Teeth Whitening

The human teeth are not only responsible for chewing or grinding food particles. It is also the gateway to a perfect smile. Horizontal alignment, ideal symmetry, perfect gum line, and most importantly, purity in teeth are considered the features of a good set of teeth.

A good set of teeth can drastically improve the physical appearance and overall confidence of a person. This is why millions of people are searching for methods and products that can permanently whiten their teeth.

But what is teeth whitening, and what does it mean to get teeth whitened? Teeth whitening is the bleaching or whitening of human teeth. This can be performed by applying chemicals like hydrogen peroxide or natural products like turmeric on the teeth to brighten their color. Here is what you must know about tooth whitening and how dental specialists can make a difference in this process in Tarpon Springs, FL.

Types of Teeth Stains

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Teeth stains are caused by eating some types of food produced, smoking, or poor dental hygiene. Certain foods like curry and tomato-based sauces, wines, coffees, and teas contain chemicals that can permanently stain the teeth. There are majorly two types of stains that appear on human teeth.

Intrinsic stains are teeth stains that occur earlier at birth and become more obvious during infant teeth development. Some of the causes of intrinsic tooth stains are tooth aging, antibiotics or other medications, dental problems, and dental traumas like injuries.

Intrinsic stains on the teeth are difficult to remove through normal dental methods like teeth debridement. They require extra effort before they can be removed. Extrinsic stains are teeth stains caused by biological and environmental factors such as ingesting food products with highly colored compounds. Foods like processed drinks, red wines, and coffees are foods with high-colored compounds.

Extrinsic stains can be removed easily with dental methods like micro-abrasive instruments. Brushing the teeth with silica gel toothpaste can also remove some extrinsic teeth stains.

What Causes Teeth Staining

Here are a few factors that cause teeth staining in Tarpon Springs, FL.

  • Trauma or injury: Injuries that affect the facial region can also affect the teeth. This can cause damage to the nerve endings supplying oxygen and nutrients to the teeth. Due to this, the impacted teeth received little to no nutrients. This causes discoloration to the teeth.
  • Age: As an individual age, so do the teeth. This is because the teeth are a semipermeable membrane that absorbs a lot of colored compounds. The teeth become yellow throughout the years of eating and with little or no maintenance involved, the teeth become yellow.
  • Food produces: 90% of the foods eaten by people contain a high concentration of colored compounds. Foods like tea, packaged drinks like juice, processed drinks, beers, alcohols, tea, and sauces contain many colored compounds. These compounds can be easily absorbed by the teeth, thereby causing discoloration.
  • Smoking: Smoking tobacco and cannabis can affect the color of the teeth. This is because nicotine leaves a brownish stain behind after consistent usage. Years and years of smoking nicotine cause a buildup of these stains, which causes teeth discoloration.
  • Antibiotics: Some antibiotics like tetracycline can affect the teeth’ color when certain people use them. The excessive usage of fluorine can also cause faint marks of stains on the teeth.

Teeth Whitening Methods
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Different dental methods will help in teeth whitening. Your dentist in the cosmetic dentistry segment will recommend a suitable dental treatment depending on the severity of your discoloration. Some teeth whitening procedures must be performed by a professional dentist who understands cosmetic dentistry, while some can be DIY.

Some dental procedures that a dentist in the can perform cosmetic dentistry segment include:

In-Office Teeth Whitening Method

This dental whitening method involves the use of chemicals like carbamide peroxide to bleach the discolored teeth. This breaks down into hydrogen peroxide inside the mouth. The gum is protected with a protective layer to avoid burns and injuries. A professional dentist and hygienist can only perform these whitening procedures. The procedure can lighten the teeth up to 8 shades in one hour.

Light-accelerated bleaching

This bleaching method uses the power of light rays to lighten the teeth. LEDs and halogen lights are examples of light used in the laboratory to whiten teeth. This procedure increases teeth sensitivity and is said to be less effective than the average teeth whitening procedure. People who have undergone this bleaching method are advised to avoid foods with high-colored compounds for one week. This is because the teeth absorb the stain faster after this procedure.

Inner bleaching

Some teeth discoloration is caused by faulty nerves that do not supply blood, oxygen, and nutrients. This method of bleaching is for these types of teeth. An endodontist performs this procedure. The affected tooth or tooth nerves are extracted, and other dental procedures are performed afterward to get it whitened.

Other Teeth Whitening Procedures

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These are a few of the tooth-whitening products that do not require a dental professional.

Opalescence Go Take-home teeth whitening kit

These take-home teeth whitening kits are pre-filled disposable trays. They contain potassium nitrate and fluorine that have been proven to reduce teeth sensitivity and strengthen the enamel. The combination of these two compounds can help support the overall health of the teeth. This product promises a whiter smile within a week of consistent usage.

Zoom Teeth Whitening

This is another take-home whitening product that promises a whitening effect. The dentist creates a custom tray for your teeth. You then use the teeth trays with the zoom whitening agent. This is done by filling the zoom whitening agent inside the custom trays and wearing it for as long as four hours or as directed by the dentist. You may start to see results after two weeks of consistent usage.

Teeth Whitening Rinses

Teeth Whitening rinses are chemical compounds that help in lightening the human teeth’ color. It works when the reaction of oxygen sources within the teeth whitening rinse and the chromogens within the tooth occurs. Dentists recommend the daily use of whitening rinse to see results.

Abrasive Toothpaste

There is toothpaste specifically made to remove discoloration from teeth. This toothpaste contains more concentration of silica gel, abrasives and teeth whitening compounds. With continual use, it has been found to increase the whiteness of teeth.

Baking soda

Millions of people swear by baking soda. It has been used with countless products to whiten teeth. It is a strong abrasive that can easily shred colored components on the teeth. It can be used alone or with compounds like turmeric, lemon, charcoal, or combined with normal toothpaste. Of course, many people will choose to go with the professional option and see a dental professional in Tarpon Springs because they desire the ability to lighten teeth as part of a more holistic dental care process. Those who can work with a whitening gel to obtain whiter teeth in a dental office seek to ensure overall radiant health.

That means that these individuals prefer a safe alternative by going to the dentist’s office to get their Hollywood smile in a relatively inexpensive way. The dental professional would know about the whitening process and offer dental services that provide cosmetic help and functional health. The functional health will revolve around cleanings, cavity procedures, fillings, and other elements that help you preserve your teeth for the long term.

Of course, the dentist would know about bleaching techniques and other elements to offer an especially white smile, but they will also ensure to take care of the foundations of good oral care for the best results.

Teeth Whitening Cost

Depending on the severity of your teeth discoloration, teeth whitening can vary from product to product. A standard in-office teeth whitening procedure cost can vary based on your dental insurance as well. This is because they require the service of an expert. They are also more effective and promise results quickly.

Take-home kits like zoom and opalescence cost around $75 to $500. They require consistent usage and promise results within five days of usage. They are also expensive procedures and could be more costly in the long run if mistakes are made. Over-the-counter and DIY products cost around $5-$75. They are cheaper, and their results take a longer time to show.

How to Take Care of Your Teeth

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Brush your teeth with fluoride-rich toothpaste at least twice daily to remove buildup and plagues. Ensure a consistent visit to the dentist for regular check-ups. Invest in teeth whitening products even if you don’t have teeth discolorations. Avoid smoking as they cause nicotine buildup in the teeth. Eat food rich in calcium to strengthen the teeth.

Reach Out To Us To Take Advantage of Our Dental Bleaching in Tarpon Springs

Whitening is a very conservative method of improving your smile. We, Tarpon Dental, offer ZOOM In-office whitening, and you can get immediate results with very little time. Touch-up home whitening can also help with keeping up your nice, bright white smile. We all drink and eat things that cause our teeth to discolor with time.

We understand the importance of perfect teeth and the subconscious impact it has on American culture. But we also know that the drive to obtain whiter teeth can also help drive better oral care. If you look to take advantage of the best oral care and seek treatments for your teeth, reach out to us today.

Our office hours Monday through Friday will certainly meet your needs, and we are always happy to welcome new patients. Reach out today to set an appointment and obtain the best oral care in the Tarpon Springs area. Call our office at (727) 937-4285 for a cosmetic consultation to see if teeth whitening is right for you.