What are my options for teeth whitening?

The goal of teeth whitening is to achieve a whiter and brighter smile. In this blog, our Orléans dentists talk about the teeth whitening process and share the options that may be available to you.

Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure that aims to make the colour of your teeth lighter with peroxide-based bleaching agents. As the active ingredient breaks down, oxygen acts on the tooth enamel, establishing a whitening effect.

Your Teeth Whitening Options

Nowadays, there are various options available to you for making your teeth whiter. It can be hard to pick the right one for you because each has its own set of advantages and can offer positive results. As with any other procedure, there are also some disadvantages to each.

In-Office Teeth Whitening

The most effective teeth whitening procedures are conducted by your dentist in their office. This is because the whitening agents in your dentist’s gel are much stronger and produce much more effective results than over-the-counter products.

On average, this procedure typically takes about an hour. Your dentist will use a concentrated whitening solution to remove surface stains from your teeth and lighten their natural colour. This yields somewhat more efficient results than at-home whitening solutions, which take days or weeks to work.

At-Home Professional Teeth Whitening Trays

This take-home option is supervised by your dentist. During an initial visit to your dentist, a dental impression will be created to make your whitening trays.

You’ll bring the whitening trays home and apply the teeth whitening application yourself. You’ll wear the whitening gel for between 30 minutes to a few hours a day, for 1 to 3 weeks depending on what your dentist prescribes.

Gradually, the whitening solution will remove surface stains from your teeth and make their natural colour lighter. 

Toothpaste

Whitening toothpaste works to remove surface stains and whiten your teeth slightly. But, you need to know that whitening toothpaste won't affect the natural colour of your teeth, and they will be unable to lighten stains that have penetrated below the tooth’s surface.

Enamel strengthening toothpaste defends your teeth from cavities and protects your enamel from additional damage, which could prevent stains from occurring in the first place.

Whitening Strips

These small plastic strips are coated with peroxide-based gel. When you apply the strip to your teeth, the peroxide coating removes surface stains, lightening the colour of your teeth.

Usually, you will have to apply whitening strips daily for a 2- to 3-week period and keep them on for no more than 30 minutes at a time. Because these products contain only a small amount of peroxide, you will usually see only subtle results.

Porcelain Veneers

Porcelain veneers are razor-thin strips of porcelain that are affixed to the fronts of your teeth to improve their colour, shape and symmetry.

If only one or a few of your teeth are discoloured, porcelain veneers may be a practical solution to even out the colour of your teeth.

Determining Which Whitening Products are The Best

The best teeth whitening products for you will depend on a number of factors, from personal preference to the time you have available in your schedule, and your budget. You may want to consider looking up teeth whitening reviews online for tips and ideas from other people who have opted to take the professional and/or at-home route.

To find out which teeth whitening method may be best for you contact our Orléans dentists today to schedule an appointment.