Teeth Whitening Specialist

Why aren’t my teeth white?

Your teeth can lose their luster for a number of reasons. Some of the more common ways are by:

• Practicing bad oral hygiene
• Using tobacco products, like cigarettes
• Consuming foods and drinks with dark pigments, like tea, coffee, and some sodas

Some medications can also cause your teeth to lose their shine, such as certain antihistamines and high blood pressure medications.

Your teeth also typically lose their color as you age. The hard outer layer of your teeth (the enamel) naturally thins over time, allowing the soft inner layer (the dentin), which naturally yellows over time, to show through.

Genetics is also a factor in how white your teeth are. Stains are more prominent on people with more porous or transparent enamel, which is a genetically inherited trait.

How can I whiten my teeth?

There are quite a few different professional-grade teeth whitening solutions available at Shine DDS, such as:

Custom bleaching trays

With this option, Dr. Shine and her team take an impression of your teeth and use it to make a whitening tray that fits perfectly in your mouth and around every contour of your smile. You fill up the trays with a professional-strength whitening solution provided by Dr. Shine and wear them on your teeth for up to an hour a day. After a few weeks, your teeth will be shining bright and white.

Chairside whitening

Chairside whitening is a procedure where Dr. Shine paints a special bleaching gel onto your teeth during an office visit. The whole process only takes 15-30 minutes and can whiten your teeth by 2-3 shades in a single visit.

Zoom!® whitening

Zoom! whitening is another type of in-office whitening treatment. Much like the custom bleaching trays, Dr. Shine places a retainer with a bleaching solution over your teeth, but with Zoom! whitening, she uses a special light that helps the whitening gel penetrate your teeth and break up deep stains and discoloration. Zoom! whitening can give you teeth that are up to eight shades whiter in one, hour-long appointment.

Can’t I just use over-the-counter whitening strips and trays?

Generic whitening strips and trays that can be bought at your local pharmacy have become increasingly popular in recent years. But they’re actually not particularly effective, and in some cases can even be harmful to your oral health.

The bleaching solution used in these over-the-counter products isn’t as strong and effective as what you get with a professional-grade whitening treatment, and because the strips and trays aren’t designed to fit around your particular teeth, the bleaching solution frequently leaks out, which can irritate your gums.

If you want to whiten your teeth with safe and effective procedures, schedule an appointment with Dr. Shine and her team at Shine DDS. Call today or book an appointment online to get a little more shine in your smile.