One of the easiest and least invasive ways to improve your smile is with teeth whitening. It boosts not only your appearance but also your self-esteem. You’ll be ready to greet the world more confidently with a bright, white smile.
Even if you practice good oral hygiene like brushing and flossing, your teeth yellow with age and everyday habits. Consuming dark foods like coffee, tea, wine, colas and berries eventually make your smile yellow and dull. There are a number of popular approaches to restoring your pearly whites.
If you are looking for fast and dramatic results, professional whitening offered in an office setting is ideal. This method contains higher levels of the whitening solution, more than approved for use at home, so professionals are able to eliminate tougher stains and achieve brighter results. Often special lights are used to accelerate the process. Patients with highly sensitive teeth may not be suited for these methods due to discomfort during treatment, although precautions can be taken to lessen sensitivity. Treatment is complete in as little as one hour, although those with very severe stains might require multiple treatments for desired results.
An option for whitening at home is supervised at-home treatments. This involves wearing a customized tray that covers your teeth yet minimizes contact with your gums. A solution made up of lesser levels of peroxide than used in an office is placed inside the tray for you to wear for a period of time or overnight. Sensitive patients may be given fluoride to reduce discomfort. Supervised at-home whitening usually produces results in one to two weeks.
The least expensive option is using over-the-counter whitening products available at your local drugstore. These contain the lowest levels of peroxide, therefore requiring consistent use and patience while your teeth whiten. It can take from a few weeks up to several months to achieve results, and you’ll also need to repeat the process more often than stronger methods. Follow the directions carefully to make sure you don’t damage your teeth or gums. Trays, strips, gels and pens are common choices for at-home products to try.
Your smile can be brilliant through teeth whitening. The method is up to you.