A smile before and after whitening
Did you know that people who smile are considered to be more intelligent, attractive and trustworthy? It’s true! How amazing that you can say so much with a smile. That is, unless you don’t feel particularly confident about your teeth and wind up hiding your smile from other people. The good news is that even if you weren’t born with a perfectly white set of teeth, there are professional treatments that can brighten your smile and add confidence to your life. Below, a dentist in Hiram talks about how to whiten your teeth at home, as well as the best way to maintain your new smile.
How Does the Whitening Process Work?
A whitening treatment is a fast, easy way to take years off of your appearance. It can give you big results without a huge investment of time or money.
Here are the basic steps involved in using professional custom-made whitening trays:
- Schedule a consultation or ask about whitening at your next checkup. Your dentist will start by discussing your goals and will describe the whitening process in more detail.
- Next, you’ll have molds taken so that the trays will fit your teeth perfectly.
- You’ll return to pick up your trays and a supply of whitening gel. Usually, it takes about a week for the trays to be made. Your dentist will include instructions and answer any questions you may have.
- For about two weeks you’ll wear your trays each day for anywhere from 1- 4 hours (instructions can vary).
- It’s helpful to take a picture before you start so you can have a baseline color to compare your results. You can expect your teeth to be up to 10 shades whiter when you’re done!
How Can You Maintain Your White Color?
Once you’ve completed your initial teeth whitening in Hiram, you’ll want to maintain your results as long as possible. While people typically need to re-touch about once per year, that will depend on your diet and other factors.
Minimizing things like coffee, tea, and red wine will help keep your new smile at its brightest. It’s especially important to avoid these foods while you’re using your trays. The whitening gel will temporarily cause your teeth to be extra “porous,” making them extra prone to picking up stain.
Also, while a “whitening toothpaste” won’t actually whiten your teeth, it will help remove everyday surface stains.
Finally, some people will experience temporary cold-sensitivity while whitening. Using either a sensitivity formula or high-fluoride prescription toothpaste can help quite a bit. You can ask your dentist about these options at any point during your treatment.
With these tips, you’ll be on your way to having a whiter smile in no time. You may be surprised to see just how much a bright smile can bring to your life!
About the Author
Dr. Jack Bickford and Dr. Bobby Shirley firmly believe that a healthy, beautiful smile can give everyone more confidence. Through extensive continuing education, as well as active participation in various dental organizations, they strive to bring their patients the best of modern dentistry. They can be contacted for questions via their website, or at (770) 445-6606.
