Teeth Whitening
Many people have teeth that are just naturally dark or discolored that no amount of brushing can whiten. Even with regular brushing, these teeth can become darker still, from some of the foods we eat: tea and coffee, or from smoking. Your dentist has special bleaching solutions that can give you a pearly white smile. While there are whitening agents available over the counter, the safest and most effective way to whiten your teeth is with your dentist's help.
How It Works
The most common whitening procedure used by dentists is at home treatment. With this method, the dentist makes molds of your teeth and provides you with custom-built trays that are used to hold the bleaching gel on your teeth. The bleaching gel is a special form of peroxide. Generally, patients wear the trays for 30-45 minutes or overnight, depending on the bleaching product that is used. Most whitening treatments take about two weeks.