Teeth Whitening
Henderson, NV

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Sparkling white teeth is one of the major key factors to a beautiful smile. Actually, having bright white teeth makes you look younger. However, the food we eat and drink stains and discolors our teeth. With time, they may look dingy and become darker. You also notice your smile becomes less vibrant.

If you want to maintain your beautiful smile, then tooth whitening is a very effective and extremely safe procedure that can boost your self-confidence and transform your smile. Our Henderson dentist at Joshua M. Ignatowicz DMD & Associates offers a unique dental care experience to our patients. The crew is committed to increasing the natural beauty of your smile.

Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Teeth whitening is a quick and effective way to restore your teeth to a shining white. Normally, the dentist uses a whitening solution that helps to break down and remove stains from the teeth. The solution is made up of either carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide which is similar to the teeth-whitening products you can find in drugstores or supermarkets.

Peroxide can partially penetrate into the teeth layer removing all the compounds that cause discoloration. It breaks down those molecules that stain the teeth. As these molecules compounds become smaller, it becomes easy to separate them from the tooth thus giving you an overall brightening effect.

How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Each of our teeth is made up of a hard outer enamel layer and an inner dentin layer, which protects our teeth. If you put anything in your mouth - coffee, cigarette smoke, food, etc - another layer forms gradually on top of the enamel layer. This foreign material usually accumulates to create pellicle film that makes your teeth appear darker. The problem is that if this pellicle layer stays in your teeth for many years, it gets into the enamel.

A dentist can clean away this pellicle film, through chemical treatments or scraping. Basically, they can use bleaching chemicals that help to break down the staining compounds. This allows the teeth molecules to reflect the light once again thus giving the teeth their brighter and whiter appearance.

How Long Does Professional Teeth Whitening Last?

There is no doubt that teeth whitening is the most common treatment in cosmetic dentistry. Achieving a healthy-looking and brighter smile is an attractive prospect for many individuals, but the big question is, how long does teeth whitening last? The answer is “it depends.” The teeth whitening effect can last as little as six months or as long as two to three years. It varies from one person to another.

Things that can make your whitening short-lived and stain your teeth quickly include staining foods like berries and beetroot, smoking, and dark liquids like tea, coffee, and red wine.

Avoiding these staining foods and drinks and brushing your teeth at least twice a day will greatly help to keep your teeth whitening noticeable for a long time. But remember, staining is inevitable.

Is Teeth Whitening Safe?

Regardless of how often you brush your teeth, there will be some pesky yellow tones that will not go away. If your teeth are stained you may be wondering whether teeth whitening is safe. Teeth whitening is very safe to whiten your teeth.

However, you may experience some side effects such as:

  • Irritated gums- you may experience gingival irritation after teeth whitening. This happens when the whitening product comes into contact with your gums. However, these side effects go away after the treatment.
  • Teeth sensitivity. Teeth whitening can cause your teeth to become more sensitive. You may experience this on your initial or second treatment, however, this sensitivity diminishes with time. The dentist may recommend treating sensitivity with some products that contain sodium fluoride or potassium nitrate gel.

Since you cannot keep your teeth whitened permanently, it is advisable to seek whitening treatments regularly for both intrinsic and extrinsic discoloration. You need to talk to the dentist about how to unify your tooth color if you have dentures, bridges, crowns, or implants.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Does Teeth Whitening Damage Your Teeth?

Teeth whitening is a popular way to achieve a more confident smile and brighter teeth. But what if you are concerned about whether teeth whitening can lead to potential damage to your teeth? Although there may be some side effects that do not last for long, teeth whitening is safe on your tooth enamel. There is no definitive evidence that teeth whitening can damage your enamel.

The active ingredient of tooth whitening products usually goes through the enamel and the tooth dentin. The product begins working to reverse discoloration and staining. After tooth treatment, the whitening product naturally rehydrates from our saliva. The process does not damage the integrity of the tooth or tooth layers, but can sometimes lead to temporary sensitivity of the tooth.

How Long After Teeth Whitening Can I Eat Normally?

If you have just had a teeth whitening treatment, you need to avoid foods that can potentially ruin, irritate, or stain your teeth. But in most cases, you can resume your normal healthy diet between 24 to 72 hours, depending on how you feel.

There are a few things that you need to avoid after teeth whitening including sugary foods, foods that stain, added colorants, acidic drinks, and dark-colored drinks.

What To Eat After Teeth Whitening

There are primarily white-colored foods that are free of pigments and have low acidity and chemicals that can lead to stains. These foods include fish, chicken, tofu, rice, pasta, fresh fruits, vegetables, white cheese, yogurt, and water.

Schedule A Professional Teeth Whitening Appointment

Remember, teeth whitening should not be the only reason you go to the dentist. Dental cleanings and regular checkups go hand in hand with teeth whitening to keep your smile healthy. Visiting our dentist regularly for a check-up is the best action you can take to have a great smile for years to come.

Call 702-473-5100 or visit Joshua M. Ignatowicz DMD & Associates to schedule a professional teeth whitening appointment.