Pasadena dentist explains why you should choose a professional to get teeth whitening

Few things make your smile look healthier or better than pearly, white teeth. But common foods and beverages that many people love to enjoy – including healthy ones like blueberries and tomato sauce – can lead to yellowed or discolored teeth. It may be tempting to get an over-the-counter teeth whitening system if you notice that your teeth are looking dull, but it is better to see a dentist for this procedure. Below, Dr. Marchack of Pasadena Prosthodontics in Pasadena, CA, explains why you should choose a dental professional to whiten your teeth.

How professional teeth whitening works

First, it helps to understand how the teeth whitening process works. While the enamel of your teeth looks polished and like it completely coats each tooth, it actually contains many small tubules that are porous. When you eat highly pigmented foods and beverages, such as wine, tea, or coffee, or if you smoke cigarettes or chew tobacco, the pigments are absorbed into the tubules where they penetrate deeply under the surface of the tooth and lead to a discolored appearance. This is why it is difficult to remove stains from teeth with toothbrushing alone.

In professional tooth whitening, we create customized trays that you use with a professional-grade whitening agent to gently lift the stains and cleanse the tubules. The end result is a brighter, whiter smile!

Get better, safer results with professional whitening

There are many benefits to seeing a dental professional for tooth whitening, but one of the most important to our patients is the end result—you will achieve a brighter, whiter smile with professional whitening than you can with over-the-counter whitening kits. This is due to two factors:

• The use of a medical grade whitening agent provides better results in a shorter time: Professional-grade tooth whitening solutions are typically made from a hydrogen peroxide solution that safely lifts stains from the tubules, and contains a higher concentration of the whitening agents than over-the-counter products contain
• The custom-designed trays help the whitening agent evenly and comfortably cover the entire tooth; over-the-counter strips and trays can result in a poor fit and uneven coverage, which leads to dark or discolored areas on the teeth that have not been touched by the whitening agent

Many over-the-counter whitening products are not regulated and can contain either unknown materials or concentrations of materials that can be dangerous to ingest. Simply put, professional whitening is safer and should be done under the supervision of a dentist to ensure that you and your teeth are not harmed in the process.

Experience greater comfort and less sensitivity

The first step in getting your teeth professionally whitened at Pasadena Prosthodontics is the creation of custom-fitted trays that are designed specifically for your mouth. They are much more comfortable than over-the-counter strips or generic trays, which means that you will be more likely to consistently wear them for the recommended amount of time for optimal results. In addition, professional tooth whitening trays are specifically designed to keep the whitening agent on your teeth and off of your gums and soft tissues, where it can cause irritation, redness, and even sores.

Because of the way they work, tooth whitening agents can cause sensitivity in your teeth. When you are working with one of our dentists to achieve whiter teeth, we can help monitor your level of sensitivity and take steps to reduce it if you are experiencing issues. A number of different options are available to enhance your comfort, such as adjusting the amount of time you wear your trays, adding a buffering agent to your professional whitening gel, or using topical fluoride treatments.

Call us to learn more

If you are interested in learning more about professional teeth whitening and whether it is right for you, we encourage you to call Pasadena Prosthodontics today. Our team can answer any questions that you have about whitening, as well as conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your mouth to determine whether whitening is the best choice right now. If you have active gum disease or tooth decay, we may recommend that you treat those issues before undergoing tooth whitening so that your mouth is as healthy as possible and you reap the maximum benefits from your treatment. If you have dental restorations such as crowns, bridges, or veneers, we can also work with you to determine the best way of replacing them in conjunction with whitening to ensure even, beautiful results throughout your entire mouth.

To schedule an appointment, call us today at 855.770.3737!