Timing is everything when it comes to professional teeth whitening. Knowing when to start will ensure you enjoy a beautiful smile, no matter what big event you have coming up. Whether it’s in-office care or custom-made trays and bleaching gel you plan to use at home, starting the process early enough will help you feel naturally comfortable with your brighter, whiter smile. Keep reading to learn what dentists recommend when starting teeth whitening treatment.
What Are the Different Types of Teeth Whitening?
Local drugstores carry inexpensive whitening kits that make it easy for you to lift surface stains. However, you may find that these one-size-fits-all trays, strips, and pens do not produce the kind of brightness you need.
In-office whitening from a professional cosmetic dentist and custom take-home kits, complete with trays crafted from impressions of your smile and high-grade bleaching gel, are known to produce superior results.
How Long Does Each Method Take?
Regardless of the event you have coming up that requires a whiter, more radiant smile, you should know how long it will take to achieve the results you want. A brief breakdown is provided:
- Over-the-Counter Whitening Products: You can expect it to take several weeks before you begin to see minor changes. While they can lift surface stains caused by dark-colored foods and beverages and smoking, they cannot reach the underlying stains that tend to show.
- In-Office Whitening Treatment: This controlled method of whitening treatment can have you seeing results in as little as one hour, but you should understand that mild sensitivity might occur and last a short time.
- Take-Home Whitening Kits Provided by Your Cosmetic Dentist: It may take about two weeks before you see noticeable results; however, your cosmetic dentist can adjust the strength of your treatment if necessary.
How to Prolong Whitening Results
Whether you receive treatment a few days or several weeks before the big event, there are ways to extend your results, including:
- Eat calcium-enriched foods that help keep teeth whiter and stronger
- Practice regular brushing, flossing, and rinsing multiple times each day
- Avoid or limit your consumption of dark-colored foods and beverages (i.e., coffee, soda, soy sauce, red wine, tea, etc.)
- Do not smoke or use tobacco products
- If you drink a beverage containing stain-causing ingredients, use a straw to minimize exposure to your teeth
- Drink water to flush out colorful pigments left behind by foods and drinks
Make sure to schedule your whitening treatment early enough so that your smile can shine brightly on the big day.
About the Author
Dr. Ira Goldberg’s 30+ years of experience in dentistry make him a sought-after professional who delivers exceptional results. Offering cosmetic dental treatments to improve patients’ smiles, he regularly treats discoloration and stained teeth with in-office and custom take-home whitening kits. If you are interested in enhancing your appearance with this unique solution, contact us at (973) 313-5314 to schedule a consultation.