How long do teeth whitening effects last?

Whitening your teeth helps patients to keep their natural color for a better smile and appearance. Teeth whitening is often required because we have stains caused by certain drinks, food, smoking, an illness, a surgical procedure, and tartar buildup. Tooth whitening should be accomplished in a professional dental office. 

Yes, there are at home tooth whitening kits, strips, gels, and toothpaste. However, patients should confer with their dentists because not every over the counter teeth whitening product has the potential to lighten your teeth to the degree that you are looking for. 

How is teeth whitening accomplished? First, a gel or a shield is placed on the gums for protection. A traditional whitening product with active ingredients like hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide is then applied. Teeth whitening ingredients break down into oxygenation that dissolves into the enamel making your teeth whiter. 

With modern technology, a laser whitening has been created that is shone on your teeth to activate a bleaching chemical. The American Dental Association reports that using this new laser whitening technique turns your teeth up to six times lighter in a shorter time frame.

With all these amazing tooth whitening options, how long do teeth whitening effects last? Many persons prior to talking to their dental professionals believe that teeth whitening lasts a lifetime. There is no definitive timeframe for the length of time your teeth remain pearly white. The general amount of time has been around three years. After whitening your teeth your dental professional will consult with you as to the dos and don’ts. 

The teeth whitening process can last longer if you take care of your daily oral health. Yes, teeth whitening gives your teeth a temporary vibrant sheen for a beautiful smile for several years. There are several factors that can affect darkening your teeth after whitening. This includes the following:

• smoking/tobacco
• red wine
• prescription drugs
• coffee
• tea
• certain fruit juices
• cola style soft drinks
• age
• trauma and more

Please note that there are also oral teeth conditions that are not conducive for whitening: dentures, filling, crowns, or veneers. After everything involved with a teeth whitening procedure, watch your food and drinks along with regular brushing and flossing. Continue with your appointed dental visits for scaling and polishing. These visits will help to keep your oral environment free from plaque and bacteria that can cause stains and decay. 

Easy ways to whiten your teeth

Having your teeth whitened doesn’t have to happen only in a dentist’s office. Treatments can be done safely and effectively in the comfort of your own home. 

There are several options offered for this procedure. Most are simple processes and only require a few minutes a day. 

Whitening toothpaste: There are many options when it comes to toothpaste. Those that work on whitening teeth have ingredients such as, hydrated silica and hydrogen peroxide.

Whitening Strips: Whitening strips are another option that can be used at home. Most of these strips come with the gel already on them. You place the strips over your teeth and press firmly down. After wearing it for a few minutes, you take off and throw the strips away. The kit provides simple instructions. This is an option that is easily accessible as an over the counter item from any local drugstore.

Teeth Whitening Trays: Teeth whitening trays have become more popular in the past few years. There are online companies that will make a mold of your teeth and then send you a tray with whitening gels. This whole process is done completely at home. All the information and materials are included in the kits. 

Teeth Bleaching: Bleaching teeth is normally done in a dentist office, because of the chemical used for the procedure. This is the most effective and longest lasting way to whiten teeth. It also gives that extra safety component when using whitening chemicals.

Some preventive actions to keep your teeth whiter are by avoiding drinks that have a tendency to stain. Also, drinking out of a straw is a good way to avoid any staining effects on your teeth. 

There are several options starting from low cost to higher cost procedures. It’s always best to do some research and see what is best for your budget and lifestyle. 

Does teeth whitening hurt?

When it comes to teeth whitening, a lot of people have a lot of questions about it. However, one of the biggest questions that people have is does it hurt? They want to have whiter teeth, but they don’t want to suffer any pain in the process. Thanks to new and improved whitening techniques, they don’t have to worry about that anymore. They have made it to where it is totally and completely pain-free for the person to whiten their teeth at the dentist. They have tried a lot of natural and over the counter methods, but those have not given them the desired results they were looking for, which is why they need to get it done by a professional dentist.

It is something that people should get done when the time calls for it, as sometimes people have really hard to remove stains on their teeth. They stand out, and they make the person feel super self-conscious when they smile. When it comes to photos, they don’t want to be part of any photos at all. They just run away from the camera. For them, they would rather just be in the background and not get any attention, whatsoever. That is not the way to go through life, especially with professional teeth whitening services and easy teeth whitening alternatives out there.

In general, people think a lot of things hurt at the dentist, but in reality, they really don’t feel it at all. They don’t have to be afraid of the dentist. It should be a place they look forward to going, as they will look and feel better when they leave the office of the dentist. It is really not all that different than teeth cleaning. They will feel very little discomfort or no discomfort at all. It will actually be over before they know it. They need to trust the professionals that have gone to dental school and know exactly what they are talking about when it comes to teeth whitening.

If they look online, also, they will see tremendous results from people that have had their teeth whitened.

Can you use teeth whiteners if you have had dental restoration?

If you pay attention to the Kardashians and other Hollywood celebrities, you can’t help notice that famous people have fabulously white teeth. That’s because, most celebrities have spent $2,000 to $4,000 per tooth to get veneers, a procedure where a dentist drills small holes in a person’s natural teeth and then bonds a small, thin shell of porcelain to bond with the natural teeth. So the beautiful white teeth you are looking at with a celebrity is not their natural teeth.

Most people can’t afford veneers, and so seek to imitate the effect with whiteners, made of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The peroxide penetrates through the enamel and typically will whiten a tooth from 2 to five shades.

Can whiteners be used for those with dental repairs 

A question commonly asked of dentists, is can I use a whitener if I have had dental repairs?

And the answer is, whiteners are not suggested for those who’ve had dental repairs such as a crown. Crowns are created in a lab, and the color, which was closely aligned with your other teeth, was set in the lab when they were created. Therefore, no amount of whitener will change the color of your crowns.

The same goes for dental implants. Their color was set at the time of creation in the lab, and no amount of whitener will ever change their appearances to become whiter.  If no dental restorations have been done, whitening for the natural teeth is painless and should be looked into before opting for dental restorations.

Are White Teeth Better? 

In fact, some dentists will admit that contrary to popular perception, the natural shade of our teeth is a very pale yellow, rather than the pearly whites celebrities exhibit with their veneers.

What to do instead 

If you’ve had dental restoration, be cautious of smoking, coffee and other dark beverages and brush and floss frequently.

Teeth Whitening and Bleaching

We all strive to keep our teeth looking great and in good health. That said, many of us might opt to have them whitened or do some kind of bleaching over a period of time. This is not for everyone as some have such sensitive teeth that the process just doesn’t work for them. When going the teeth whitening route or doing bleaching there are some things you need to understand. For one, some services can be free or there is a cost. Further, you want to know the entire process and especially how long will it last. Here are some things to know about teeth whitening and bleaching for your teeth.

How do I do it?

For one, there are businesses that only do teeth whitening. You pay a fee, rest in a chair while wearing retainers on your teeth while a laser light shines on them. The process can take an hour or less. If you want them to be really white you can sit for a long time, though that’s not really recommended. Next, you can do bleaching over a period of time by getting a kit from a traditional dentist. This will still cost unless your insurance covers it. At home, you use their kit to line the trays with a teeth whitening or bleach substance and sit with those for 30 to an hour a day. Teeth whitening can last for several months as long as you don’t continue to stain them.

Why should you try the teeth whitening service?

The answer as to why people get their teeth whitened or bleached can be many things. Some want to build their confidence. Others are simply tired of having brown teeth and having people comment on them. Further, it doesn’t necessarily have to be something you do because of vanity, it can simply make your smile brighter. You may work in an industry where white teeth are a necessity. In addition to that, you may just want to have your pearly white teeth sparkle every time you open your mouth. Ask your dentist if it’s possible to have your teeth whitened if you’ve had dental restorations. It’s been a known fact that first impressions are long lasting so it’s worth a shot.

You’ve no doubt heard of teeth whitening strips, but how do they work? What exactly is on those sticky, little strips to make teeth whiter and brighter? Read this information before you try them to make sure you know about any risks or side effects. 

First and foremost, carefully read the instructions. Even though whitening strips are considered safe, there is a lot of important information you need to be aware of. 

The flexible, plastic strips are coated with a whitening gel that contains hydrogen peroxide. It has been extensively tested and found to be safe for enamel when used as directed. You can wear the strips and continue with daily activities, however, you shouldn’t eat, drink or sleep with them on. You don’t want to swallow one!

The most common side effects are tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. After using the strips for a day or two, you may notice cold or hot tooth sensitivity. This is very common and usually only lasts for 24 – 48 hours. One tip to avoid this is to wear the strips every other day and see if it subsides. You can also try tooth sensitivity toothpaste. Using a soft-bristle brush will be gentler on your teeth and may help alleviate pain. See your dentist if symptoms persist. 

The chemical reaction that makes your teeth white, can also cause gum irritation and white blotches on your gums. This can cause a little discomfort but will subside hours after usage. To avoid this, you can carefully cut your strips so they don’t overlap on the gums. 

Don’t leave your strips on longer than recommended. You may think if you leave the strips on longer than directed, you can get whiter teeth. Not only is that false, but it can also irritate your teeth and gums. Once the whitening gel is on your teeth for the allotted amount of time, it stops working so there is no advantage. It can also wear down enamel if left on too long. 

Now you can decide for yourself if whitening strips or a dentist visit for teeth whitening and bleaching service are right for you!