Tips for Whitening Your Teeth

Post Date: July 26, 2024

Author Name: Sydney Stoker, Twin Smiles Orthodontics

Many people like the look of a bright white smile and want whiter teeth. In this post we’ll share tips for how to safely whiten your teeth and our recommendation for the most cost-effective method.

There are three main ways to whiten your teeth:

In-office whitening with a more involved procedure
Dentist-supplied products for use at home – you’re given gel with a clear tray to whiten at home
Over-the-counter whiteners like Crest White Strips

Most Cost-Effective Way to Whiten Your Teeth

The most cost-effective way to whiten your teeth is dentist-supplied products for use at home as you’ll get the most bang for your buck with this method. Many people don’t see effects from over the counter whitening strips. With dentist-supplied products for use at home, depending on how much whitening you want to do, you’ll only need to use a small amount of gel in your trays for a couple weeks to see results.

Only Natural Teeth Can Be Whitened

An important thing to know for whitening is that only your natural teeth can be whitened–composites, veneers, fillings, and crowns cannot be whitened. So consider getting these all done prior to whitening your teeth so they will all match.

You can whiten with attachments on, so if you’re doing Invisalign or a similar treatment you can use your trays to whiten your teeth over your attachments. This is convenient and efficient because you can whiten your teeth while wearing the trays anyway.

If you’re looking for teeth whitening or Invisalign treatment, we’d love to see you at Twin Smiles Orthodontics in Palo Alto. Read more about Invisalign treatment here.

Sensitivity from Teeth Whitening

Another thing to know is it is common to experience some tooth sensitivity while whitening your teeth. This is because it’s using a bleach, so there’s an acidic thing on your tooth. One way to decrease sensitivity is to use a combination of sodium nitrate and potassium fluoride – you can use Sensodyne or a Colgate/ Crest toothpaste with fluoride bought at the store.

Over-Whitening Teeth

The health concern is there can be some prolonged sensitivity if you over-whiten your teeth because not only is the outside surface of your tooth being whitened, but the inside surface is too, and this is where your nerve is.

The aesthetic reason you may not want to over-whiten your teeth is that it actually looks more natural to have a little bit of a gray or yellow hue to your teeth. Most people think their teeth should look like a bright white piece of paper, but if you over-whiten, there will be a slight blue hue instead which looks more unnatural.

If you’re looking for teeth whitening, we’d love to work with you at Twin Smiles Orthodontics. We’re happy to answer any other questions you have and offer free consultations. Schedule a time to meet with us on our website!