Everybody wants, even desires, a bright, white smile that is a positive impresser to other people and boosts your self esteem and confidence. Teeth whitening is among the most popular dental procedures that people elect to do as part of their self care.  Understanding the whys and wherefores of teeth whitening is the first step in this conversation on your teeth’s cosmetic care.

The most common reasons for teeth whitening are stains on the teeth and discoloration, both of which are of concern to people more and more as they age. The factors that add up over time to the discoloring of teeth are aging, choice of foods, tobacco and poor or inconsistent dental hygiene. As teeth age they lose their enamel which exposes the more yellow dentin underneath. The foods that stain or discolor teeth over time are: dark colored foods and beverages which includes the usual culprits of coffee, tea, and wine. Smoking or chewing tobacco is a real stain producer and these tobacco related stains are very stubborn to remove. Inconsistent personal dental hygiene of brushing and flossing at least twice a day can result in plaque buildup and discoloration.

The procedure of teeth whitening with your dentist (our Dr. John Yun is a popular teeth whitening expert as part of his cosmetic dentistry care) is done through using bleaching agents that remove stains during the treatment so that the lightening of the teeth is readily apparent as the bleaching agents do their work while the patient is in the chair relaxing. The agents include hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, which are evenly applied to the teeth the patient wants whitened. There are also specific treatments that use a laser or special light to catalyze the whitening agent and speed up the process. Sometimes there may be multiple in-office sessions needed to affect the best whitening.