Almost everyone wants a bright, white smile. For this reason, many people spend money and time to address the stains that have marred their "perfect" smile. A person wishing to have that "perfect" smile can choose a do-it-yourself tooth whitening kit from the neighborhood pharmacy or store or visit their Aurora family dentist’s office.
Hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are two of the chemicals used most commonly for this purpose. The difference between the two is the potency and power of the chemicals when applied to the teeth. Aurora dentists generally use the more potent hydrogen peroxide in gel form the administration of which needs to be closely supervised. The "at-home" kits, feature the lower concentration carbamide gel product. The carbamide gel has to be used for a much longer period to produce the same or similar results as the hydrogen peroxide treatments.
How to teeth get stained?
Coffee, tea, smoking and grinding of teeth can affect tooth whiteness, but even those who do not engaged in these habits can experience a change in the color of their teeth as they age. Everyone is born with an interior tooth color that will slowly emerge through the loss of enamel, and any overuse of fluoride or experiencing of trauma will cause an alteration in tooth color. Such discoloration or staining is referred to as "intrinsic staining". "Extrinsic staining" on the other hand is caused by habits and lifestyles like drinking coffee, tea and other dark beverages, smoking, diet, hereditary traits, and grinding of teeth.
Though both these types of discoloration can be improved, the final result chiefly depends on the age and level of yellowing of the patient’s teeth.
Patients choosing the services of a trained Aurora dental professional can expect the procedure to be finished in fifteen or twenty minutes. The treatment begins with the patient wearing a mouth guard and then having a "rubber guard" painted on the gums. The peroxide gel is then spread over the teeth, and all it takes is a few minutes for the whitening process to be done. Most patients are provided with take-home kits to maintain their newly brightened teeth, or to address stains that were not entirely eliminated. Patients with newly whitened teeth should not smoke, drink dark beverages like tea or coffee, and should avoid drinking with a straw for quite a few days after the treatment.
A take-home kit with all of the appropriate materials and supplies may be available for purchase from some Aurora dentists, but this kit features a peroxide gel that is not as potent as the professional strength gel. While this is a much more affordable alternative to visiting a dentist, the results may not be as dazzling and or achieved as quickly.
The many over-the-counter whitening kits, which require a time commitment of more than a week, generally produce excellent results. These kits are unable to remove all intrinsic or deep stains, which necessitate the services of a qualified Aurora dentist.
Give us a call today at (303) 364-4322 or schedule online for FREE Teeth Whitening with a new patient exam, cleaning, and x-rays.
