How can I whiten my teeth?
Our patients often ask us about teeth whitening products and keeping their teeth white between dental cleaning visits. It is also important to point out some ingredients and products that are dangerous for your teeth.
At Middle Georgia Family Dentistry, we provide professional teeth whitening services using medically safe ingredients with scientifically-proven effectiveness.
Understand Your Best Teeth Whitening Options
Professional teeth whitening contains a combination of peroxide (hydrogen or carbamide) mixed with stabilizing ingredients and a gel component to help the whitening material stay on the teeth during the application. The key differences between professional teeth whitening and over-the-counter products are 1) solution strength, 2) added ingredients to reduce sensitivity and 3) effectiveness.
Our dentists can answer any questions you may have about whitening your teeth and assist you if you have dark staining that requires ‘deep bleaching’ (common with some childhood medications).
Learn more about professional teeth whitening services at Middle Georgia Family Dentistry.
Prevention of Teeth Stains
After your teeth have been cleaned and polished, they have that smooth, fresh feeling and look great. Taking steps to minimize teeth staining can help keep them looking their best between dental visits:
- It sounds like the same old dental lecture, but brushing your teeth twice a day for 2 minutes can help keep your teeth clean and free from plaque buildup that can increase the likelihood of staining. Use a cooking timer or your phone to time yourself; most of us are not brushing as long as we should.
- Flossing at least once per day also helps to prevent staining between teeth and avoid unsightly gum recession associated with periodontal disease.
- Foods and beverages that can stain teeth include tea, colas, coffee, wine, beets, tomatoes or dark berries to name a few. After you consume these, rinse with plain water or brush your teeth to minimize staining.
- If you smoke or use chewing tobacco, please talk to your doctor about ways to quit. Tobacco leaves heavy brown stains on teeth and is extremely hazardous for your health.
Over the Counter Teeth Whitening
There are countless products available for do-it-yourself teeth whitening. Because they can be vastly different, we do not recommend over the counter teeth whitening products.
Teeth Whitening Toothpaste or Rinses
Rinses and whitening toothpastes are available that can help reduce stain buildup between dental cleanings. Be sure to ask our dentists and dental hygienists about which products to use; some contain abrasives that can wear tooth enamel and lead to sensitivity or damage tooth restorations such as dental bonding or veneers.
What NOT to Use for Teeth Whitening
There are a number of so-called whitening treatments that actually do not work at all and can potentially harm your teeth:
Charcoal Products
While activated charcoal works for your barbecue grill and has some application in air purification, it is not good for your teeth. Charcoal is highly abrasive and can damage tooth enamel, and can actually have a yellowing effect vs. whitening. Steer clear of any dental products that have charcoal ingredients.
Lemons or Lemon Juice
We love lemonade and, in general, have nothing against lemons. Lemons, however, should not be used for teeth whitening, as repeated exposure to citric acid can erode tooth enamel. In the past, dentists encountered a habit known as ‘lemon-sucking’; cases of patients that really liked lemons and would hold a slice behind their lower lip and suck on it. This habit can lead to severe enamel and dentin erosion, a painful and expensive condition to repair. The same applies to limes or other citrus fruits.
In moderate amounts, drinking citric juices is not harmful, especially if consumed during meals or followed by water to help dilute the effect of the citric acid on teeth.
Baking Soda
Brushing with a small amount of baking soda on occasion is generally not harmful to teeth. Baking soda is abrasive, however, so using it repeatedly over a period of time can harm tooth enamel. Ask your dentist or hygienist about using baking soda to brush your teeth.
Teeth Whitening Myths
If you see encounter a teeth whitening kiosk or non-dentist teeth whitening service at your hairdresser or the shopping mall, be aware of a few myths about teeth whitening:
MYTH: Tooth whitening can lighten the shade of existing dental work.
FACT: Teeth whitening does not whiten dental restorations, including crowns, bridges, tooth fillings or veneers. The shade of the tooth-colored materials used in dental work is not affected by teeth whitening.
MYTH: Non-dental vendors use the same whitening products that dentists use.
FACT: Teeth whitening solutions from non-dental sources are not the same as those prescribed by a licensed dentist. Our professional strength dental whitening products are available for purchase by dentists only.
MYTH: Lasers and lights can whiten teeth.
FACT: Lasers and lights alone cannot whiten teeth. Reputable professional teeth whitening products use lights to accelerate the effect of active ingredients in specially formulated materials available to dentists only.
Know When NOT to Whiten Your Teeth
The primary risk of receiving teeth whitening from a non-dentist vendor is simple: some patients should not whiten their teeth, or at least postpone whitening until after necessary dental treatment. Patients with dental decay, tooth infection or extremely sensitive teeth may develop tooth pain if the whitening ingredients come into contact with exposed tooth dentin or reach the nerve of the tooth through a decayed tooth or broken dental restoration.
Contact Our Dublin Dentists for Professional Teeth Whitening Services
We help our patients enjoy brighter smiles with professional teeth whitening products, every day. We would love to help you too! Please feel free to Contact Middle Georgia Family Dentistry if you have questions about teeth whitening.