Baton Rouge Dentist

How Long Does Tooth Whitening Last?

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Hi there,

I got a free teeth whitening kit with custom trays as a promotion from my new dentist. At first, I was so pleased with the results after just a few weeks. My teeth looked so much brighter! However, it didn’t last very long — they’ve gone back to their usual shade. I’m due to go back in for a check-up anyway. Did my dentist give me a poor quality kit on purpose, so I’d come back in for a real whitening? Or is it just a coincidence?

Alice, from Versailles, Kentucky

 

Hi Alice,

The whitening kit you received was likely a professional-grade whitening kit. How long your teeth whitening lasts is based on several factors, such as:

  • Whether you drink coffee, tea, or red wine
  • Whether you eat dark-colored foods like tomato sauce, soy sauce, or curry
  • Whether you are a smoker

If you enjoy any of the above to excess, your teeth will stain more quickly. Enjoying them in moderation, along with healthy oral habits, will extend how long your teeth whitening lasts.

To prevent staining your teeth, try the following tips:

  • Avoid eating acidic foods — they will wear down your enamel faster
  • Brush your teeth after meals or at least 2-3 times a day
  • Avoid sipping on acidic beverages such as coffee or tea, or sugary beverages like cola or sports drinks. Drink them quickly, or use a straw to minimize contact. If you can, brush your teeth immediately after.
  • Cut back or quit smoking.

You can also use your whitening kit for a few days to get your teeth back to the shade you like, and talk to your dentist about your options at your next visit.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge teeth whitening provider, Dr. Ryan P. Perry.

What You Should Know About Charcoal Teeth Whitening

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Many people are interested in charcoal teeth whitening. The method is more popular than ever right now, thanks to You Tube. This type of teeth whitening is using activated charcoal, which is different than the type of charcoal used on a grill. Before you attempt this new whitening technique, you should understand some important aspects of the popular craze.

What You Should Know About Charcoal Teeth Whitening

It’s a natural and non-toxic teeth whitening technique. Charcoal is used in the medical field, and as a supplement. This method is safe to consume in small doses, and is believed to be a way to detox.

Charcoal is also absorbent. It works well for removing stains from teeth because they are just soaked away.

Unfortunately, it is not safe to use on your teeth. Charcoal’s abrasiveness can scratch through the enamel on your teeth. While the enamel is tough and protects, it’s not resistant to scratches. It is more abrasive than toothpastes, which come in varying degrees of abrasiveness, therefore could be damaging to your teeth.

Finally, there is conflicting information about whether or not it actually works as a teeth whitening method. While it some claim that is works to lighten teeth, nothing has been proven clinically, or been approved as a treatment technique. Unfortunately, if the enamel on your teeth is damaged, it will never return to the healthy protective state. This will lead to more sensitive and cavity-prone teeth. In addition, the results are not as noticeable as what you would see if you went to a dentist for the teeth whitening procedure.

Traditional Teeth Whitening Options

For those who aren’t interested in the charcoal teeth-whitening bandwagon, the traditional methods are dependable options.

Having your teeth whitened in a dental office is effective due to its potency. The solution opens up the dental tubules, similar to pores on your teeth, which are closed, then allows the substance to enter and increase the whitening power. Some patients experience sensitivity following this procedure, due to the tubules taking a few days to close, but side-effect can be lessened by using fluoride for a three to four weeks prior to treatment.

Another option is a take-home system. These systems are not as strong as those in the dental offices. Therefore teeth will take longer to lighten, and may not lighten to the degree than at in-office whitening would. However, it affords you the chance to stop the process if the sensitivity is bothering you.

This article is provided by the office of Baton Rouge teeth whitening dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.

Can Teeth Get Too White?

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Many people understand the concept behind teeth whitening. They know that our teeth collect stains through the years. The now that teeth take on pigments from coffee, some fruits, wine, and other pigmented sources. They also believe teeth whitening removes the stains. However that is a misconception.

Teeth Whitening Bleaches the Natural Pigment in Your Teeth

While teeth whitening removes the pigmented stains, it also removes the natural pigment in your teeth. This can be illustrated by explaining shade guides.

Teeth Whitening and Shade Guides

In dental school, dentists learn about shade guides, a tool with a full spectrum of natural teeth colors which a dentist may see in natural teeth. When he or she needed to match a patient’s natural tooth color for a crown, or some sort of unnatural tooth, the dentist could always refer to the shade guide.

vita-shade-guide

Teeth whitening gained momentum in the 1990s. When people would be in need of porcelain crowns, the color of their natural teeth would be much whiter than that on the shade guide, because they’d been whitening their teeth. Therefore, the manufacturers had to adjust the guide, to allow for the whitened colors.

vita-shade-guide-bleached-extension

Experienced cosmetic dentists will use the revised shade guide, as they often have clients who have teeth whitening done on their teeth. However, general dentists typically only consult the original shade guide. Therefore, a patient who has had his or her teeth whitened, who visits a general dentist, with less cosmetic experience, runs the risk of crowns or veneers not matching the natural pigment in their teeth, because even the whitest shade on the guide could still be darker than whitened teeth.

The Amount of Whitening Caused By Teeth Whitening

The results of dental studies indicate that the longer your whiten your teeth, the whiter they will become. However, the longer someone uses the bleaching gel, the amount of whitening will actually begin to decrease, causing most people to hit a point where they stop. Some people will whiten their teeth to the point that they seem to glow. It is all a matter of preference.

This blog post was provided by the office of Baton Rouge teeth whitening dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.

Why is my teeth whitening causing me pain?

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I have been whitening my teeth, using an at-home system, for a couple of weeks now and have had no problems. However, during my whitening session yesterday, I experienced an intense pain for about half of a minute in my front tooth. This tooth has a dental bond that was chipped and corrected over a decade ago. Do you think the pain is any indication that the dental bond needs replaced? Or, is there any chance that the whitening I’ve been doing is causing the bond to lose its strength? I’m worried that it could be both.

Thank you,
Lindsay

Dear Lindsay,
It is unlikely that the bleaching would cause the bond on your tooth to weaken. The bleaching gel has no history of weakening bonds such as this. In addition, if the bond were beginning to lose its strength, the repair, which you mentioned having done to to the chip in the bond, would likely fall off and not just cause pain.


The pain you mentioned experiencing can be attributed to the bleaching gel applied to a part of the tooth which is sensitive. If the tooth has been chipped and repaired, it’s possible that the part which is sensitive was previously covered by a bonding agent that is no longer there.

This is a good reminder that teeth whitening is best done under the supervision of a dentist and hopefully this is the case with you. You should make your dentist aware of the pain you’ve been experiencing. He or she should be able to determine the cause of the problem. If there is a sensitive part to the tooth, something can be applied to address the sensitivity, allowing you to move forward with your current bleaching treatment. It is important that you address this prior to any more bleaching.

This blog post is brought to you by Baton Rouge teeth whitening dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.

Can lemons make my teeth whiter?

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I am interested in whitening my teeth and have been researching ways to do it myself. The more natural options continue to appeal to me. My teeth aren’t in terrible condition, but I would be happy if they were a little brighter. The lemon and orange method to whitening continues to jump out at me. They say if you use the essential oils in these fruits, or rub the peels on your teeth daily, the method works as a whitening agent. How does this help? What causes the fruit to whiten my teeth?

Thanks,
Carrie

Dear Carrie,
While this, indeed, is a solution promoted by natural health resources, it can cause permanent damage to your teeth for several reasons.

  1. There are many reasons for tooth discoloration. The discoloration of teeth can be intrinsic, which comes from inside the tooth, or extrinsic coming from outside. When a tooth dies, it becomes gray. Age, genetic factors, hard brushing, acidic wear, or some medications, can all cause discoloration to show through. Extrinsic stains are often the result of habits such as drinking soda, coffee, tea, wine, or juice. Smoking can also cause the change in color.
  2. Clean teeth don’t usually have external staining. Teeth build up a natural layer of plaque. This is similar to the slippery film on a rock in a river or a lake. This plaque layer is called biofilm and it includes bacteria that can cause tooth decay or gum disease. Brushing twice a day and visiting your general dentist regularly can ensure none of the biofilm stays on teeth. Coloring from food or drinks won’t have much to stick to when teeth are clean. It is when the biofilm builds up that the stains tend to last. Regular dental hygiene is the best way to prevent this buildup.
  3. Citrus fruits do whiten teeth. Citrus fruits can brighten teeth, mainly due to their citric acid killing the bacteria. Apple cider vinegar can also be used on discolored teeth, but does have acetic acid.
  4. Acids can damage tooth enamel. The acid in the above cures will weaken and wear down the enamel on teeth, magnify the discoloration of teeth, cause them to become more sensitive, and make them more susceptible to decay. Unfortunately, once tooth enamel goes away, there is no way to get it back. Some sources suggest using oil or a water rinse to weaken the impact of the acid, but this is not a guarantee. The best choice would be not to use the methods which involve acid at all.
  5. Use professional whitening. It is important to discuss any of the natural cures to the stained teeth with your dentist first. Determine what he or she thinks is best, or, better yet, find a dentist who does teeth whitening, and know that it is a tested and safe method.

This blog is sponsored by Baton Rouge teeth whitening dentist, Dr. Ryan Perry.

Can I whiten my teeth if I have fillings?

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Hello! I am a woman in my early fifties and am interested in whitening my teeth. However, I have a filling on one of my front teeth that is not the exact same color as my teeth. I am concerned that the filling will not whiten like my natural teeth. Will this be the case? If so, do I have any other options?

Thank you,

Karen

Dear Karen,

You are correct. The filling will not whiten. You can address this by first whitening your teeth. Then, after a couple of weeks have passed, have your filling resurfaced to match your whiter teeth. It is crucial that you wait a couple of weeks before doing this in order for the whiter tooth color to settle after bleaching. If you resurface too early, you’ll chance running into the same problem with the colors.

If you have any tooth decay, you will need to have this addressed with a dentist prior to whitening, then redo the fillings at a later date.

Am I damaging my teeth with my teeth whitening?

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I love whitening my teeth. I started when I went to a dentist who had a promotion going that you would get a free teeth whitening kit as a new patient. My teeth weren’t terrible when I started, but they looked a little yellow to me. I got the whitening trays and the gel and used them pretty religiously.  My teeth got whiter when I used the whitening trays, but I was afraid they would yellow again if I didn’t keep doing something. So when I had dentist visits, I would get more gel. I would also use some whitening strips from the drug store in between visits. I have done this for some time now. I’m out of gel again and am wondering if I should just do the in-office whitening treatment. My husband is worried that I’ll hurt my teeth doing much more whitening. Could this happen?

Thanks,

Bright Whites

Dear Bright Whites,

For most people, a regular schedule of whitening each month is okay. This is especially true of people who regularly smoke or consume staining food or drinks. Not all tooth whitening is created equally, though.

Teeth whitening methods

The teeth whitening strips you use from the drug store are the weakest of the whitening methods you use. Because they aren’t on as long and the formula isn’t as strong, whitening strips aren’t as effective for brightening a smile.

Whitening trays and the gel you get from a dentist’s office are stronger. The nice thing about this method is that you can do it from home. When used regularly, these can help whiten your teeth.Teeth whitened

The third method is the teeth whitening you mentioned that is done in the dentist’s office. This is done with a bleaching agent that is placed on all your teeth and a light is shined on them. This can take a couple of hours and is effective, but is more expensive.

Over-whitening

Some people start to exhibit problems when they over-whiten their teeth. It can lead to sensitivity or translucent teeth. Oddly enough, it can also lead to more staining. Your teeth naturally have holes in the surface that are microscopic. These holes are normally closed. When you whiten your teeth, those holes open up. After the bleaching process, it can take time–from a few days to a few weeks–for them to close up completely again. Unfortunately, if you smoke or consume staining foods or drinks such as grape juice, berries, or coffee, the teeth will start to absorb those stains right after the whitening treatment.

Ideally you should talk to your dentist about the amount of whitening you are doing. Make sure he is aware of the frequency and duration of your treatments at home. He will help you know if a whitening treatment in the office is recommended or if he would advise against it.

You can also brighten your smile by making sure you have white fillings in your teeth, as well.

This post is sponsored by Dr. Ryan Perry of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.