Taking steps to ensure your oral health and smile are always at their best takes effort. So many factors can play a role in how your teeth appear, including the type of food and beverages you consume, certain medications you may need to take, or whether or not you smoke. All of these can negatively affect your smile, creating minor or excessive tooth discoloration or staining.
When this happens, you may want to consider undergoing teeth whitening treatments to bring back a confident smile. Read on to find out the different types available and which one is the most effective.
What are the Different Types of Tooth Whitening Methods?
Searching for the tooth whiteningmethod that will work best for you and achieve the results you seek, whether for an upcoming event or for a year-round smile, can be a challenge if you don’t know what is available. Essentially, there are two distinct categories of tooth whitening methods – over-the-counter and professional.
Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Methods
Today you can find a variety of over-the-counter (OTC) teeth whitening products at your local drug store or retail chain store. The advantages to going with these methods include convenience and accessibility any time you desire to try them out.
The goal of many of these OTC products available today is to minimize the staining on your teeth with the use of safe, low-dosage ingredients like hydrogen peroxide or a carbamide peroxide. You can expect to find products in various forms, including whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes, whitening strips, and kits.
Whitening Toothpastes and Mouthwashes: Common ingredients in whitening toothpastes and mouthwashes, in addition to the hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, are charcoal or baking soda, which serve as a mild abrasive to gently scrub surface stains away.
Whitening Strips: Whitening strips are an easy-to-use option, potentially providing satisfactory results to users. You simply apply the strip to the surface of teeth, leave for a set amount of time, then remove.
Whitening Kits: Whitening kits usually come with one-size-fits-all mouth trays, a whitening gel or paste, and maybe even a special brush and whitening strips. With this variety method, you will need to follow the directions that come with the kit exactly to see any results and keep teeth and gums safe.
Professional Teeth Whitening Methods
Undergoing professional teeth whitening supervised by your dentist is the second category. These treatment methods can be either in-office or take-home, depending on your needs and personal preferences.
In-Office Method: Achieve fast results with in-office professional teeth whitening, often providing you with a noticeable difference in just one visit. A higher concentration of hydrogen peroxide is applied to your teeth and stays there for up to 30 minutes. Your dentist may use a specialized light to help speed up the process. It is possible that you will need to return for additional visits to achieve the level of whitening you desire, however.
Take-Home Method: If you prefer a method you can use at home at your convenience, the professional take-home method is a good option. With this method, you will receive customized mouth trays, refrigerated gels, and directions for how and when to use them. You can expect to start seeing results within approximately 10-15 days.
In some instances, you may benefit from a combination of these two professional methods, so speak to your dentist about what will work best for you.
What is the Most Effective Teeth Whitening Method?
When looking for the most effective teeth whitening method, much will depend on the results you wish to achieve and the timeline you have available. Yet, one does rise above the others for quicker and more effective results.
Over-the-counter methods, including toothpastes and mouthwashes, can take several weeks before you notice any change at all, and then it will only be a slight change. As a result, the most effective and reliable teeth whitening methods today are ones provided by your dentist.
The various reasons for this include:
Involves individualized treatments, catered to each patient’s specific needs and desired outcome
Requires less time to achieve the results you are seeking
Creates more even results across teeth
Provides less risk and higher safety for your teeth and gums
Achieves long-lasting results
Contact Lifetime Dental Health for All of Your Teeth Whitening Needs
The team at Lifetime Dental Health understands that our patients have different priorities and preferences when it comes to their teeth whitening needs. By providing patients with either in-office or take home methods, we strive to help you achieve the results you desire in the least amount of time possible. Find out more about our effective, professional teeth whitening methods and start brightening your smile today by contacting our dental office and scheduling a consultation
One of the most beneficial and simplest things you can do to help maintain good oral health, in addition to daily brushing and flossing, is to schedule professional dental cleaningsat least twice per year. These cleanings are beneficial for a number of reasons and can leave your mouth feeling refreshed while also brightening your smile.
Yet, a brighter smile doesn’t necessarily mean your teeth will be whiter after each cleaning. They may, however, appear a slight shade lighter, depending on the level of staining or tartar build up that can be easily removed.
What to Expect During a Dental Cleaning
Dental cleanings involve a number of steps that are all beneficial. The focus is on hygiene, not whitening, so you can expect your dental hygienist to work in every reachable area of your teeth and gums to achieve the best cleaning possible.
In general, here is what occurs. The hygienist will
examine the interior of your mouth, looking for signs of cavities, loose fillings, tartar build-up, receding gums, and other conditions. Then, using a dental tool called a scaler, built-up plaque and tartar, which often appears yellowish in color and sits at the gum lines and between teeth, are removed.
Next comes the brushing and polishing with an electric
wand-type toothbrush with a professional-grade paste. Your hygienist will usually finish up with flossing and, in some cases, a fluoride treatment.
Once this cleaning is complete, your mouth will not only feel fresher, but your teeth will appear brighter. Yet, the goal of cleanings is not to see how much whiter the hygienist can get your teeth. It is more focused on helping you maintain your teeth and a healthy mouth overall.
These professional dental cleanings benefit your oral health and appearance in the following ways:
Removes the build-up of plaque and tartar, which can lead to cavities, gum disease, and even tooth loss
Identifies any problem areas that need attention
Kills bacteria in the mouth that causes bad breath, leaving a freshness to your breath
Minimizes or removes surface stains created by the food and beverages you consume, such as coffee or tea, or from tobacco usage.
Does Dental Cleaning Make My Teeth Whiter?
The answer to this question can be both yes and no. Built up tartar and plaque, along with some minor surface stains, can be removed during the cleaning process and may result in slightly lighter colored teeth.
The no part of the answer is that brighter and lighter doesn’t necessarily mean your teeth will appear whiter. To achieve that type of result, you may want to consider asking your dentist about the availability of other options to help with this goal.
How Can I Get Whiter Teeth?
Scheduling regular dental cleanings and exams can help you maintain good oral health in the long run. They can also brighten teeth by removing tartar and plaque and reducing or eliminating some minor staining. To really whiten your teeth, however, you’ll need to consider specialized teeth whitening treatments.
Today you have access to a variety of teeth whitening options over the counter, and these include whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes, whitening strips, and entire kits. While these can work, they do take longer and may not achieve the full results you are looking for to enhance your smile. Also, if directions are not followed exactly, you may experience pain or sensitivity during the process.
Your other option is to undergo professional teeth whitening which will be conducted or supervised by your dentist. There are several benefits for going this route, and these include the following:
Provides for personalized treatments
Offers higher safety for teeth and gums
Uses higher grade, professional strength whitening agents
Takes less time to achieve results
Creates a more even whitening across teeth that is long-lasting
Professional teeth whitening options include in-office whitening, take-home whitening kits, or a combination of these two. The in-office option usually involves your dentist applying a whitening agent, followed by heat and light. You may require one or more of these sessions, depending on your goals.
For the professional take-home whitening, your dentist will provide you with a customized tray or mouthguard that is thin and lightweight. Each one of these will contain just the right amount of bleaching agent for your needs. You can choose to wear the trays during the day or at night and then follow back up with your dentist periodically to evaluate results.
Schedule a Dental Cleaning and Learn More About Teeth Whitening Options Today by Contacting Lifetime Dental Health
Regularly scheduling dental cleanings and exams can help you maintain a healthy mouth and also brighten your smile. Get started today by calling the Columbus office of Lifetime Dental Health at 614-321-1887 to schedule your next appointment. Dr. Richard Barry and his team will also answer any questions you may have about professional teeth whitening and help you get started with your own customized take home mouthguards or trays.
When it comes to achieving a healthy smile that radiates confidence, you have a lot more choices available today. One, in particular, is professional teeth whitening. These treatments can help you address staining and discolorations in safer and more efficient ways, and you’ll be able to share that brighter smile in less time.
You also have options for professional teeth whitening in the form of shortened in-office procedures or supervised take-home treatments. Choose what is most convenient and affordable for your needs, and select the best time to undergo the process. No longer do you need to try for months to improve your smile with just the over-the-counter whitening kits.
How Will Professional Teeth Whitening Work?
Before you begin any professional teeth whitening treatment, your dentist will conduct a full dental examination to determine the health of your teeth and gums. Once that is established, the current shade of your teeth will be recorded, and you can discuss with your dentist how much whitening you wish to achieve.
In-Office Treatment
If you are undergoing an in-office treatment, a cleaning will take place, including the removal of debris and plaque from the teeth’ surfaces. The dentist will then apply a professional-grade whitening agent to the surface of your teeth and, in many cases, apply a light or laser to activate the agent.
Both the whitener and light may stay in place for up to an hour. Additional visits may be necessary if you desire a lighter shade.
Supervised Take-Home Treatment
If you choose the supervised at-home treatments, your dentist will fit you for customized mouth trays and discuss the level of whitening you wish to achieve. You’ll need to follow the instructions provided with these trays and return for regular visits so your dentist can assess your progress.
Top 5 Benefits of Professional Teeth Whitening
The benefits of undergoing professional teeth whitening are many, but here are the top five.
1. Professional Teeth Whitening Lightens or Eliminates Staining and Discolorations
Teeth become stained or discolored for a number of reasons. For example, consuming certain food and beverages, such as coffee, red wine, and berries, can lead to minimal or excessive staining. So too can poor dental hygiene habits, like only occasionally brushing or flossing.
Discolorations may also occur, even if you do take all the necessary steps to care for your teeth. Diet, the use of tobacco, certain medications, as well as other factors can lead to these unwelcomed appearances.
Your age can play a role as well. Tooth enamel begins to thin out as you grow older and this, in turn, exposes the dentin layer below, giving your teeth a more yellowing look.
Professional teeth whitening can target stubborn stains and lighten or dissolve them so they no longer show as you smile. For deeper discolorations, the professional treatments provided by your dentist can reach not only the outer tooth enamel but the dentin layer underneath, thus eliminating or removing those darker colors.
2. Professional Teeth Whitening Takes Less Time for Desired Results
Professional teeth whitening will take considerably less time to achieve the desired results, often noticing the difference after just one treatment. In contrast, over-the-counter whitening methods commonly take months to achieve any recognizable level of whitening and may only produce minimal results overall.
One reason for success is that your dentist will use professional-grade bleaching agents. These bleaching agents are faster and more effective at removing those stubborn stains that are challenging to lighten.
At Lifetime Dental Health, you’ll have the choice of which type of treatment you prefer. Options include in-office treatments and professional at-home whitening kits where you are provided with a convenient, custom-fitted mouth tray containing the bleaching agents.
3. Professional Teeth Whitening Allows for Customizable Treatments
All patients’ teeth are unique. Discolorations, staining, and the desire for whiter teeth can also differ. Your dentist will take each of these into consideration and recommend and oversee customizable treatments for your particular circumstances.
With professional teeth whitening, you also get to select a preferred shade. You can avoid the perfect look of models and instead create a more natural smile that is uniquely your own.
In addition, you may not need the same coverage or whitening on all your teeth in the smile zone. Perhaps just one or two teeth are darker than the others. In such cases, a customized professional treatment plan is the best way to go.
4. Professional Teeth Whitening Creates More Even Results
With over-the-counter treatments with ill-fitting mouth trays, you run the risk of uneven whitening. These whitening kits are not customized but instead offer a one-size-fits-all-approach, usually with the inability to adjust the bleaching agent amounts for different areas of your teeth.
As a result, you may experience unbalanced or mismatched whitening, especially when certain teeth start out darker than the others.
Professional teeth whitening provides you with customized trays, which ensures the bleaching agent is dispersed and reaches those areas that need more bleaching while also achieving the whitening effect for teeth less discolored. The result is a better matching color and a more even smile.
5. Professional Teeth Whitening Provides Longer Lasting Results
The results following professional teeth whitening will last longer than any of the over-the-counter treatments due to the use of the higher-grade bleaching agent.
Upon completion, your dentist may provide you with ways to do touch-ups or follow-ups as needed to maintain tooth brightness and keep your smile in top form.
You can also increase the long-lasting results by avoiding stain-causing beverages and foods or at least brush soon after consuming them to avoid new staining.
Find Out More About Professional Teeth Whitening by Contacting Lifetime Dental Health
Ready to take the next step in achieving a more confident smile? To gain more information or schedule a consultation to find out if professional teeth whitening is the perfect option for your needs, call the office of Lifetime Dental Health. Our team will go over the different treatment types and walk you through the process to achieve your beautiful smile. Call our dental office or go online now to get started!
Over time, your teeth begin to lose their color or may become stained, from what you eat or drink such as wine, tomato sauce, and coffee. Many people believe the only way to get a bright, white smile is through expensive dental visits with professional whitening products. While professional teeth whitening at the dentist can get you optimal whitening results, there are at-home alternatives as well. Below are the best teeth-whitening products available today.
Whitening Toothpaste
Whitening toothpaste does not bleach the teeth as professional treatment would do but rather removes the discolored surface area using mildly abrasive ingredients. Many whitening kinds of toothpaste contain things such as peroxide, baking soda, activated charcoal, and more.
Using whitening toothpaste is an inexpensive way to achieve a brighter smile as many of the most used brands are $10 or less per tube. It is important to know that the overuse of whitening toothpaste containing peroxide can permanently damage or destroy the natural collagen on your teeth.
Electric Toothbrush
An electric toothbrush is much more effective in comparison to a manual toothbrush at removing surface stains from your teeth. Oscillating toothbrushes are often better compared to others but can come with a higher price tag.
Electric toothbrushes range anywhere from $8 all the way to $300 depending on the brand and feature it offers. Many electric toothbrushes ranging from $20-$30 are effective in removing surface stains.
Whitening Strips
Many whitening strips are clear stips containing a hydrogen peroxide-based gel. In just a few weeks you will notice a significant difference in the color of your teeth. Whitening strips are often sold in sets, one strip for both the bottom and the top teeth.
Whitening strips are relatively inexpensive, especially in comparison to professional whitening treatment, as they are often available starting at approximately $10 and up depending on things like the brand and strength. The strips are designed to be left on for up to 30 minutes, again, depending on the brand.
Teeth-whitening strips are made both intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic whitening is the actual bleaching of the teeth to change the enamel color, most commonly with hydrogen peroxide. While extrinsic whitening uses a mild abrasive, such as activated charcoal, to remove stains from the outer surface of the teeth, making them appear more white, but not actually changing the color.
Whitening Gel Tray
Another commonly used teeth whitening practice is the use of a whitening gel tray. These gel trays yield the best, longest-lasting results of the most available whitening methods.
The tray is custom-made and fitted specifically for you by your dentist by using a mold of your teeth. Your whitening tray can be used as long as you have it, given your teeth do not significantly shift.
To use this whitening gel tray you will purchase a gel to be used at home. To ensure the life of the gel it is best kept in the refrigerator. To use the tray at home, remove the gel from the refrigerator and squirt it into the tray. Place the tray on your teeth ensuring the gel does not touch your gums. The whitening tray can be left on anywhere from 1-3 hours depending on your teeth sensitivity and personal preference. It is important that you do not use the whitening gel tray overnight as it can lead to extreme sensitivity.
Professional Teeth Whitening
A professional teeth whitening session is often performed in a dentist’s office. These visits often take longer than at-home whitening treatments, however, the results are typically better than you will receive from at-home treatments. Professional teeth whitening takes several sessions to healthily achieve a bright, white smile.
At a professional teeth whitening appointment, a high concentration of either hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide will be applied to your teeth, typically several times throughout the duration of your appointment. Your dentist will often finish up your treatment using a UV light to accelerate the reaction of the whitening treatment.
Professional teeth whitening does not just change the color of the surface of the tooth. With professional whitening treatments, you can whiten your teeth from the inside out. You will see a noticeable difference in the color of your teeth with just one treatment, although it is still recommended to follow through with 1-3 appointments for optimal results.
Professional Teeth Whitening at Lifetime Dental Health
Whether you are currently whitening your teeth, or are looking into professional teeth whitening, it’s important to remember that you must keep up with routine dental appointments and good oral hygiene. It is recommended to see a dentist for a routine cleaning and a checkup every 6 months.
When it comes to achieving a 
Over time, your teeth begin to lose their color or may become stained, from what you eat or drink such as wine, tomato sauce, and coffee. Many people believe the only way to get a bright, white smile is through expensive dental visits with professional whitening products. While professional teeth whitening at the dentist can get you optimal whitening results, there are at-home alternatives as well. Below are the best teeth-whitening products available today.