What Is Professional Teeth Whitening, and Where Can I Get It?

You’ve probably come across over-the-counter teeth whitening products from popular brands at your local grocery or drug store. With so many convenient options like whitening toothpaste, strips, and rinses, what could the difference possibly be with a professional teeth whitening treatment from your local Valencia, California dentist? Dr. Brian Gradinger would like to tell you about professional teeth whitening, what it is, and why it is superior to any over-the-counter options.

Why Our Teeth Become Discolored

Staining of the teeth can happen for several reasons. Common causes include staining from the food and drink you ingest and poor oral hygiene. Even with great oral hygiene practices, tooth discoloration happens as we age. It is a natural process that occurs as the years go by. As your enamel thins, the yellow dentin underneath becomes more visible.

What Is Teeth Whitening?

Professional teeth whitening is a treatment offered by your dentist to lighten the shade of your teeth, enhancing their appearance. It removes stains and discoloration caused by aging, food consumption, tobacco use, and poor oral hygiene. If your dentist offers an at-home solution, you will have impressions taken of your teeth to create custom whitening trays. You will apply a bleaching agent to these trays before putting them over your teeth. Within days, you will have brighter, whiter teeth that you will want to show off to everyone.

Comparing to Over The Counter Options

Professional teeth whitening options are always going to provide better results. The custom trays fabricated only fit your mouth, and thus deliver a more consistent and evenly distributed amount of bleaching agent to the teeth. With over-the-counter options, you may get uneven application of the bleaching agents due to ill-fitting “one size fits all” applicator trays. The bleaching agent your dentist provides will also be stronger, resulting in more drastic results. A professional whitening treatment will also be given with the guidance of a dental professional instead of a short manual you get out of an over-the-counter box that may have a 1-800 number for help.

There are so many reasons you should consider a professional whitening treatment. If you have questions or are ready to schedule an appointment, please call our team at Dr. Brian Gradinger DMD at (661) 450-6650.