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Everybody loves a bright white smile, and there are a
variety of products and procedures available to help you
improve the look of yours.
Many people are satisfied with the results they get from
brushing twice daily with a fluoride-containing toothpaste,
cleaning between their teeth once a day with dental floss,
and regular cleanings at the dentist's office. If
you decide you would like to go beyond this to make your
smile look brighter, you should investigate all of your
options.
You can take several approaches to whiten your smile:
At-home whitening;
Whitening toothpastes
What should you ask Peterson Family Dentistry?
We can tell you whether whitening procedures would be
effective for you. Whiteners may not correct all types of
discoloration. For example, yellowish hued teeth will probably
whiten well, brownish-colored teeth may whiten less well,
and grayish-hued teeth may not whiten well at all. Grayish
teeth are often caused by tetracycline staining and this
stain is very difficult to whiten or remove. Likewise, whitening
may not enhance your smile if you have had bonding or tooth-colored
fillings placed in your front teeth. The whitener will not
change the color of these materials, and they will stand
out in your newly whitened smile. In these cases, you may
want to investigate other options, like porcelain veneers
or dental bonding.
Why don't you offer in-office whitening?
No whitening products using lasers currently are on the
ADA list of accepted products, therefore we currently do
not recommend any. At home products are more popular choices
due to cost and convenience.
What are at-home procedures and products?
There are several types of products available for use
at home, which can either be dispensed by your dentist or
purchased over-the-counter. Please stick to name brand products
when selecting at home whitening kits.
Whitening solutions. These products contain peroxide(s),
which actually whiten the tooth enamel. These products typically
rely on carbamide peroxide as the whitening agent. Carbamide
peroxide comes in several different concentrations (10%,
16%, 22%).
You also may want to call us if any side effects become
bothersome. Most people will experience temperature sensitivity
and irritated gum tissue from the whitening solutions. These
side effects will usually resolve when you stop using the
whitening product.
Toothpastes. All toothpastes help remove surface
stain through the action of mild abrasives. "Whitening"
toothpastes in the ADA Seal of Acceptance program have special
chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain
removal effectiveness. Unlike whiteners, these ADA Accepted
products do not alter the inside color of teeth.
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