Teeth Whitening

Who needs teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening can take several years off your smile by eliminating built-up stains. There are many reasons your teeth look more yellow and discolored over time, including:

Age

As you age, the hard enamel that protects your softer, darker dentin starts to fade. This can expose your dentin and make your teeth look yellow.

Food and drinks

Certain foods and drinks, such as soy sauce, coffee and tea, red wine, and curry, can stain your teeth over time.

Tobacco use

Both chewing tobacco and cigarettes contain tar and nicotine that can cause tooth discoloration. If you regularly use tobacco, your teeth may look yellow or brown.

Medication

Certain medications, such as antihistamines and antibiotics, may change the color of your teeth. Cancer treatments like chemotherapy and radiation can also darken your teeth.

Oral hygiene

Taking care of your teeth is an important part of keeping them bright and white. Without regular brushing, flossing, and routine teeth cleanings, plaque can build up on your teeth and turn them yellow.

Genetics

Some people simply have thicker enamel than others, so their teeth look brighter and whiter. If you have naturally thin enamel, your teeth may not look as white as you’d like.

How does teeth whitening work?

Many over-the-counter products claim to dramatically whiten your teeth, but these toothpastes, strips, and rinses can only remove surface stains. Professional teeth whitening products can brighten your teeth eight or more shades while helping you maintain your results. 

Nunn Family Dentistry is proud to offer Opalescence™, a teeth whitening system that uses a viscous, peroxide-based whitening gel to penetrate your enamel for superior results. The system removes both surface and deep stains.

Once your dentist applies the whitening gel, the oxygen molecules in the solution spread throughout your teeth and react with the discoloration in them to break up and remove stains.

Are there different types of teeth whitening?

Nunn Family Dentistry offers several different types of Opalescence teeth whitening, including chairside bleaching with blue light technology and home bleaching trays. They can help you choose the right option for you.

With chairside whitening, your dentist applies the Opalescence solution to your teeth and activates the gel with blue light technology. This treatment can offer dramatic results in one hour.

For custom whitening trays, your dentist takes impressions of your teeth to create your trays. At home, you use the Opalescence whitening gel with your custom-fit trays to remove years’ worth of stains from your teeth. The practice also offers at-home trays with blue light technology for boosted effects.

Depending on the at-home whitening treatment you choose, you can see results instantly or within 2-5 days.

To find out the right teeth whitening option for you, call Nunn Family Dentistry or schedule an appointment online today.