As we age, our teeth will begin to become darker or discoloured due to the accumulation of stains from food, drinks, and tobacco. As a result, if you are one of the many people in Langley BC who feel their smile needs to be brighter, you should visit Langley Dental Centre for your teeth whitening treatment. Advances in cosmetic dentistry have provided dentists with the tools to restore and enhance your smile with fast and safe teeth whitening treatments. We provide our patients with the option of At-Home Teeth Whitening that is safe and effective when done under our dentists’ supervision.
Reasons for Teeth Discolouration
Even if you brush and floss twice a day and have your teeth cleaned twice a year, you may still end up with discoloured teeth. The reasons why your teeth lose their bright white colour can vary.
Your teeth can be discoloured if you consume food or drinks which can easily stain teeth enamel, such as coffee, wine, cola, curry, berries, or beetroot. It also goes without saying, that if you smoke or chew tobacco, you are most likely going to end up with brown and yellow nicotine-stained teeth. Unfortunately, as we age, the outer enamel of our teeth becomes thinner and the yellowish or darker dentin begins to show through more. There is also the possibility that certain medications, when used for prolonged periods of time, can affect the colour of our teeth. Such medications are antihistamines, antibiotics, high blood pressure medication, or chemotherapy.
Teeth Whitening Treatment
Teeth whitening treatments involve bleaching and special abrasives. Bleaching creates an oxidation reaction that breaks down the staining agents. Abrasives in whitening products are usually better and more effective versions of what is used in your toothpaste. These abrasives don’t normally have the potential to cause excessive tooth wear like breaching products, however, their effectiveness is only limited to surface stains.
Since it is recommended that you have healthy teeth and gums to undergo teeth whitening, you should consult with your dentist to make sure you are eligible for either teeth whitening procedure.
At-Home Teeth Whitening Treatment from Langley Dental Centre
At Langley Dental Centre, we provide our patients interested in teeth whitening with our At-Home Teeth Whitening treatment which usually requires two visits. On the first visit, your dentist will make impressions or molds of your teeth to make the custom clear plastic trays in which you will place the whitening solution. On the second visit, you try on the custom trays to check for proper fit – adjustments are made if necessary. In order to whiten your teeth, you will have to wear the trays with a special whitening solution either twice a day for 30 minutes or overnight for a couple of weeks. This duration depends on the degree of staining and the level of whitening desired.
Teeth whitening process involves a chemical reaction that penetrates the enamel of the teeth to bleach stains below the surface. The bleaching solution could consist of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide which work their way into the porous parts of the enamel to bleach stain deposits in the dentin. It is the same process you will experience during a teeth whitening treatment at a dental office where the whole process is sped up through the use of special lights that accelerate the bleaching process.
Over-The-Counter Teeth Whitening Kits
You can readily find over-the-counter teeth-whitening kits at your local drugstore or by ordering them online. They are usually easy to use, but they aren’t always the best option. If you do decide to use them, consult with your dentist first. After the consultation, it is likely that you will probably choose to have the whitening performed in the office or with a take-home kit from your dentist instead.
The issue with over-the-counter teeth-whitening kits is that the whitening agents they contain are not as strong as the products we can supply you. Consequently, you’ll have to expose your teeth to whitening chemicals over longer periods of time to achieve noticeable results. This means that your teeth could be damaged. Moreover, your dentist won’t really be involved in the process, which can lead to problems later.
Why Choose Langley Dental Centre for Your Teeth Whitening Treatment
If you’re planning on teeth whitening, we encourage you to consult with one of the leading dental professionals in Langley, BC, who can provide you with the information you need to make the best decision for you. Our staff can provide information on the kind of results you can expect from our teeth whitening technologies that help you make an informed choice. We also provide care instructions for your teeth and trays, during and after the teeth whitening procedure. Call us at (604) 455-6247 or contact us online if you have any questions about teeth whitening or any other cosmetic dental procedures.
