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Teeth Whitening FAQs

Teeth Whitening Faqs

April 1, 2023

Having the brightest smile in the room is among the few joys of life. However, before you proceed with any treatment, it helps to have ample information about it. Some of the most common questions we are asked at Midland Avenue Dental regarding teeth whitening are:

  • Can You Use Mouthwash After Teeth Whitening?

Immediately after teeth whitening, there will be products you have to avoid to help maintain the brightness of your teeth. The days following up after your teeth whitening treatment are more crucial. You will want to avoid blue, red, orange, and purple colored mouthwashes as they can re-stain your teeth. Still, it should not translate to avoiding mouthwashes altogether. Instead, have your cosmetic dentist in Midland recommend a few of the best brands of mouthwash for whitened teeth, particularly for the first few weeks after the teeth-whitening treatment.

  • ​If You Are Pregnant Is a Whitening Strip a Good Option for Teeth Whitening? 

Pregnancy can put your life at a high risk of many health problems. Therefore, you should avoid any situations that would further put you or your unborn baby in harm’s way. Ideally, dental experts have insufficient information about the potential effects of the bleaching chemicals present in teeth-whitening products on the unborn child or the mother. Therefore, any dental expert would recommend avoiding teeth-whitening products during pregnancy.

  • ​Are Whitening Strips Reusable?

Many people like to reuse whitening strips more than once. Unfortunately, reusing them will not substantially benefit your teeth regarding whitening. The strips only bleach teeth due to the hydrogen peroxide present. Therefore, if the hydrogen peroxide depletes from the gel in the whitening strip, it will not be effective for whitening teeth. Make the most out of your whitening strip during the first application so that you won’t feel the need to reuse it.

  • ​Why Is Professional Whitening Better Than Other Options?

Although many people have tried teeth whitening in natural ways, professional whitening by far outweighs them. The benefits are evident in some of the following areas:

  1. Safety – professional whitening in family dental clinics assures patients of safety by regulating the concentrations of bleachers when whitening teeth. Besides, dentists will protect your gums from teeth-whitening agents.
  2. Speed of treatment – professional teeth whitening takes about 45 minutes to bleach teeth.
  3. Effectiveness – professional whitening can achieve up to 4 shades of brightness from the initial color of your teeth.
  4. Long-lasting results – it may take between 6 and 12 months before you need retreatment after professional whitening.
  • ​Should You Get Dental Cleaning Before or After Teeth Whitening?

Dental cleaning is a crucial part of a successful teeth whitening procedure. Ideally, most of the stains and discoloration on teeth stem from plaque and tartar buildup. Therefore, most dentists will perform a dental cleaning before whitening your teeth.

After teeth whitening, dental cleaning would not serve any meaningful purpose. Besides, your teeth may be a little sensitive to any further dental work. Take about three months before you consider dental cleaning after teeth whitening.

  • ​Will Teeth Whitening Effects Last Forever?

Unfortunately, no teeth whitening solution can last a lifetime. Instead, you will keep your teeth white as long as your ability to care for your teeth well. Usually, you need retreatment for professional whitening every 6 to 12 months. Your results can last longer if you follow through with tips like:

  1. Routine dental cleanings every 3 months
  2. Brushing and flossing daily
  3. Drinking lots of water
  4. Quitting smoking and taking alcohol
  5. Avoiding highly pigmented foods and drinks like coffee, wine, and tomatoes.
  • ​Is Teeth Whitening Damaging to Your Enamel?

Teeth whitening products can potentially damage your teeth’ enamel. It depends on the products you use and the technique you employ to remove stains on teeth. If you are not whitening your teeth in a dental clinic near you, you risk damaging your teeth’ enamel through overexposure to the whitening products. Cosmetic dentists use lasers to speed up the bleaching process, reducing the contact between the bleachers and your natural ties.

If you use whitening strips at home, avoid overusing them, lest they start eroding your enamels. Have them on for about 30 minutes daily unless advised otherwise by your dentist.