Many of our patients at Chisholm Trail Smile Center have come to enjoy the cosmetic benefits of Zoom!® in-office teeth whitening, which can lighten your natural teeth by up to eight shades!
The treatment is completed in around one hour under the careful watch of one of our trained dental professionals in our Duncan, OK office. The advent of laser dentistry allows the use of a special light to maximize your cosmetic results.
If you are curious about how to best maintain the drastic results that are possible with our in-office whitening treatments, read on!
Types of Stains
To understand how to best prevent discoloration after your teeth whitening treatment, it is important to understand the two main types of discoloration.
- Intrinsic: Intrinsic stains affect the internal layers of the tooth. Possible causes of these stains include genetic factors, certain medications, and chemicals such as tetracycline. These types of stains typically do not respond to professional teeth whitening.
- Extrinsic: Extrinsic stains involve what we typically associate with food- and drink-related staining. Beverages such as food dye, red wine, cola, tea, and coffee are common staining culprits.
Tips for Maintaining Your Whiter Smile
The cosmetic results of teeth whitening can last three years or longer. These tips can prolong the results of the whitening treatment.
- Purchase bleaching agent refills or take-home kits: You can periodically apply whitening agents to your custom mouth guard to touch up blemishes or to brighten our smile.
- Use whitening toothpaste and mouthwashes: Although store-bought products only have a small fraction of the hydrogen peroxide concentration offered at our office, using whitening over-the-counter products can help you preserve your new, whiter smile.
- Brush to remove staining liquids: If you are having a glass of red wine before going to sleep, you can postpone your brushing until after you have finished drinking known staining liquids. The same can be done for your morning cup of coffee. By removing the liquids, they will not linger in your mouth.
- Become aware of which foods/drinks stain your teeth: Everyone’s teeth are unique. What stains one person’s smile may not be a problem for someone else. Berries, tomato sauce, and sports drinks are less known staining liquids. Not every food or drink will be hard to part with, but there are often substitutes that can still allow you to enjoy life’s pleasures without blemishing your white smile.
- Use a straw: If you’re simply trying to guzzle a soda or sports drink, you can use a straw to bypass your teeth altogether.
- Quit smoking: Tobacco stains are some of the most persistent and unattractive stains we see. If the health benefits of cutting out cigarettes haven’t been enough to help you kick the habit, maybe cosmetic reasons will motivate you.
Benefits of Professional Teeth Whitening
Our office also offers take-home whitening options. Both options offer these benefits:
- Improved confidence: People will notice and comment on your whiter smile. Having a dazzling smile can increase your self-esteem too.
- Fast results: Professional teeth whitening treatments offer quick results, sometimes in as little as one hour.
- Safe and effective: Although some patients experience temperature sensitivity in the days following whitening treatments, professional teeth whitening has been proven safe and effective. The methods used at Chisholm Trail Smile Center have been approved by the American Dental Association.
Schedule Your Teeth Whitening Appointment Today!
By following these easy steps, you can enjoy your whiter smiles for years to come. If you would like to brighten your smile, schedule a consultation with Dr. Bridges to find out what options are right for you. Contact us online or call our office at (580) 255-4880.
