Dentistry: It's More Than Drilling and Filling

If you smoke, drink a lot of coffee, or do both, then your teeth may have yellow or dark stains on them. Smoking can cause your teeth to develop a yellow color while coffee can slowly cause dark stains to develop, even if you brush your teeth regularly. Fortunately, these types of stains respond well to teeth whitening procedures. For the best results when you want to whiten your teeth, you should have a treatment from your dentist. Here's why your dentist can provide better results than home treatments and a look at how whitening is done.

Why See Your Dentist For Teeth Whitening

While you may see results from using whitening toothpaste at home, your teeth may never get as white as they will when your dentist whitens your teeth in the office. Plus, using toothpaste is a slow process that whitens teeth gradually. If you want results in a hurry, then going to the dentist is the best way to achieve your goal. Plus, dental treatments are safe so you don't have to worry about harming your teeth or gums.

How Your Dentist Whitens Your Teeth

Tooth whitening at your dentist's office will show results after just one treatment. Your teeth will be several shades lighter, but a lot depends on the type of stains you have. Stains from coffee and cigarettes usually come off fairly easily, so you should see good results after a single visit, but repeat treatments are also possible if you need them to achieve your goals. The dentist has a few options for whitening your teeth, but he or she will usually apply a whitening gel to your teeth after covering your gums for protection. The gel is much stronger than what you can use at home, and that's why the results are faster. The dentist may also shine a light on your teeth to help the gel work more effectively. Teeth whitening is a painless procedure that is easy to endure and the end result can make you much happier with your smile.

How Long Results Last

Your dentist will give you instructions for when you can resume smoking and drinking coffee, and you should follow the advice so you don't stain your teeth right away. Your teeth may need a couple of days to recover before you eat or drink anything that might cause a stain. After that, it's a good idea to eliminate or limit stain-causing foods and smoking if possible. Otherwise, your teeth will slowly start to stain again. Your dentist may advise you on a good toothpaste to use to slow down the staining process, and by brushing regularly, you can maintain your white teeth as long as possible.

For more information about teeth whitening, consult with your dentist.