Teeth Whitening in Inglewood
by Dentist Inglewood
Teeth whitening is one of the most common procedures at New Image Dental in Inglewood and has a variety of methods including Zoom™ Teeth Whitening. Even the healthiest teeth can lose their shine over time. Proper dental care such as daily flossing and brushing can help keep your smile bright, but often other factors can get in the way of keeping it that way long-term. These factors include chewing or smoking tobacco, eating colored foods, and drinking colored drinks.
What are causes yellow teeth
- Age: The enamel of your teeth thins as you age, exposing the yellow dentin underneath.
- Poor dental health: forgetting to brush and floss your teeth can cause plaque and stains from food to build up. Skipping your regular dental visits can also allow stains to build up.
- Tobacco: chewing or smoking tobacco exposes your teeth to nicotine and tar, both of which can stain your teeth.
- Food and drink: coffee, tea, sports drinks, wine, berries, and other foods can cause discoloration of your teeth.
- Trauma: trauma such as sports injury in children can disturb enamel formation, leading to discolored teeth. In adults, this can cause a decrease in blood flow or the nerve to die.
- Illness: early tooth decay or illness during a young age when your teeth are still developing can cause discoloration on your teeth due to improper development of enamel or dentin. Certain infections in pregnant mothers can affect enamel development in their baby which can also lead to tooth discoloration
- Medications: Some medications such as antihistamines and antipsychotics have side effects of tooth discoloration. Tetracycline and Doxycycline, if taken by children, can cause tooth discoloration in their adult teeth. Radiation and chemotherapy can also cause tooth discoloration.
- Fluorosis: excessive fluoride consumption can lead to white spots on teeth. This can come from high fluoride levels or extreme use of rinses and toothpaste.
What to expect at a visit to the dentist
Before your dental appointment, it is important to maintain good oral health. Make sure to thoroughly brush and floss your teeth during the weeks leading up to your appointment. Before your dentist whitens your teeth, you will get a dental cleaning to remove plaque and tartar from your teeth.
Once your teeth are clean, the dentist will put gauze in your mouth to keep your teeth dry and put a protective barrier on your gums to prevent any irritation. Once the whitening gel is placed on your teeth, a specialized light is used to activate the gel.
The teeth whitening procedure lasts about an hour and you will not feel any pain. Patients report only a tingling sensation on their teeth. When the procedure is complete, your teeth will be rinsed, and you can then go home with a bright new smile.
What to expect after Teeth Whitening visit
After the procedure, your teeth may feel sensitive, but this is only a short-term side effect. For the first few days after the procedure, be aware of the food and drinks you consume because your teeth may be more vulnerable to staining.
Teeth whitening is an effective and safe procedure to whiten your teeth. This short procedure will leave you with a beautiful and bright new smile. Knowing how to properly care for your teeth after the procedure will allow you to feel confident in your smile for years to come.