Teeth naturally darken as we age, but other factors can contribute to the discoloration of your smile.The food and drink you consume, the medications you take, and your genetics affect the color of your teeth. However, you can improve the color of your smile with teeth whitening products, and the good news is that you have options.
You can find over-the-counter (OTC) whitening treatments are available at most local grocery stores or pharmacies. Your options include the following:
These products are cost-effective but work slowly and may take a long time to reach your desired results. Many of these OTC options do not target the discoloration that sits under the enamel. Toothpastes contain abrasives that scratch the surface and rinses and pens lack the contact time to make a significant difference in the color of your teeth.
Professional teeth whitening is the ideal choice when you want to see immediate results. A peroxide-based solution gets applied to your teeth by a trained dental professional. The solution remains on your teeth while a special blue light activates the ingredients. Most patients see more dramatic results compared to OTC products or other at-home kits.
Many dentists offer their patients at-home custom teeth whitening kits as an alternative to in-office treatments. These kits contain professional-grade whitening products for the patient to use on their own time at home. However, the dentist provides a whitening routine that should be followed and will include a timeline and number of treatments to achieve the desired shade.
At-home whitening kits require customized trays that fit your unique upper and lower teeth. These trays hold the gel while you wear them for the designated time daily.
At Pinnacle Dental, we want all of our patients to love their smiles. We provide a number of teeth whitening options, including in-office treatment and custom take home trays containing professional strength whitening gel. The most effective tooth whitening solution is our in-office treatment that gets to the root of the problem, so Contact us today to schedule your consultation!
