A dazzling white smile is the end goal for many. However, as we age, our teeth take the brunt of our dietary habits just like our skin. Thus, it's not a surprising fact to know that teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic dental procedures requested all over America. If stats are to be believed, nearly $2 billion every year are spent by Americans to maintain the pearly white charm. However brilliant the end results may seem, there is much to know about this dental procedure before scheduling your appointment with a family cosmetic dentist in Long Island.
What
is teeth whitening?
Tooth whitening is a widely effective way of lightening the color of your teeth stained due to wine, coffee, smoking, or even eating some foods, without removing the tooth surface. During this process, a bleaching agent is applied sequentially on the teeth and it breaks down into smaller particles, absorbing into the pores, eventually giving the lightened effect. However, it is important to know that it does not have a drastic effect on severely stained teeth and the results may vary for everyone.
How
does teeth whitening work?
During the teeth whitening procedure, your cosmetic dentist may use one of the two methods. Primarily, bleaching (using hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide) is used to whiten the teeth. Apart from this, non-bleaching whitening products, like the over-the-counter whitening toothpaste and strips can also provide similar results.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends seeking professionals’ guidance and services for a teeth whitening procedure. The bleaching products that your dentist applies can remove both surface and deep stains on the teeth, causing them to become lighter than the natural shade.
Then there are teeth whitening products that you can purchase from a drugstore. However, the bleaching products used by your dentist are much stronger, containing up to 35 to 45% peroxide as compared to the at-home whitening strips that just have 7% peroxide.
Most
importantly, a teeth whitening procedure may not be suitable for everyone.
Hence, it's important to consult with cosmetic family dentistry experts inQueens, NY, to get a comprehensive oral health assessment before scheduling
a teeth whitening procedure or buying any drugstore products. So, schedule an
appointment at North Island Dental Arts today to know if you are a good
candidate for this cosmetic procedure.
