Whiten Teeth Holidays

Are you dreaming of a white Christmas and looking forward to the most wonderful time of the year? While the festive period may not always quite live up to idyllic images conjured by popular seasonal songs, there’s one sure way to put an extra shine on the holidays – with a sparkling smile.

Whiten your teeth now and you’ll be all set to breeze through the holiday party season and have yourself a merry little Christmas as you show off your dazzling smile. But what’s the best way to whiten your teeth for the holidays. Let’s consider the options.

Teeth Whitening Options

Teeth can start to become yellow as we get older, and they get stained from the dark-colored foods and drinks we enjoy. When it comes to getting a brighter smile, there are several teeth whitening options.

• Homemade concoctions. Homemade teeth whitening remedies abound online. Their benefits tend to be dubious. Some may be safe, but others could damage your teeth, such as paste made from strawberries and baking soda. Acid in the strawberries may erode dental enamel.

• Whitening toothpaste. Whitening toothpastes contain abrasives to polish teeth and/or chemicals to break down stains. They can be tough on tooth enamel and may cause gum irritation or tooth sensitivity in some people. While whitening toothpastes may remove surface blemishes, most won’t lighten deeper staining.

• Whitening mouthwash. Using a whitening mouth rinse daily may work on minor surface staining and is most effective when used to prolong the effects of other whitening methods. It can take a few months before you get any noticeable results from a whitening mouthwash.

• DIY teeth bleaching kits. Like whitening toothpaste, store-bought bleaching gels and strips and tray-based DIY whitening systems may in some cases damage tooth enamel or irritate gums, especially if not used correctly. Over-the-counter teeth whitening trays are mass-produced, one-size-fits-all products. This less-than-ideal fit can result in bleach damaging the tongue and gums.

Fortunately, there’s another way to brighten your smile for the holidays or any other special occasion – professional teeth whitening treatment from a dentist or prosthodontist.

Advantages of Professional Teeth Whitening

Professional teeth whitening is faster, safer and more effective than off-the-shelf whitening merchandise or ill-advised homemade potions. If you treat yourself to professional teeth whitening for the holidays, you’ll be giving yourself the gift that goes on giving. Look after your freshly whitened smile and you’ll not only be grinning throughout the festivities – teeth whitening by dental professionals can last 12 months or longer.

Although teeth whitening treatment from a dentist is the most expensive whitening option initially, it’s the most cost effective in the long term. Dentists can safely use stronger concentrations of bleaching agent. This produces superior results that are easier to maintain and avoid the need for ongoing purchases of DIY teeth whitening kits. Whitening by dental professionals produces dramatic results with teeth several shades brighter. It works on both the outer, enamel layer of teeth and the underlying dentin. This means it can remove both extrinsic staining and intrinsic staining.

Extrinsic Staining and Intrinsic Staining

Extrinsic staining results from external factors that directly discolor tooth enamel, including drinks containing tannins, such as tea, coffee and red wine. Intrinsic staining makes your teeth look yellow. Dental enamel becomes thinner as we get older, exposing more of the dentin, which darkens with the aging process. Professional teeth whitening removes stains from enamel and lightens the color of dentin.

Types of Professional Teeth Whitening

There are two types of professional teeth whitening – a procedure at the dental office (chairside whitening) or custom whitening trays to use at home. Both methods work faster and produce longer-lasting results than over-the-counter whitening merchandise.

Chairside Whitening

Teeth whitening in the dental chair generally takes 90 minutes or less and the results can last up to three years. The procedure is monitored throughout to ensure a safe, comfortable experience, and your dentist will make sure your gums and other parts of your mouth are protected from the bleaching agent during the process.

Take-Home Whitening Trays

You can whiten your teeth professionally at home with custom whitening trays made from an impression of your mouth. The resulting precise fit ensures the bleaching agent stays in contact with your teeth to produce the best possible results. You fill the trays with a prescription-strength whitening gel provided by your dentist and wear them an hour a day. Many people achieve their desired level of whitening in as little as a week.

Teeth Whitening by Prosthodontists in Plymouth MN

You don’t have to suffer the embarrassment of discolored teeth spoiling your smile during the holiday celebrations. With the holiday season just around the corner, an over-the-counter whitening product won’t get the job done in time, and in any case the results will be negligible compared with professional teeth whitening.

On the other hand, dental whitening experts at your Plymouth prosthodontist Metropolitan Prosthodontics can whiten your teeth in time for the holidays with a more affordable solution than buying multiple whitening products that may take months to achieve inferior results. We can help you get your smile sparkling like Christmas fairy dust for the holidays, and you’ll be brimming with confidence and more than ready for all the holiday photos and mistletoe kisses.

With our custom take-home whitening trays, you can get your smile holiday-ready at your convenience and in the comfort of your home, without disrupting your busy pre-festivities schedule. And the results of your professional teeth whitening for the holidays will last far beyond the Christmas and New Year celebrations. If you’re dreaming of a sparkling white-teeth Christmas, phone 763-559-7600 or contact us online now to make an appointment with your Plymouth prosthodontist.

Total Smile Remodel at Metropolitan Prosthodontics

Looking ahead, why not follow up your holiday teeth whitening with a complete smile redesign? Professional teeth whitening on its own will give you an awesome smile, but it’s also a great starting point to get a dazzling total smile makeover when combined with other cosmetic dental treatments such as veneers or crowns.