If you’re over the age of 14 with permanent teeth, you can qualify for teeth whitening. Your dentist is the most qualified person to determine your oral health and recommend the best technique to lighten your teeth. He or she will inspect the condition of your teeth and how severe the staining is. Some possible options may include:

1) A dental cleaning by your dentist or hygienist to remove tartar buildup and staining caused by plaque accumulation, food, and smoking.

2) Using special toothpastes containing fine abrasives to polish off superficial stains.

3) For minor yellowing or discoloration, over the counter whitening gel or strips may brighten your teeth, however these products tend to come with a lower concentration of bleaching product (carbamide peroxide) and take longer to see results.

4) If you have teeth with deeper stains or yellowing, your dentist may recommend in-office bleaching and/or home bleaching. The solutions used by your dentist have a higher concentration of the active ingredient carbamide peroxide so you’ll see results in as little as one appointment. Home kits dispensed by your dentist contain a set of custom mouthguards and vials of concentrated bleaching gels or solutions. Depending on how strong the gel is, you’ll wear the mouthguards from twice a day to overnight.

5) For severely stained or damaged teeth, your dentist may recommend porcelain veneers, bonding, or even full crowns to correct the problem.

The key to effective teeth whitening is dependent on a proper diagnosis of the condition of your teeth. Only a skilled cosmetic dentist is qualified to recommend the best option for you.

While lightening your teeth is a safe procedure, it does have minor side effects. Your teeth can experience temporary sensitivity during and after the bleaching procedure. This will usually disappear when your treatment is finished. Patients who already experience extreme teeth sensitivity may not be good candidates for teeth whitening as the solutions may cause increased irritation of the teeth. If this is your situation ask your dentist about the benefits of desensitizing treatment prior to brightening your teeth. If you have periodontal disease, your gums may also be sensitive to this procedure.

If your teeth suffer from a brown/grayish stain or have mottling from previous tetracycline or flouride treatment, bleaching won’t be the treatment of choice. Teeth with these pre-existing conditions bleach unevenly. A better option to discuss with your dentist is cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneers.

Bleaching will not change the color of your existing fillings, crowns, caps, or bonding. If the majority of your teeth are restored with these procedures, you may want to consult with your dentist about replacing or veneering over these restorations.

Find out the condition of your dental health by seeing an Orange dentist or Santa Monica dentist today for an evaluation!