling.
Chairside Bleaching
Chairside bleaching is the process of chemically bleaching your teeth to remove surface stains and maintain a clean, healthy-looking smile. Although there are some potential drawbacks like temporary tooth sensitivity, chairside bleaching is an effective and affordable teeth whitening treatment.
BriteSmile Teeth Whitening
BriteSmile is a professional teeth whitening procedure that involves the use of hydrogen peroxide gel and a dental-grade blue light laser to remove surface stains from your teeth. After applying the whitening gel to your teeth, your dentist will then position the blue light laser directly above the application area to activate the gel’s whitening process.
Opalescence Teeth Whitening System
Developed by a professional team of dentists over 30 years ago, the Opalescence whitening system is a highly effective treatment method for tooth discolouration. It consists of a highly viscous whitening gel that’s composed of a combination of nitrate and fluoride.
The viscosity of the whitening gel allows it to stay in place on your teeth, so that the peroxide can work its way past your enamel. The gel has to stay on for at least half an hour. During that time, the whitening agent in the gel (fluoride) makes contact with the discoloured molecules in your teeth and actively whitens them. The whitening gel is so efficient and potent that it can whiten the entire tooth, even the parts that it doesn’t come into contact with. This is a perfectly safe, non-invasive, and highly effective cosmetic dentistry procedure.
ZOOM! Teeth Whitening
ZOOM! is another popular and highly effective clinical teeth whitening method. Depending on your needs, the number of teeth you need whitened, and the condition of your enamel, this procedure can take anywhere between 15 and 90 minutes. It’s a highly potent stain-removing agent that can make your teeth enamel up to eight shades whiter.
For added convenience, ZOOM! also has a take-home kit that you can purchase directly from your dentist. They’ll show you how to properly use it to maximize your results. As a general rule of thumb, the whiteness of your teeth should match the whites of your eyes, so be sure to keep your expectations realistic.
At-Home Teeth Whitening Treatment Options
At-home teeth whitening treatment options should be used in conjunction with clinical treatments to maximize your results. Dentists and dental hygienists can make specific recommendations based on the needs of their patients.
Getting to the dental clinic isn’t always possible, especially during the pandemic to do optional treatments. In lieu of professional teeth whitening treatments, here are some at-home teeth whitening options.
Brush Your Teeth with Baking Soda or Activated Charcoal
Baking soda and activated charcoal are mild abrasives that are extremely effective at removing surface stains on teeth without completely destroying or weakening tooth enamel. Tooth enamel preservation is crucial because it acts as a protective barrier for your teeth, preventing bacterial infections. Although baking soda and activated charcoal are devoid of fluoride, which helps strengthen your teeth, you should be fine as long as your drinking water is fluoridated. However, don’t use them long term as this may result in some damage.
Whitening Toothpaste and Other Products
There are plenty of perfectly safe, easy-to-use, and CDA-approved over-the-counter whitening toothpastes and other products that are currently on the market that can be used at home. If you’re unsure of which products would work best for your specific condition, then you can always ask your dentist for appropriate recommendations.
Dissolving whitening strips are also fairly common teeth whitening products that can be found at your local grocery or drug store. Using these once a week or as directed on the package label and by your dentist can help you maintain a healthy-looking beautiful white smile.
At-Home Tray Bleaching Kits
Another option is to ask your dentist about custom-fitted at home tray bleaching or teeth whitening kits. While you can purchase generic over-the-counter tray bleaching kits, it’s better to get a custom-fitted one from your dentist as these are made specifically for the shape of your teeth and are therefore proven to be more effective.
If you have any questions about at-home or clinical teeth whitening procedures, please feel free to ask the knowledgeable dental staff at Princeview Dental Group. We’re more than happy to address any of your concerns and questions regarding your dental health. Our staff is committed to ensure the safety and well-being of our patients. Contact us today ask for specific at-home teeth whitening treatments.
