As dentists, we are often asked “how can I get a whiter smile?” or “what can I do at home to get a whiter smile?”. Everyone wants whiter teeth and a brighter smile and there are a multitude of options that might work for you. In this blog, we’ll explore different in-office whitening options, what you can do at home, and foods you can eat to help maintain your beautiful white smile.
In-Office Whitening ...The Good
The fastest way to your dream smile is to utilize a teeth whitening treatment at your dental office. “In-office whitening” is the quickest way to whiten your smile, but it doesn't last forever - maintenance is key.
Maintenance Is Key
Dr. Crofts and I typically recommend in-office whitening treatments AND take-home whitening trays to our patients. This allows you to titrate your tooth shade at home, so that you can maintain the whitening for a longer period of time. We even have patients that opt to have their teeth whitened in-office every 6 months alongside their regularly scheduled cleanings.
Important Side Note!
Ensure your dentist performs a dental exam before jumping head first into in-office whitening. This is to make sure you are a good candidate for the treatment This pre-whitening exam is important because some people have developmental stains that will not be removed by these whitening techniques. Good news, even if in-office whitening isn't for you there are other methods that can help you obtain a whiter smile (we can dive into these in a later blog).
In-Office Whitening...The Bad
In-office whitening uses a higher concentration of whitening material along with a dental specific blue light. This speeds up the process and allows us to remove those pesky stains on your teeth that cause them to discolor.
The system we use in our offices is able to deeper penetrate the tooth and remove some of the intrinsic staining that may exist. Typically, with in-office whitening you are able to leave the dental office a few shades lighter than you arrived. Instant results are always exciting and allow you to leave the office smiling a few shades lighter than when you arrived .
One Major Caveat
In-office whitening comes with one major caveat: for the following three days you HAVE to avoid anything that can stain your teeth (think your morning coffee, your evening red wine…).
The whitening gel we use is so strong that it continues to work even after you leave the office, making your teeth more susceptible to stains for the following three days. This is one of the reasons why we often recommend take home trays because you can achieve an even WHITER smile with continued use.
In office whitening can cause some patients to experience sensitivity and so we may also recommend a soothing gel to use at home as well. It is important to share with your dentist if you already experience tooth sensitivity before whitening. The last thing we want to do is make things worse!
At-Home Whitening
Some patients do not need to “get white quick” and opt to use only the take home whitening trays. This is a great option – that will help you achieve that white smile, it will take just a bit longer and requires at home compliance and diligence.
While slower, this method does have a lower occurrence of tooth sensitivity. So if you are already experiencing tooth sensitivity, the take home trays might be a better option for you. Depending on the strength of the tooth whitening gel you can wear the trays anywhere from 10 minutes to 4 hours - it really depends on you, your teeth and your due diligence.
"But, Doc I Don't Want Whitening Trays."
Okay, you don't want to go to the dentist to whiten your teeth. What are ways you can whiten your teeth at home with some things you may already have? Well, it might shock you.
Home Whitening "Remedies?"
Fruits and Vegetables
Oddly enough, eating fruits and vegetables can assist your teeth and help you achieve your white smile. Specifically, fruits and vegetables that are crunchy in nature. The crunchiness acts like a natural toothbrush and helps remove stains, plaque, and bacteria. Additionally, these foods increase the amount of saliva in your mouth which is a natural cleanser for your teeth and will help decrease staining.
Apples
Apples are one of the best natural tooth whitening fruits. Apples contain malic acid. Malic acid significantly increases saliva production and thus helps remove surface stains. The consistency of apples allows them to also act like little scrub brushes.
Strawberries
Strawberries, like apples, contain malic acid. Strawberries are often overlooked because of their red staining ability but they also contain Vitamin C which helps reduce localized inflammation in your gums.
Broccoli
Broccoli is a major scrubber due to its fibrous, rough, stringy composition. Broccoli helps remove the stain causing acid and bacteria from the surfaces of your teeth helping you maintain that white smile.
What About Over the Counter Products?
There are sooooooo many dental products on the market. How do you know which ones are the best for you? Here are a few products that have been shown to work if used consistently.
Whitening Toothpaste
Like whitening gum, whitening toothpaste often contains more abrasive agents which help scrub off surface stains. Whitening toothpaste typically contains bleaching agents which help decrease surface stains with continual use over a long period of time.
Whitening Gum
Chewing gum after eating or drinking can help increase salivary production (which we now know can help protect your teeth from staining). Whitening gum also adds ingredients that help whiten your teeth.
We typically don't recommend using ONLY whitening gum because the agents added are typically abrasive (read our toothpaste blog about abrasive additives to learn more). Used in moderation, whitening gum can help remove the plaque and bacteria that cause stains and also help prevent tooth decay.
Whitening Rinses
One of the best methods which typically requires little to no lifestyle modification is drinking/sipping water after eating and drinking. This removes the agents that stain your teeth and doesn't allow them to sit on your teeth. The longer the acids, bacteria, and plaque sit on your teeth - the more susceptible you are to cavities and surface stains. There are also mouth washes on the market that contain whitening ingredients! These are great options to add to your oral care routine!
Reach Out to Us
Dose of Dental is a website created for you. Ask our Docs your dental questions and get answers! Our goal is to make dental care more accessible and approachable and with more knowledge, you’ll have a healthy smile for years to come. We also offer a free weekly email you can subscribe to. This email is free and is loaded with dental advice and answers to your burning dental questions!
Conclusion
- In-Office Whitening: quick results, great option to get those teeth pearly white especially before big events like weddings, parties, etc
- At-Home Whitening: slower results, great for maintaining a white smile, or creating a whiter smile over the course of a few months to a year
- A combo of the above seems to be the best of both worlds and will help get your teeth whiter and help you maintain your new white smile.
- At Home Remedies: Fruits and vegetables are great options to help remove surface stains. Whitening gum, whitening toothpaste, and whitening rinses are great additions to your oral care routine.
