Imagine walking into a room and instantly feeling confident, your smile radiating brightness and beauty. At Bays Dental in McCrae, professional teeth whitening offers a safe and effective way to transform your smile and help you achieve the dazzling, white teeth you’ve always dreamed of.
Whether you're preparing for a special occasion or just want to feel your best every day, teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic option. But is it safe? Keep reading so you can make an informed decision.
What Is Professional Teeth Whitening?
Our professional teeth whitening treatment uses bleaching agents to lighten your tooth colour. These agents remove the stains and discolouration from the surface of your teeth, making them several shades lighter. You can expect the results to last several months or even a year with proper care.
What Causes Tooth Stains?
Several factors contribute to tooth stains and discolouration, including the following:
- Drinking coffee, tea, red wine and soda
- Smoking or using smokeless tobacco
- Eating foods such as blueberries or tomato sauce
- Taking certain medications such as tetracycline
- Avoiding diligent dental hygiene
- Sustaining an injury
Are You a Candidate?
If you have healthy teeth and gums free from tooth decay and gum disease, you are a likely candidate for teeth whitening. However, there are several people who are ineligible for this procedure; be sure to tell your dentist if you are:
- Pregnant
- Under 16
- Sensitive to hot and cold temperatures
- Allergic to the bleaching agents
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
At Bay Dental in McCrae, we customise take-home whitening trays to fit snugly over your teeth to avoid sensitivity. All you have to do is add the prescribed amount of bleaching agent to the trays and wear them each day until you achieve the desired results.
Most patients see the results they want in about two weeks. Our professional whitening kit is far more effective than those you can purchase over the counter.
Here’s how it works:
- The bleaching agents break down into oxygen molecules.
- Then, these molecules penetrate your tooth enamel and break up the stains.
- As a result, your teeth are brighter and whiter.
We use two types of bleaching agents to achieve optimal results:
- Hydrogen peroxide — This potent bleaching agent can give you faster results; however, there’s a greater chance for tooth sensitivity.
- Carbamide peroxide — This less-powerful bleaching agent may take longer to work, but you’re less likely to experience sensitivity issues.
Is Teeth Whitening Safe?
At Bays Dental, your safety and oral health are our top priority. As such, we would never recommend treatment that wasn’t safe. Our experienced dental team will guide you through the process and answer your questions before you begin your take-home whitening treatment.
It’s important to know that there are some potential risks and side effects associated with teeth whitening:
- Tooth sensitivity — If the bleaching agents penetrate the dentin layer of your tooth where the nerves and blood vessels are, it can cause sensitivity. We recommend toothpaste for sensitive teeth and over-the-counter pain medications for sensitivity.
- Gum irritation — If you accidentally get the bleaching agent on your gums, it can cause swelling and soreness. These symptoms usually subside after a few days, but in the meantime, you can rinse your mouth with warm salt water or use a topical numbing gel.
- Over whitening — If you overuse your whitening trays to achieve faster results, your teeth can become translucent. This can make your teeth appear yellow, blue or grey. It’s essential to follow your dentist’s instructions and ask questions if you’re unsure about how long to wear your whitening trays.
- Burns and blisters — If the bleaching agent burns or causes blisters on your gums, it’s because you didn’t apply it correctly or left it on too long. This is rare, but contact our dental clinic for assistance if it happens.
- Allergic reactions — If you are allergic to the bleaching agents, you could break out in hives or have difficulty breathing. Your face, lips and tongue could swell. Call our dental clinic immediately if this happens.
Exploring the Advantages of Cosmetic Whitening
There are many reasons teeth whitening is such a popular cosmetic choice, including the following:
- Long-lasting results
- Fewer side effects than over-the-counter treatments
- Improved self-esteem
- Fast and easy procedure
- Customised whitening trays
- Better oral health
- An affordable way to enhance your smile
Maintaining Your Results
Keep your teeth looking beautiful and white for as long as possible by following these aftercare tips:
- Brush your teeth twice a day
- Floss each day
- Use a whitening toothpaste
- Sip your drinks through a straw
- Limit staining foods and drinks
- Avoid acidic foods and drinks
- Arrange for regular dental check-ups
Your Alternatives to Teeth Whitening
If it turns out teeth whitening isn’t the right solution for your smile, our dental clinic offers other cosmetic treatment options to enhance your appearance and boost your self-esteem:
- Veneers — We can bond thin layers of porcelain to the front sides of your teeth, giving you a more uniform, whiter smile.
- Bonding — For a less permanent, more affordable option, we can apply tooth-coloured resin to your teeth to improve their shape and appearance.
- Crowns — A dental crown covers your tooth, hiding discolouration and cracked, broken or misshapen teeth.
Want to Learn More about Teeth Whitening in McCrae, VIC?
Professional teeth whitening is a safe and effective way to enhance the appearance of your smile. We will happily answer any questions you may have about the process.
Please feel free to contact our dental clinic to arrange a consultation or appointment. You can call us on (03) 5982 1333.