Teeth Whitening

What is teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening is the top cosmetic procedure in dentistry because it's one of the simplest and quickest ways to enhance your smile’s appearance. 

Due to various foods, behaviors, medications, and the aging process, your teeth don’t stay white forever. Even if you’re dedicated to a daily oral hygiene routine, you may still see some yellowing. 

In-office whitening procedures at Angie Dinh, DDS, PA, can brighten your teeth in a single appointment. Dr. Dinh uses a professional whitening system on your teeth and activates it with a special light to kickstart the process.

You may also have the option of take-home whitening trays, which allows you to complete the treatment on your own time. These trays are custom fit to your teeth, and you use them when it’s convenient. 

Dr. Dinh instructs you on how to use them safely. You might need to undergo several sessions of home whitening to get the results of a single in-office whitening procedure. 

When should I consider teeth whitening?

Advanced teeth whitening services can lift many stains from your tooth enamel. The stains and discoloration on your teeth have many possible sources, including:

• Tobacco 
• Red wine
• Coffee
• Tea
• Dark colas
• Certain medications
• Excessive fluoride use
• Aging
• Trauma
• Certain diseases

Some stains respond better to teeth whitening services than others. If you have a darkly discolored tooth that doesn’t improve after a professional whitening treatment, a veneer is another option that will conceal the discoloration.

How do I maintain the results of teeth whitening?

You can’t avoid every stain, but you can modify some of your behaviors and eating habits to extend your teeth whitening results. While it’s safe to get teeth whitening every so often, doing it too much may erode the enamel. 

Instead of repeatedly whitening your teeth professionally, keep your teeth as bright and stain-free as possible by:

• Stopping the use of tobacco, including smoking
• Drinking pigmented beverages through a straw (or avoiding them completely)
• Brushing after every meal
• Flossing daily
• Visiting Dr. Dinh for cleanings every six months
• Drinking lots of water
• Wearing a mouthguard during contact sports to protect your teeth from trauma

You can talk to Dr. Dinh about how often you can safely get touch-up teeth whitening treatments to keep your teeth vibrant and beautiful. 

If you’re interested in teeth whitening and want to find out more about your options, call Angie Dinh, DDS, PA, or schedule an appointment online at your earliest convenience.