Advantages of Professional In-Office Teeth Whitening

A beautiful smile can make you want to share it with the world. While teeth changing colour can be perfectly natural as you age, some people prefer a whiter smile—but they may not know where to start looking for teeth whitening in Ancaster.

With so many teeth whitening solutions on the market, it can take time to choose the right option. Fortunately, in addition to dental exams and cleanings, dentists offer professional tooth whitening. The advantages of professional in-office teeth whitening include its speed and the ability to use higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide to help you achieve lasting results.

What Is In-Office Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure that helps lighten the colour of your teeth. Teeth can naturally change colour over time due to various factors. This can be disheartening for people who prefer their smile to be vibrant and white. But fret not! Our understanding of tooth stains grows all the time.

The Canadian Dental Association agrees that teeth whitening provided by a dentist is generally a safe option for brightening your smile.

While at-home treatments can help with surface stains, some can’t reach below the enamel. Tough stains may require the power of professional teeth whitening. Dentists have the skills and knowledge to use higher concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and other technologies for advanced tooth whitening. 

How Does In-Office Tooth Whitening Work?

The power of a tooth whitening method is generally linked to the amount of peroxide used in relation to other ingredients. Hydrogen peroxide can penetrate through your enamel and reach deep stains. It then causes a chemical reaction with the coloured compounds darkening your teeth, essentially bleaching those compounds white.

Some dentists use powerful LED lights to activate the peroxide within a whitening gel. These lights are intended to speed up or enhance the whitening process. Depending on the system being used and the severity of your tooth discolouration, in-office teeth whitening could take as little as 2 hours and leave your teeth whiter in only 1 session!

Other in-office techniques for tooth whitening in Hamilton could involve using different ingredients to support the hydrogen peroxide, or microabrasion to remove thin layers of enamel before using other whitening methods.

The Benefits of Professional Teeth Whitening

Some of the benefits in-office teeth whitening offers include:

• Speed: At-home whitening methods can require days of use before seeing results. Some in-office procedures are intended to lighten your teeth in as little as 1 appointment.
• Less sensitivity: At-home tooth whitening kits could cause teeth sensitivity, especially without proper use, but the care from in-office whitening can help you avoid unwanted side effects.
• Long-lasting results: Professional in-office teeth whitening techniques are intended to provide long-lasting results through the use of techniques and technology that can’t be used at home.

Can You Whiten Your Teeth at Home?

In-office teeth whitening has many advantages, but there are options for brightening teeth at home too. Some can be bought off the shelf, while others may be recommended by a dentist. 

At-home tooth whitening may be fine for mild tooth staining when used in the short term, but you should always talk to your dentist before embarking on a tooth whitening regimen longer than 14 days.

At-Home Teeth Whitening Options

At-home teeth whitening methods often come in 2 types: surface whiteners and bleaches. Surface whiteners use abrasive particles to remove surface stains, while bleaches are designed to whiten teeth with the help of peroxide-based ingredients.

Some at-home teeth whitening methods include:

• Whitening Toothpaste: Whitening toothpaste is a type of surface whitener that contains abrasive particles added to help remove stains from your teeth. Most toothpaste uses a similar form of abrasive, so it’s generally considered unlikely that whitening toothpaste can cause excessive wear.
• Whitening Strips: Whitening strips are thin strips coated with a peroxide-based whitening gel. On average, the strips sit on your teeth for 30–60 minutes, allowing the peroxide to soak through the enamel and reach deeper stains.
• Whitening Trays: We may suggest whitening trays for mild to moderate stains. You can fill these moulded trays with a peroxide-based whitening gel and wear them for several hours daily or overnight.

While at-home teeth whitening may be effective, it’s usually only recommended for surface stains. At-home whitening could also damage your enamel or leave you with tooth sensitivity if misused, so it’s important that you always talk to a dentist for suggestions and advice before starting at-home tooth whitening.

What Are Surface Stains?

There are 2 kinds of tooth stains.

Surface stains, also known as extrinsic stains, sit on the top layer of the tooth called the enamel. Some surface stains can be removed with whitening toothpaste, whitening gums, and simple good oral hygiene habits. Many surface stains can also be avoided by watching your eating habits. 

Common causes of extrinsic stains include:

• Red sauce
• Coffee and tea
• Red wine
• Berries
• Chocolate
• Tobacco use

On the other hand, intrinsic stains sit deeper in the tooth and could leave it looking grey. These stains could require professional tooth whitening—or may even indicate a deeper dental issue. The causes of intrinsic stains include:

• Tooth decay
• Injuries
• Medications, such as tetracycline antibiotics
• Excessive fluoride use
• Genetics and age

Age is one of the most significant factors for intrinsic and extrinsic stains. This is because the longer you use your teeth, the more likely they may be to stain, and also because the enamel on your teeth can wear away over time.

The Joy of a Bright Smile

It’s perfectly normal for teeth to fade over time. Still, professional in-office teeth whitening can offer a solution for those looking for sparkling white teeth. If you want to learn more about your options for teeth whitening in Hamilton, book an appointment at South Ancaster Dental. 

Our expert team is happy to examine your teeth and walk you through your options. Your ideal smile can be yours!