Hope Restorative & Cosmetic Dentistry

DIY Teeth Whitening

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My dentist refused to whiten my teeth until I got my teeth cleaned. It kind of ticked me off so I’ve been looking into DIY Teeth Whitening options. The one which seems to be the most legit is charcoal whitening. Is there anything I need to know about it to make it the most effective?

Dan

Dear Dan,

An image of charcoal

First, let me explain why your dentist was insisting on a cleaning. If you haven’t had a cleaning in a while and your dentist whitened your teeth anyway, the results would end up splotchy. You will end up embarrassed by how your teeth look. But, when you start with professionally cleaned teeth, the results are smooth and amazing. So, don’t get too annoyed at your dentist. He’s just trying to make sure you end up with results you’ll be happy with.

Charcoal and Teeth Whitening

The type of charcoal they’re talking about when it comes to DIY whitening isn’t the kind you’d use in a grill. They’re referring to activated charcoal, which is completely different.

The theory behind activated charcoal is it’s natural, non-toxic, and absorbent. All of that is true. You can ingest it and you’ll be perfectly safe. Unfortunately, it’s not safe for your teeth. Charcoal has quite a high abrasiveness rating. The upside is it will whiten your teeth— temporarily. The downside is because of its abrasiveness it will also scratch the enamel on your teeth, causing it to pick up stains much more readily. That lost enamel doesn’t grow back. You’re stuck with teeth that look duller because their shiny glazing is damaged and pick up stains so often you need to whiten your teeth much more than you’d ever need to under normal, healthy tooth circumstances.

If you truly want beautiful, white teeth you’re better off having professional teeth whitening done. Or, if there are other things you want to change about your smile, you could go all out and get a total smile makeover with porcelain veneers.

Professional Teeth Whitening Options

Most cosmetic dentists offer two types of teeth whitening:

  • In-office Whitening
  • Take-home Whitening

How do you know which option is better for you? It really depends on the level of whitening you want. If you just want to get your teeth as white as they possibly can get, then I’d suggest in-office whitening. Although Zoom Whitening is popular, Dr. Cha prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™. Unlike Zoom, KöR® doesn’t use an activation light, which dries out teeth and makes them sensitive. KöR® provides comfortable whitening with a gel that conditions and hydrates your teeth.

If you want to whiten your teeth gradually and control just how white they’ll get, then take-home whitening is for you. It costs a little less, but if you want them very white, it could take several weeks.

Getting a Total Smile Makeover

I mentioned porcelain veneers earlier. This is the top of the line for cosmetic dental procedures. These tiny wafers of porcelain can remake every aspect of your smile. They can change the shape, size, and color of your teeth all in one fell swoop.

This blog is brought to you by Dr. Jerome Cha.

Do Whitening Toothpastes Work?

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I’ve been thinking about getting a whitening toothpaste, but wondered if they were at all useful. Any thoughts?

Amanda L. – Alabama

Amanda,

It depends on what you’re wanting to get out of the toothpaste.  Most whitening toothpastes will do a good job of removing surface stains, but they will not get the stains that are beneath the surface of your teeth. For that, you will need professional teeth whitening.

There are generally two kinds:

  • In-office whitening: Although Zoom is popular, Dr. Cha prefers KöR® Deep Bleaching™ because it doesn’t dry out your teeth or make them sensitive like Zoom.  You go into the dentists office for about two hours and leave with brilliantly white teeth.
  • At-home teeth whitening:  If you want a more gradual tooth whitening or want to control the level of whitening, then I’d recommend this method.  You were some whitening trays at your convenience for a minimum of twenty minutes daily and keep doing it until you’ve reached the level of whitening you’re hoping for.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

Natural looking white teeth

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I want to whiten my teeth. I’m over forty and my teeth have yellowed quite a bit.  I just don’t want it to look unnatural.  So many people I see who have their teeth whitened, especially newscasters, have teeth that are so white you know they’ve been bleached like mad.  What is the secret to whitening them in a mild way?

Amanda C. – Texas

Amanda,

One of the things I love about cosmetic dentistry, is the ability to tailor the treatment to the desires of the desires of the patient.  The simplest way to whiten your teeth without them getting overly white, is to do professional at-home teeth whitening. You can whiten until you get it to the level of brightness that you want, then you stop.  It’s that simple.

If all you’re wanting is a whiter smile, that is the way to go. If, however, you’re wanting to change anythign else about your smile, such as their size or shape, than I suggest you ask a great cosmetic dentist about porcelain veneers. They can do a lot more.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

Smile makeover

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I was thinking of getting a smile makeover, but don’t have tons of money.  I’m thinking I’ll just start small. After all, I’m already totally hot. If I add in a perfect smile, they’ll be nothing left to improve. ; )

Sienna M. – Florida

Sienna,

I’m glad you’ve decided to not outshine all us normal folks. I mean, the little people deserve a chance.

If I only had a little money to improve my smile, I’d start with teeth whitening. It is the fastest and least expensive way to look younger.   Though, from what I hear, looking young isn’t a problem for you.

Their are two types: one is in-office teeth whitening. It will completely whiten your teeth in one appointment. The other is at-home whitening. This is more gradual, but is also less expensive.

When you’re ready to be totally perfect, let me know and we can discuss porcelain veneers. They’ll completely makeover your smile.

This blog is brought to you by Tulsa Cosmetic Dentist Dr. Jerome Cha.

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