O'Fallon Family & Cosmetic Dentist » teeth whitening

If You Invest in Teeth Whitening, Don’t Do This!

jt — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:28:29 +0000

Time has revealed professional teeth whitening to be a safe, conservative and effective way to improve smiles. A dental health professional has access to the most successful treatment options when it comes to bleaching one’s teeth. Additionally, dentists have the knowledge and training to provide the most up-to-date information on which products and procedures are helpful or potentially harmful. Dentists can advise patients on which teeth may not be treated effectively by whitening, including areas of decay and existing tooth-colored restorations. Adequate instruction from the health care provider arms the patient with the facts which lead to the greatest results.

During the bleaching process patients should abstain from activities that inhibit maximum teeth whitening from taking place. While the opening of the dental tubules created by the whitening agent allows stain to be pulled from the teeth, it also permits stain to infiltrate the teeth. Therefore, the less exposure a patient has to these staining elements during the bleaching process, the whiter the teeth may become. Specifically, in the hours following exposure to the bleaching agent, patients should avoid food and drinks with heavily staining capabilities. Included in this category are blueberries, tea, coffee and red wine. Smoking during this process will naturally limit the effectiveness of the teeth whitening product as well. Also, it is advisable to avoid alcohol based mouth rinses while whitening your teeth because they can cause the whitening agent to be less effective.

Teeth Whitening in O’Fallon, MO

jt — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 19:49:24 +0000

Teeth whitening is a very simple procedure that can produce remarkable results. When you choose whitening in our office, we will take a quick impression of your teeth to make custom-molded trays. The trays are worn with a whitening solution for 15 minutes a day for up to two weeks. The solution comes with a rinse which removes residual whitening agent helping to alleviate teeth and gum sensitivity that are sometimes associated with whitening. While over the counter whitening tray products have flooded the market, professional teeth whitening products provide a stronger whitening agent. It is important to have your teeth and gums examined by a dentist to detect any problems that may cause greater sensitivity or difficulty with teeth whitening.

Personal habits like smoking, drinking wine, and eating certain foods can effect how long the whitening lasts. Teeth whitening works on natural tooth enamel and will not whiten areas that may need new restorations like areas of decay, old fillings or crowns. These areas can be treated with new restorations that will match the surrounding teeth that have been whitened.

Many patients have taken advantage of our Lifetime Whitening Program. For an enrollment fee of half the usual cost of whitening your teeth once, we will make your custom-fit whitening trays and then give you new whitening gel at every recall appointment, as long as you remain a patient in good standing. Ask about it the next time you are in the office or call today to make an appointment for whitening trays.

8 Steps to Your Whitest Smile

jt — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 15:53:58 +0000

Tooth color is effected by many factors, including your genes and the aging process. While you cannot control your genetic make-up or stop yourself from aging, there are several steps you can take to keep your teeth their whitest.

1. Eliminate tobacco use.

2. Limit your intake of coffee, tea and soda. It is common for people to sip these beverages throughout their entire day exposing teeth to these stain causing agents for hours at a time. A better practice is to drink one or two servings and then brush afterwards rather than exposing your teeth to these beverages throughout the day. Cold liquids can be sipped through a straw to better protect teeth’s exposure.

3. Brush after eating dark berries, soy sauce and curry. Dark berries like blueberries are wonderful for your overall health so I would not advise eliminating these foods.

4. Limit your intake of wine. Red wine is a known culprit of teeth staining, but recent studies have shown that white wine can also effect tooth color by wearing down the enamel.

5. Brush your teeth after every meal and after consuming stain causing foods.

6. Floss your teeth daily. Teeth can display a great deal of staining at their edges where teeth meet. This is due to a build-up of plaque that can be avoided by flossing between teeth.

7. Have your teeth professionally cleaned at least twice a year.

8. If you are concerned about the color of your teeth, talk to your dentist about safe and effective teeth whitening options.