Teeth Whitening Specialist

Why aren’t my teeth whiter?

Your teeth lose their shine for a number of reasons, including: 

• Bad oral hygiene
• Eating or drinking too many foods or beverages with dark pigments, like coffee and soda
• Consuming tobacco products, like cigarettes and chewing tobacco
• Medications, like certain antihistamines, antipsychotics, and high blood pressure medications

Your teeth also just lose their whiteness over time. The soft inner layer of your teeth (dentin) gets yellow as you age, while the hard outer layer (enamel) gets thinner, allowing the yellowed dentin to show through more. 

How do you whiten my teeth?

There are a few different methods for teeth whitening, but they all work on the same basic principle. A bleaching solution containing hydrogen peroxide is applied to your teeth and left to sit for an extended period of time. The hydrogen peroxide penetrates your enamel and breaks up the pigmentations in your teeth that cause staining, leaving you with whiter, healthier-looking teeth.

Professional whitening treatments are broken down into two categories:

In-office whitening

In-office whitening gives you a whiter smile in a single trip to the K Street Dental & Orthodontic Group offices. Your dentist or hygienist uses special tools to protect your gums and lips, then applies a highly concentrated whitening solution to your teeth. 

Depending on the treatment, they might shine a special light that helps the whitening solution penetrate deeper and break up tougher stains. The result is noticeably whiter teeth within an hour.

At-home whitening

With at-home whitening, your dentist takes an impression of your smile and uses it to create a custom-designed bleaching tray. You fill your bleaching trays with a whitening solution, then wear them in the comfort of your home for a prescribed amount of time. 

Because the trays are molded after your teeth, they fit snugly and keep the whitening solution in contact with your teeth and away from your gums. At-home whitening gives you a shining smile in just a matter of days.

Can’t I just use an over-the-counter product?

You can, but you shouldn’t. Store-bought products, like generic whitening strips and trays, use a bleaching solution that’s not as effective as what you get at K Street Dental & Orthodontic Group, leaving you with subpar results.

Over-the-counter strips and trays can even be damaging to your oral health. Because the strips and trays aren’t designed for your unique smile, the bleaching gel frequently leaks out and comes into contact with your gums and lips, where it acts as an irritant.

If you want a professional-looking smile, get a professional tooth-whitening treatment from the dental experts at K Street Dental & Orthodontic Group. Schedule your visit today by calling the office or booking online.