What Are The Top Dental Procedures For Teeth Whitening
Are you looking for ways to keep your teeth as white as possible? Today we’ll be looking at some of the top dental procedures for whitening your teeth and ensuring your long-term oral health.
Dental care is about a whole lot more than just filling in cavities and performing root canals. The ultimate goal of every dentist is to make sure that our patients have a beautiful smile with healthy, great looking teeth. There are a lot of ways we can do that, from preventive care to special procedures that clean and whiten your teeth.
We know that there are a lot of products on the market that promise to make your smile sparkle, and it can be hard to trust which claims are legit and which are bogus. We’ll help you better understand which practices and products are safe to use and likely to work, and what you should stay away from. At Grand Lake Dental, your oral health is always our top concern, and we work with all our patients to give them a great looking smile.
These are the basic procedures we should all be doing
First, let’s talk about the every day habits that help keep our teeth clean and healthy. Of course, everyone knows that we should be brushing our teeth and flossing after every meal, yet it’s easy to overlook during our busy lives. Brushing and flossing are the easiest way you can help keep your smile nice and white, and it can save you from a lot of expensive procedures later on.
Another daily habit that can help with teeth whitening is using mouth rinses or washes. Some of these products are specifically made to whiten teeth and have been rated safe for everyday use. Not only do they help keep teeth clean and sparkly (and are especially useful to maintain whiteness after a whitening procedure), they also keep your gums healthy and reduce dental plaque, one of the leading causes of yellowing teeth. It should be noted that for some people, using these whitening products can lead to your teeth becoming more sensitive. It’s a good idea to talk to your dentist before you start using them.
Another important factor in causing your teeth to lose their shine is the foods you eat and beverages you drink. It hopefully goes without saying that smoking and other tobacco products are extremely harmful to your oral health and hygiene and should be avoided. But other substances can be just as bad. Coffee, tea, and red wine for example are known to lead to gradual staining of the teeth. This is due to intense color pigments known as chromogens that attach to your enamel.
When it comes to bleaching, leave it to the dentist
Another option for teeth whitening is known as bleaching. These are products or procedures that rely on a gel that contains up to 40% hydrogen peroxide. While its possible to buy such products over the counter, we highly recommend that you first consult with a professional to ensure that the procedure is done in a safe and effective manner.
At Grand Lake Dental, our method of choice relies on Zoom! products. We have found that these teeth whitening products offer superior effectiveness and safety. The treatment will reverse teeth staining that has occurred as a result of food and drinks, aging, and even tobacco. You’ll see results in under and hour, and it is effective without altering the chemistry of your teeth or damaging the enamel. We’ve also seen fewer complaints regarding sensitivity compared to other treatments.
When you come in for a Zoom! whitening, the first thing we’ll do is give you a full cleaning and professional examination. We want to check everything is all right with your teeth and gums and there’s no underlying condition we should be aware of before doing the procedure. This will also allow you to get the maximum benefit from the whitening.
Then we’ll protect your lips and gums so that they won’t come into contact with the bleaching agent. We want this to be a comfortable experience for all our patients. We then apply the Zoom! gel, and use an activator light that allows the bleach to reach deeply into the teeth. This will enhance the whitening and help get rid of many of the deepest stains. The best part is the whole procedure takes less than an hour.
Take the tooth whitening home with you
After you have received the Zoom! treatment, our patients will also get to take home some additional whitening products that will help maintain your new sparkling smile. These home care products extend the benefits of the office treatment and ensure that you get the most out of the procedure.
Of course, some patients elect to forego the in-office treatment and just want the home products. This is also an option. These Zoom! products are stronger and more effective than the whitening products you can buy over the counter. In order to ensure they are working the right way, we will construct custom fittings based on an impression we take of your mouth. They go into your mouth similar to a retainer, and they make sure that the whitening products are properly administered.
These custom trays are essential to ensure the whitening is effective, and are preferred to a one-size-fits-all generic tray that you can buy online. If the appliance doesn’t fit exactly right, not only will the application not be as effective, but it can also lead to irritation of the gums due to the bleaching gel. It can also result in the gel being applied unequally, resulting in an uneven smile. As part of the package, we also include strips and pens for touching up any spots that may have been missed.
Your Grove, Oklahoma Whitening Specialist
At Grand Lake Dental, Dr. Jobst and our entire staff are committed to ensuring that all of our patients have a beautiful smile. Our top priority is your dental health, and we are committed to only using the safest and most effective methods. We believe good dental hygiene is about more than one-off procedures, but forming the right long-term habits. Contact us today to schedule your first consultation.