Teeth whitening in Tampa Bay area

Teeth whitening is a popular elective dental procedure and a common aesthetic treatment for anyone looking to improve their smile’s appearance in a non-invasive manner.

When considering teeth whitening in Tampa Bay area, you have two essential choices for getting it done: in-office or at-home. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages.

Both teeth whitening options utilize peroxide-based teeth bleaching agents. In-office teeth bleaching systems have between around 15 percent and 43 percent peroxide, while at-home teeth bleaching systems have around 3 percent to 20 percent peroxide.

In general, your teeth will become increasingly whiter the longer one of these solutions remains on your teeth. However, the greater the concentration of peroxide contained in a teeth whitening treatment, the less time it should spend on your teeth. The longer you keep a whitening treatment on your teeth, the more it will dehydrate your teeth and heighten teeth sensitivity.

Therefore, before you attempt to use any tooth-bleaching or tooth-whitening kit at home, make sure you speak with your teeth bleaching dentist in Tampa Bay area. Not every person using at-home teeth whiteners will achieve satisfactory results. You can’t use teeth whitening, for instance, to whiten tooth-colored composite bondings or porcelain crowns.

Call us at Florida Dental Centers Bradenton today to schedule a consultation about professional teeth whitening services in our Tampa Bay area cosmetic dentistry office.

In-Office Teeth Whitening in Tampa Bay area

Teeth whitening performed by an actual teeth bleaching dentist can deliver brighter teeth quicker. The dentist will likely use a much stronger bleaching solution than you can find in any at-home teeth bleaching kit. Your dentist may also use light and/or heat to amplify the whitening process in both intensity and speed.

In the most effective of cases, teeth can get between three and eight shades whiter and brighter than they were before. To achieve this typically takes a few in-office dental visits lasting approximately a half hour to an hour apiece. Certain techniques, however, allow dentists to perform the entire procedure in a single, two-hour session. While the in-office teeth bleaching cost can vary, it generally depends on the brand used and the number of follow up appointments you decide to have.

At-Home Teeth Whitening Options

You have several options for whitening your teeth at home. Among the most common teeth whitening products are:

• Teeth whitening gels and strips – You apply these peroxide-based products directly to your teeth using a thin strip or a brush, typically once or twice per day for 10 days to two weeks, and results can last for four months or longer.
• Tray-based systems – With tray-based teeth-bleaching systems, you fill a tray that’s similar to a mouth guard with a peroxide-based teeth bleaching paste or gel and place it over your teeth for at least one hour and up to a few hours per day for up to one month. You can either purchase these over the counter or have your dentist custom fit one for you.
• Teeth whitening toothpastes – Since all toothpastes are mildly abrasive, they each help to remove tooth stains, but whitening toothpastes contain additional polishing agents designed to scrub stains off of teeth with no need for an additional bleaching agent. These are more expensive than normal toothpastes and can whiten teeth by approximately a single shade.

Keeping Your Teeth White

Regardless of how you get your teeth whiter and brighter, whether you have a dentist do it or you do your own teeth whitening at home, your next challenge is to help maintain that whiteness and brightness you just achieved. To help with that, brush and floss your teeth and rinse your mouth with an antiseptic mouth rinse every day. Also, stay away from acidic foods and beverages and those rich in tannins, like:

• Coffee and black teas
• Red and white wines
• Light and dark-colored sodas and other carbonated beverages
• Sports drinks
• Foods with strong colors, like berries
• Sauces, such as marinara, curry and soy

Why Should You Speak to Your Dentist About Tooth Whitening?

Tooth whitening can cause temporary tooth sensitivity or, if your teeth are already sensitive, discomfort. If you don’t use at-home teeth bleaching kits properly, they can lead you to temporarily bleach, and even burn, your gums.

Teeth bleaching is generally most effective for those with yellowed teeth, while it’s not typically as successful for those with browned teeth. For purple or gray teeth, whitening is unlikely to work at all.

To find out how you can benefit from teeth whitening, give us a call at Florida Dental Centers Bradenton.