Teeth Whitening
It only takes a couple of hours of your time to make a difference in your appearance with in-office teeth whitening. At-home whitening is also available and offers the advantages of achieving even whiter smiles in the comfort of your own home. Thanh Lam, DDS FAGD, at North Rockville Dental specializes in helping you achieve a bright smile with advanced teeth whitening. Even difficult tetracycline stains can be whitened with the advanced Kor Whitening system. When you’re ready to eliminate embarrassing yellow or stained teeth, call the office in Rockville, Maryland, or book an appointment online.
Teeth Whitening Q & A
Where does tooth staining come from?
You can develop intrinsic staining that’s deeper in the tooth rather than at the surface. Age-related staining also occurs as enamel thins out and the inner pulp yellows over time.
The most common type of staining, however, occurs on the surface of your teeth from a variety of sources, such as:
Food and beverages with dark pigments
Coffee, tea, red wine, cranberry juice, soy sauce, and berries are just a few examples of products with dark pigments that stain your teeth by collecting in microscopic gaps in your enamel.
Acidic products
With frequent exposure, acidic foods and beverages gradually erode tooth enamel, creating an area susceptible to staining. Some of the most common culprits include soda, fruit juice, tomato sauce, energy drinks, and vinegar.
Tobacco products
Nicotine and tar cause yellow and brown staining whether they come from cigarettes, cigars, or chewing tobacco. These products also greatly increase the chances of developing oral cancer. At North Rockville Dental, we perform oral cancer screenings at every cleaning appointment.
What are the benefits of professional teeth whitening?
Although commercial teeth-whitening products may do the job if your staining is mild, professional whitening offers distinct benefits, such as:
Optimal and quick results
Dr. Lam uses bleaching agents that are more concentrated than those found in commercial teeth-whitening kits. Several over-the-counter treatments won’t produce the same degree of whitening you’ll achieve with a one-hour professional treatment or with custom made bleaching trays. Over-the-counter treatments also do nothing to mitigate sensitive teeth and gums and can sometimes exacerbate these conditions.
Gum protection
The bleaches in all whitening agents can irritate your gums, cheeks, and tongue, including those found in the less-concentrated products in your local pharmacy. Dr. Lam carefully protects your soft tissues using a dental barrier and a retractor that holds your lips and cheeks away from your teeth. The custom trays fabricated for at-home whitening fit tightly against the teeth to prevent the leaking of whitening agents onto the gums.
Why should I see a dentist before whitening my teeth?
It’s important to get a checkup prior to whitening for two reasons. First, Dr. Lam can determine whether your stains are inside your teeth rather than on the surface and can recommend specialized whitening to effectively remove the more difficult intrinsic stains. Surface stains can be removed with a thorough cleaning.
You’ll also want to have problems like cavities and cracked teeth repaired before whitening. They may allow the bleaching agent to get inside your teeth, causing pain and potentially worsening cavities. It is very common to have cavities and not feel any pain. By the time you can feel discomfort from a cavity it may be too late for a filling and a root canal treatment may be necessary.
When you’re ready for teeth whitening, call North Rockville Dental or book an appointment online.
