Could your smile be brighter? Does it seem like you have tried every product on the store or web without any results? Call Sherman Oaks Dental Arts at 818-724-5929 for your appointment with our dentists for Zoom teeth whitening treatments in Sherman Oaks, California. Our team can use these treatments to enhance the color of your smile in just one visit!
Today, it seems like everyone is doing teeth whitening. If you want a bright and white Hollywood smile, teeth whitening may be just what you are looking for. Not only can teeth whitening give you the results you want, but it can impact how comfortable you feel when you smile and can improve your self-esteem at the same time.
Often, those who whiten their teeth have unrealistic expectations about how quickly the treatment will work. If you’re self-conscious about your smile, you may hope that your professional or at-home treatment will work immediately to brighten your teeth.
For at home treatment, this isn’t the case. It can take several treatments over the course of weeks for stains to be noticeably lifted and your smile evenly brightened.
If you’ve undergone the anxious waiting process and your smile still isn’t white, don’t worry. You’re not alone. Unfortunately, there’s not just a single reason why your treatment may not be working.
Why Isn’t Teeth Whitening Working?
The most common reason your whitening procedure isn’t as bright as you hoped is because you’ve opted for an at-home treatment rather than professional job.
For most traditional at-home bleaching treatments, it’s unlikely that you’ve prepped your teeth beforehand. Professional whitening occurs in a controlled environment where the teeth have been scraped free of plaque and tartar, allowing the bleach to remove the external appearance of stains.
Additionally, many over the counter products don’t contain the active ingredients used by professional treatments at all, meaning that they’re unable to actually remove discolorations from the enamel itself. Instead, abrasive chemicals polish away some of the external stains. In the U.S., full strength whiteners cannot be purchased over the counter because of the increased risk of chemical burns caused by mishandling of these powerful treatments.
Whiteners Work Depending on the Reason for Discoloration
The second most common reason a teeth whitening procedure fails is because you have misdiagnosed the cause of your smile’s appearance. In some cases, teeth may be yellow because the enamel has eroded away and exposed sensitive dentin.
Alternatively, if your tooth is a dark gray shade, it may have deep decay or be the result of genetics or a side-effect of medications, which will never lighten with any traditional treatment. Even antibiotics, prescription medications and previous dental work may inhibit the efficacy of your whitening procedure. If your teeth hurt excessively during and after a whitening procedure, the affected teeth may suffer from a problem traditional whitening can’t resolve.
If you are considering teeth whitening, be sure to review the facts about teeth whitening with your dentist first. Only your dentist can tell you if your teeth and gums are healthy enough to go through a whitening process.
If your dentist has determined that you are a candidate to have your teeth whitened, you will need to decide which teeth whitening method to choose from.
In-Office Bleaching
In-office teeth whitening can achieve excellent results and is considered the gold standard in whitening methods as results can often be very dramatic. This procedure is performed in the dental office and can be done quickly, usually in a little over an hour. In-office bleaching is not as expensive as most think, and the time and money you save by having guaranteed results can make this option appealing.
Organic Whitening
This method offers a non-bleach alternative for whitening. The procedure is 5-10 min long and rarely causes sensitivity because bleach is not used. Organic whitening uses hydrogen peroxide and other ingredients with a powerful yet gentle ultrasonic machine to remove the deep embedded stains. (Please see before and after picture for this method below).
Teeth Whitening Strips
Many have tried teeth whitening strips with mixed results. Teeth whitening strips may take longer to produce the desired results depending on the strength of peroxide that they contain.
Take-Home Whitening Strips
A new and effective way to whiten your teeth at home is with the organic take-home kit. No bleach is used. Instead, the kit consists of a mouth rinse to prep your teeth and a whitening serum you apply to your teeth. This is a convenient way to brighten your smile in the comfort of your home, and the more consistently you use the kit, the better the results you see.
Teeth Whitening Toothpaste
Teeth whitening toothpastes contain mild abrasives to remove surface stains. Some whitening toothpaste may have additional polishing agents and special chemicals that are more effective against stains than regular toothpaste, but teeth whitening toothpaste is not designed to actually “bleach” your teeth.
Other Whitening Products
New teeth whitening products are always popping up, including whitening chewing gum, dental floss and mouthwashes. While these products are relatively new, not much research has been done to prove or disprove the effectiveness of these whitening products.
If you are still unsure, ask your dentist to recommend a teeth whitening treatment for you. If you live in the United States, be sure to look for the American Dental Association® (ADA) seal of acceptance on over-the-counter teeth whitening products.