Brighter Whiter
Sparkle-Up Your Holiday Season with a Radiant Smile
By Amy Morgan
What’s the first thing you notice in holiday pictures and posts? A radiant smile! And nothing signals good health and happiness than sparking white teeth. But sadly, our favorite foods and drinks (not to mention bad habits like smoking) can dull our dreams. Don’t fret - the professionals at 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics have answers to help you restore pearl to your whites just in time for the festive season.
Two types of discoloration can affect teeth. Internal stains caused by infection, trauma, certain medications or aging are tougher to eliminate but can be treated by a dental professional. External stains made by coffee, wine or tobacco are more common and can be removed in a variety of ways – both at home and at the dentist’s office.
Whitening toothpaste that contains a mild abrasive and hydrogen peroxide and/or carbamide peroxide can be very effective on surface stains and reach deep to whiten teeth. However, overuse may cause tooth sensitivity or even thin enamel, cautioned Dental Hygienist Jennifer Reyna, R.D.H.
To counteract those unwelcome side effects, you can alternate using a whitening toothpaste with one that protects and strengthens enamel. Or brush with Sensodyne, or Colgate Sensitive toothpaste or use Listerine’s sensitivity-reducing mouthwash prior to whitening.
An in-office fluoride treatment can help re-mineralize tooth enamel and reduce sensitivity, she recommended.
Start early, Jennifer added, it might take up to six weeks for you to notice a difference in shade.
You also can use over-the-counter whitening strips or insert dental trays (similar to a mouthguard) filled with a gel bleaching agent. Results vary but might be visible in as little as two weeks.
If you really want to up the “Wow” factor or are short on time, try a one-time whitening treatment in your dental office. 7to7 offers in-office whitening with the Colgate Optic White system. In just one hour, you’ll leave with teeth an average of seven times whiter, said Mandy Dennis, R.D.H., Director of Hygiene Operations at 7to7 Dental. A dental professional applies a 35% peroxide solution directly to the teeth, then places a small instrument in the mouth. The device’s blue light activates the product. Three 10-minute sessions over a 60-minute appointment are all that’s needed to see great results. “Patients love it!” Mandy said. Best of all, patients report no sensitivity with this type of in-office whitening. The system must be administered by a trained dental professional, and 7to7 Dental is designated one of Colgate’s preferred providers.
It’s always best to kick off a whitening campaign with a professional cleaning and polishing at your dentist’s office. As an added bonus, 7to7 Dental’s patients enjoy a free whitening for life program, which includes trays molded to fit their teeth and a complimentary tube of 3% peroxide whitening gel with every visit to encourage continued oral health.
No treatment lasts forever. You can expect home remedies to fade after a few months, while results of in-office treatment can last up to three years. Whitening mouthwashes containing hydrogen peroxide won’t make much of a dramatic effect on their own, but they can prolong effects. Practice good oral hygiene to extend your results, and your smile will shine brightly through the holiday season.
