If you’re tired of looking at yellowed, reddish-yellow, or grayish-colored teeth, you have three options for whitening your teeth. You may book professional teeth whitening in your dentist’s office, you may purchase a professional-grade take-home teeth whitening kit from your dentist, or you may use over-the-counter whitening products such as toothpaste or whitening strips. So, are all whitening treatments created equal? No. Here’s everything you need to know about whitening your teeth.
What Causes Teeth To Turn Yellow?
First things first. Most natural teeth are not gleaming white. However, the degree of underlying yellow, red, or gray tones varies significantly from person to person. Even excellent oral hygiene habits, including twice daily brushing, daily flossing, and regular dental exams, can’t compete with genetics. If your parents have yellow teeth, you’re more likely to have yellow teeth.
Secondly, time causes teeth to be yellow. So, if your teeth used to be whiter, and you’ve noticed they are turning yellow as you age, that’s because the enamel on the teeth thins over time. The dentin under the enamel is yellow or brown, and as the enamel wears, the dentin begins to show through.
Thirdly, years of eating and drinking causes staining. Foods such as tomato sauces, berries, and even balsamic vinegar can lead to staining, which eventually makes the teeth appear yellow. Coffee and wine are also among the top teeth-staining foods.
Finally, cigarette smoking is a leading cause of yellow or brown teeth. If you are a former smoker or still smoke, you’re likely to have yellow teeth.
Which Type of Teeth Whitening is Best?
Of the three options for whitening your teeth, the most effective, which also happens to provide immediate results, is in-office whitening provided by your dentist. In-office whitening such as the SinSational Smile procedure provides excellent results in less than an hour. Moreover, a take-home touch-up pen is included, allowing you to extend your results.
Sinsational Smile is an alternative to other in-office whitening procedures that offers benefits such as:
- Faster treatment time
- Less tooth sensitivity compared to other bleaching techniques
- Lower cost than other in-office whitening treatments
- Eco-friendly certified
If you prefer to whiten your teeth at home, a take-home kit from your dentist will be the second-best type of teeth whitening. These are cheaper than in-office treatments, but provide better results than over-the-counter whitening strips, toothpaste, or other treatments.
Over-the-counter products are the least effective. Whitening strips, scrubs, toothpaste, or other treatments may brighten your smile a little bit. However, you shouldn’t expect impressive results from over-the-counter products. They simply don’t contain enough of the active whitening ingredients to brighten your teeth significantly.
Is Everyone Eligible for Teeth Whitening?
Unfortunately, teeth whitening won’t work for all types of discoloration. For example, exceptionally gray teeth, due to a tooth injury, or tooth death, will not respond to teeth whitening. Likewise, teeth that are stained due to certain medications, do not respond to teeth whitening.
Teeth that have dental restorations will also not respond to whitening. So, if you have dental crowns, fillings, or bonding on any of your visible teeth, whitening won’t work. But other options may be available. For example, if you have stained teeth, but aren’t eligible for whitening, your dentist may be able to provide you with dental veneers, to brighten your smile.
Affordable Teeth Whitening in Brooklyn and Pomona NY
A & R Advanced Dental Group provides effective cosmetic dentistry treatments, including in-office teeth whitening, and dental-grade take-home teeth whitening kits. To learn more, or to book an appointment, contact us today.