Almost everyone would like to have a whiter smile, but store-bought dental bleaching products can lead to lackluster results even after several months of use. Fortunately, your dentist can lift stubborn stains and brighten your grin by up to eight shades with a professional teeth whitening treatment that delivers amazing results in a brief timeframe. Here’s a quick look at how dental stains can form and how these cosmetic procedures can brighten your smile in time for an upcoming special event like a wedding or graduation.
How Do Teeth Become Stained?
Many foods and beverages with rich colors are heavy with pigments, dyes, and tannins that can become embedded in your dental enamel, causing unsightly stains and discoloration that can distract observers from an otherwise beautiful smile. A few common culprits include tea, coffee, red wine, cola, juice, berries, candy, and dark sauces such as soy and barbeque varieties, and it’s best to enjoy items like these in moderation while maintaining excellent oral hygiene habits.
How Can My Dentist Whiten My Teeth?
Professional teeth whitening can give you an amazingly bright smile in brief timeframes, which makes them great for those anticipating special events like weddings, graduations, and job interviews. These treatments come in two forms, those being:
- In-office teeth whitening: Your dentist will place customized barriers in your mouth to protect your soft tissues before applying several coatings of concentrated whitening agent to your teeth and treating them with a specialized UV light. This procedure can brighten your smile in about an hour.
- Take-home whitening kits: Your dentist can provide you with a customized whitening kit you can use at home. You’ll only need to apply the included whitening gel to your customized dental trays and wear them over your teeth for about an hour every day for two weeks to achieve astonishing results.
The results of teeth whitening can last for several years if you practice excellent oral hygiene and limit your intake of discoloring foods and beverages. Your dentist will also be happy to perform touch-up treatments as necessary to maintain your shiny smile.
Don’t let frustrating dental stains make you anxious about laughing or smiling at your next special event. Consulting with your dentist can help you understand the best way to achieve the grin of your dreams.
About the Author
Dr. Maryam Bemani earned her dental degree at the University of Maryland School of Dentistry and regularly refines her skills with continuing education coursework. Her office in Catonsville offers general, restorative, emergency, and cosmetic dentistry such as teeth whitening services. To schedule your consultation for teeth whitening, contact her office online or dial (443) 251-5580.