Teeth Whitening
Yellow, dingy, discolored teeth are an embarrassing reality for many people. Every time they look in a mirror or see themselves in a photo, all they can focus on is the color of their teeth. At Natural Smiles in Louisville, KY, Dr. Kiran Gill offers powerful professional teeth-whitening treatments to lift those dark stains and leave you with a shining, white smile.
Causes of Stained Teeth
Most adult teeth erupt as white teeth but constant use of your teeth contributes to a change in color, even if you brush and floss carefully every day. A tiny amount of food and drink gets stuck in the miniscule grooves on your teeth with each meal. While this is hardly noticeable at first, as the years pass, the stains build up and darken your teeth. People who enjoy coffee, wine, tea, soda, berries, curries, tomato sauce, and tobacco are at an even greater risk of developing darkened teeth.
Types of Professional Teeth Whitening
There are all types of over-the-counter whitening products available, from toothpastes to gels, white strips to pens. Your investment in a professional teeth whitening is money better spent. Though many DIY treatments can slough off some surface stains, they don’t have the bleaching power of your dentist’s whitening materials to truly get into the teeth and transform their color.
At Natural Smiles, we offer two types of professional teeth whitening systems, both powerful, effective, and long-lasting:
- ZOOM! teeth whitening: In ZOOM! whitening, a concentrated gel is applied to every tooth and a special laser is used to activate the whitening agent in the gel. Desensitizing gel is used to protect the gums from any discomfort during the treatment, a benefit that is not possible with DIY systems. This whitening method takes only about one hour to complete in the office and can make teeth up to eight shades whiter. If necessary, the treatment can be repeated until the optimum shade of white is reached.
- KöR teeth whitening: KöR is an at-home and in-office teeth whitening combo that begins with customized trays for the patient. Once these whitening trays are ready, patients are sent home with the trays and bleaching agent. The trays are worn every night for two weeks, usually while sleeping. You’ll notice a change during this process, but the real magic will happen when you visit your dentist for the in-office whitening which brings out the fully whitened teeth.
How to Keep Teeth White After a Whitening Treatment
Whether you get ZOOM! or KöR whitening, the most important thing to do to maintain the results is take care of your teeth:
- Choose foods wisely: Most tooth stains come from food and drink. You can eat the dark foods and beverages you like, but rinse your mouth and brush afterward to keep stains from settling in.
- Maintain good oral hygiene: Brush twice a day and floss at least once a day to keep your teeth as clean as possible.
- Visit your dentist: Even though you take good care of your teeth at home, you should see your dentist every six months for a teeth cleaning and dental exam. This ensures the quality of your oral health and allows you to get a polishing and brighten your whitened teeth even more.
- Do whitening maintenance: After a whitening treatment, patients are given take-home trays and whitening gel to use at home for periodic touchups.
If you are ready for a cosmetic dentistry treatment and to show everyone a bright, white smile, call Natural Smiles in Louisville, KY today at 502-893-5225 or use our convenient online form.
Are You a Good Candidate for Professional Teeth Whitening?
If you don’t qualify for this type of cosmetic dentistry treatment, don’t despair. You aren’t destined to live with unsightly teeth forever. Other cosmetic dentistry procedures can make all the difference in your smile and porcelain veneers, dental crowns, and dental bonding are just some of the ways you can transform your teeth from dull to white. Schedule a consultation with Dr. Gill first to find out where you stand. Your smile makeover may only be one teeth whitening away.