Teeth Whitening

Dentists offer a variety of teeth whitening products from professional strength whitening strips to in-office laser whitening. Many dentists offer take home whitening trays with a whitening gel that is worn from 15 minutes to several hours a day, typically for one to two weeks. Recently, new products have been introduced which help decrease the gum and tooth sensitivity that some whitening patients experience.

Teeth whitening works on natural tooth enamel and cannot whiten existing tooth colored fillings or crowns. Patients often choose to whiten their teeth prior to other dental treatment such as veneers and crowns. Dental restorations can be created to match the color of the newly whitened surrounding teeth.

Teeth whitening may need to be repeated every few months depending upon personal eating and drinking habits. Drinking soda, tea, dark wine and coffee can lead to the need for a touch up. Smoking and eating certain colorful foods such as blueberries also can cause the need for repeated whitening. One advantage of home whitening trays over in office whitening procedures is the less expensive option to buy whitening gel refills for these touch ups.