White teeth have often been the synonym for good oral health. Besides, the desire and pursuit for healthier, whiter teeth is nothing new. Even though a slightly yellow or perfectly dingy smile is natural, the hunt for aesthetics has led people to opt for dental tooth whitening. 

The concept of teeth whitening has changed significantly over the last few decades. Today, people use different teeth whitening options or consult professionals to bleach their teeth effectively. Interestingly, despite the wide availability of teeth-whitening procedures, there’s still a lot of misconception and mystery surrounding professional tooth-whitening treatments performed in dentists’ offices.

So if you’ve been thinking of professional teeth whitening, this blog is for you. Continue reading as we understand more about bleaching teeth at the dentist in the following sections of this blog. 

How Does Professional Teeth Whitening Work?

Professional teeth whitening is an effective treatment procedure. It uses carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide as a whitening agent to remove yellow patches from your teeth surface. During professional teeth whitening by a dentist, these chemicals are applied as a concentrated whitening gel. 

Once applied, your dentist will use a UV or a blue light to activate the bleaching process of hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen peroxide will start bleaching the ingrained spots as soon as it becomes active, penetrating your enamel. 

On the contrary, you can also opt for over-the-counter bleaching teeth solutions like whitening kits and strips, among other options. While these options also work effectively, they are much lighter and take longer to show results.

So now that we know how professional teeth whitening works, let’s look at the steps involved in the process in the following section.

Steps Involved In Teeth Whitening

Stage I: Careful Assessment

One reason you shouldn’t do teeth whitening by yourself is to understand the current status of your oral health. When you opt for teeth whitening by the dentist, you get to converse with a dentist and their staff. 

Consulting a professional will help you understand that not every stain can be removed using traditional methods. Some stains require different treatments.

No teeth-whitening procedure will work if the stains on your teeth are due to injury, illness, or side effects of some medication. Such cases would require other aesthetic dentistry treatments, which your dentist in Gallup will suggest. 

This evaluation also allows you to discuss any unique tooth sensitivity the dentist should consider during the procedure.

Stage II: Taking Care Of Color

Upon visiting a professional for teeth whitening in Mexico, they’ll use a shade guide to record the color of your natural teeth. After all, our teeth aren’t genuinely white; you might be astonished at how discolored they are both before and after professional whitening. 

Besides, even the whitest teeth aren’t completely white. If you start by noting the color of your teeth, your whitening dentist will be able to monitor your progress and make any necessary modifications to get the desired results.

Stage III: Plaque Removal

A biofilm or a plaque is a layer that forms on your teeth. If you don’t remove it before whitening, plaque can hinder the whitening components’ ability to treat the spots on your teeth’s enamel. Professional whitening has another benefit over at-home alternatives until you become skilled at cleaning the plaque on your teeth.

Stage IV: Drying

For the next step, your tooth whitening dentist will ensure that your teeth are as dry as possible before applying whitening agents and exposing your teeth to UV radiation. 

To keep specific areas of your mouth dry, your dentist may also install rubber dams. The barriers also benefit from preventing your tongue and gums from being irritated by the whitening substances.

Stage V: Whitening

In the final stage, a gel substance that is high in hydrogen peroxide will cover your teeth and dissolve tooth stains. As mentioned earlier, laser light activates the chemicals in the teeth, accelerating the bleaching process.

Once done, the white teeth procedure will be completed in 60 or 90 minutes. The end results would be teeth whitened by up to eight shades. With careful attention to regular dental maintenance and certain healthy eating and drinking habits, your newly whitened teeth will remain that way for up to a year. Besides, if you quit smoking, it can be considerably longer than any over-the-counter choice.

Now You Know!

Having whiter teeth adds to your aesthetics and significantly boosts your confidence. While both over-the-counter and professional teeth whitening by dentists are the ways to go, the latter is more effective than the other measures. 

So now that you have an idea of the steps involved in the process, when are you planning to show your flawless smile?

Considering White Teeth In Gallup?

Yellowing teeth can be a common factor due to lifestyle choices, eating habits, or age. Don’t let yellow teeth impact your smile; let our Sundance Dental & Orthodontics experts give you the perfect smile makeover. Connect with our professionals at 505-722-4422 today!