4 Things To Know Before Whitening Your Teeth

Posted on: 10 February 2016

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Looking your best may largely depend on your smile. You will want to have teeth that are both attractive and healthy. One way to improve the appearance of your teeth without having complicated dental procedures done is by bleaching your teeth. This can be done at home or by a professional dentist.  However, the results you get from your dental provider are likely to be more noticeable and immediate.  By knowing specific things about teeth bleaching before you have this done, you will be better prepared for getting optimal results.

Be wary of sensitive teeth

If you have some discomfort when eating or drinking hot or cold foods, you may suffer from sensitive teeth. There is a variety of reasons this can happen, and it's ideal to practice more caution with dental bleaching if your fall into this category. 

Be sure to talk to your dental provider about ways to minimize you sensitivity in this situation and maximize the results.

Varying strengths

Two of the main differences between doing your own teeth bleaching and having a dentist do it is the power of the whitening product and the costs. For instance, a professional teeth whitening may have up to 43% hydrogen peroxide for bleaching the teeth. On the other hand, many of the whitening kits and strips that you use at home have a very small percentage of this ingredient.

You can expect to pay around $500-$700 for a professional job.

Maintaining tooth enamel

You may be concerned about the health of your teeth when having this process completed. There are many myths floating around that bleaching your teeth can reduce tooth enamel. This is simply not true, and there aren't any risks involved when it comes to having this done at home or by a professional. However, if you still have concerns take the time to discuss these with your dental provider for reassurance.

When to avoid whitening

There are some cases when dental whitening shouldn't be done. If you're pregnant or breastfeeding a child, you should forego this process. Additionally, if you've had extensive dental work completed, such as fillings and crowns, these areas won't get any whiter with this procedure.

Looking your best is sure to be significant to you and having a brighter smile is a good start. Be sure to speak with your dentist about teeth bleaching to determine if this is right for you.

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