Teeth Whitening – Clute, TX

What Is Teeth Whitening?

The teeth whitening process may be a series of different methods that can give you whiter teeth by getting rid of surface stains and underlying issues. Dental teeth whitening can get rid of tooth discoloration and give you whiter teeth, which drastically improves your overall aesthetic appearance, which, in turn, can also make you feel a lot more confident about your smile. In-office teeth whitening procedures are also minimally invasive. However, you should note that you may need to return for periodic teeth whitening sessions to maintain your pearly whites.

What Causes Tooth Discoloration?

To understand what causes tooth discoloration, you have to understand why your teeth appear white to begin with. The natural color, or the appearance of teeth, occurs because of three reasons — the color of the dentin under the enamel (the external layer of the teeth), the way light scatters over the enamel, and the number of pores in the enamel.

The smoothness of the enamel determines how light scatters over its surface, which gives way to the external color. The thinness of the enamel determines how much of the underlying dentin can be seen — if it is too thick then you can’t see the dentin, and if it’s too thin then you can see the dentin. Finally, if you have a lot of pores on your enamel, they’re more likely to get stained. All of these various factors come together to determine the color of your teeth.

Out of these various factors, you can’t control how thick, thin, or smooth your enamel is because it’s completely genetic. However, your enamel may pick up stains and retain them for many different reasons. The following are some of the most common causes of tooth discoloration:

• Diet: Tooth discoloration occurs faster if you have a diet that’s high on tannin such as red wine, or if you consume a lot of tea and coffee. All of these beverages leave stains that persist.
• Smoking: You may already be aware of this one but it’s worth repeating. Smoking is one of the most common causes of tooth discoloration.
• Medical Issues: Tooth discoloration doesn’t just happen because of bad habits, but it may also happen because of medical issues and even treatments. For example, asthma and high blood pressure medicines have been known to cause tooth discoloration and staining.
• Poor Oral Hygiene: Poor oral hygiene is one of the most common culprits of tooth discoloration. To prevent staining of teeth, you should brush at least twice a day, floss regularly to get rid of food stuck between your teeth, and also, rinse your mouth with a fluoride solution. Poor oral hygiene also leads to the formation of plaque and tartar.
• Age: As previously mentioned, the thinness of the enamel determines how much of the underlying dentin is visible. The thickness of enamel depends on genetic factors and age. As you grow older, your enamel grows thinner, which makes your teeth look more yellow.
• Underlying Tooth Discoloration: As a child, you may be exposed to extreme fluoride or there may have been tetracycline antibiotics consumed during your mother’s pregnancy. These factors lead to tooth discoloration under the surface, which is a lot more difficult to get rid of.

Teeth Whitening Process

As you can see, tooth discoloration can occur for many different reasons. As such, there are different methods with which you can solve those teeth whitening problems that address the root cause directly. The following are the different teeth whitening processes available at Woodshore Family Dentistry:

Teeth Bleaching

This is the most popular and simplest teeth whitening procedure. The dentist will simply apply teeth whitening gel that consists of a bleaching and whitening compound made of hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. This is a material that can remove all the surface stains from your enamel. If your tooth discoloration is only caused by surface stains through the consumption of coffee, tea, or smoking, then teeth bleaching should be enough for you. However, teeth bleaching can’t get rid of deeper underlying stains.

Laser Teeth Whitening

Laser teeth whitening is a process that uses laser energy and the latest technologies — it’s the best way to whiten teeth. During this whitening process, the dentist will apply a liquid rubber dam to protect your gums from the laser energy. Next, the dentist applies some teeth whitening gel and then uses laser energy that can catalyze the effects of the teeth whitening gel and make them work faster. While the teeth whitening process also only treats surface stains, it’s a lot more effective than teeth bleaching.

Zoom! Teeth Whitening

Zoom! teeth whitening is one of the most effective methods to deal with tooth discoloration of the enamel or dentin. During this in-office treatment, the dentist uses a Zoom Advanced Power Chairside Lamp to enhance the process and activate 25% hydrogen peroxide whitening. The lamp breaks down the hydrogen peroxide so that oxygen can enter the enamel and dentin to provide perfect teeth whitening. The whole procedure generally concludes within an hour.

Learn More About Zoom Teeth Whitening

Are There Any Negative Side Effects of Teeth Whitening?

Most peroxide-based teeth whitening solutions and in-office teeth whitening treatments are completely safe. You may experience some side effects like tooth sensitivity and slight irritation, but these are usually temporary. You should only opt for professional teeth whitening procedures to minimize the risk of side effects completely.