Achieving a brighter smile is one of the most common dental goals, with more than half of Americans saying they’re insecure about the shade of their teeth.[1] There are many options for tooth whitening in Albion, and take-home kits from your dentist are one of the most effective. Here are some tips to make the most of tooth whitening.
What Is Professional At-Home Tooth Whitening?
At-home tooth whitening is a cosmetic dentistry option that lets you enjoy professional results in the comfort of your home. The treatment uses custom trays filled with clinical-strength hydrogen peroxide gel to provide powerful whitening. The custom trays offer a better fit, ensuring coverage and comfort compared to off-the-shelf solutions.
This whitening action is highly effective at removing extrinsic stains, which affect the tooth’s outer layers and come from food, drink, and other sources. However, they don’t address intrinsic stains, which affect the tooth’s inner layers and are typically related to injury or as a side-effect of certain medications.
You’ll have to visit your dentist to discuss whitening options to determine whether professional at-home tooth whitening is right for you. From there, they’ll make the custom trays and determine the appropriate whitening gel concentration and duration of treatment to achieve your goals. You’ll use the trays at home for around half an hour daily for one to two weeks.
Watch Out for Hot or Cold Food or Drink Right After
One of the top concerns about whitened teeth is the increased tooth sensitivity. Tooth sensitivity after whitening is not prevalent for everyone, though it may be an issue for some people. This is particularly true for professional whitening, which uses a more powerful whitening agent.
Immediately after using your whitening strips, avoiding particularly hot, cold, sweet, or acidic food or drink is best. These can potentially irritate teeth during the period of increased sensitivity.
Keep Up Your Regular Oral Hygiene Routine
Tooth whitening treatment is not a replacement for your regular oral hygiene routine. Remember to keep up with your routine during your treatment, including brushing and flossing twice daily. This is vital to ensure continued protection against tooth decay, gum disease, and other oral health issues, but also to help support your whitening results.
Regular brushing helps stop stains from taking hold, so keep up with your routine to help the whitening process. You don’t want additional discoloration from plaque, bits of food, and other contaminants marring the process of your at-home tooth whitening.
Avoid Any Food or Drink That Might Cause Stains
Certain foods and drinks cause stains more so than others. Some of the most common offenders include coffee, tea, soda, and wine. Various fruit juices can also stain, as can fruits themselves, particularly berries. Acidic food such as tomato sauce is another potential cause of stains.
Avoid eating these foods and drinks during the whitening treatment. You should also avoid them for at least two days or up to a week afterward, as the freshly whitened teeth are more susceptible to staining. To maximize how long your smile stays bright, you should minimize your consumption of these foods and drinks to protect natural tooth enamel.
Avoid Using Any Tobacco Products
The best medical advice is to avoid using any tobacco products at all. They have a devastating effect on both your oral and overall health. However, using tobacco products during or after your at-home whitening can quickly leave your teeth stained and yellow again. Quitting for good would be best, but avoid tobacco after tooth whitening to avoid stains.
Get Started With At-Home Tooth Whitening in Albion
At-home professional teeth whitening is an excellent option for a noticeably brighter smile, and these tips will help you make the most of your results. If you’re interested in brightening your smile, you can visit Albion Family Dental for professional at-home tooth whitening in Albion that delivers stunning results. Book your appointment today. Call at (585) 589-9044.
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[1] https://nypost.com/2019/01/24/more-than-half-of-americans-feel-insecure-about-their-teeth/