Teeth Whitening Q & A

What are the benefits of having your dentist whiten your teeth?

While there are numerous teeth whitening kits that are designed for home use, it can be beneficial to have your teeth whitened professionally by Dr. Sharma and her staff. Home kits sometimes have directions that are hard to understand, and you must always be careful to leave the whitening agent on for only as long as the directions instruct so you don’t risk damaging your enamel.

Having Dr. Sharma professionally whiten your teeth will take approximately an hour of your time, and you won’t have to worry about cleaning up any mess after the procedure is completed. Nor is there any guesswork when it comes to instructions. Plus, the results will last for several months!

Are kinds of toothpaste designed to whiten your teeth safe to use every day?

Most toothpastes formulated to whiten your teeth use a variation of hydrogen peroxide as the main bleaching agent. These types of toothpaste are safe enough to use every day and will whiten your teeth gradually with each use.

If your toothpaste contains harsh abrasives, it should be used only sparingly. Abrasives can wear away your delicate tooth enamel, compromising the tooth’s surface and leaving your teeth susceptible to decay. If enamel begins to chip or crack, cavities that can damage the interior of teeth and lead to infection will begin to form.

How often should you whiten your teeth?

Most professional teeth whitening systems indicate that whitening your teeth no more than twice a year is sufficient to keep your smile brilliantly white. Dr. Sharma can whiten your teeth and achieve results that are much better than if you used an at-home teeth whitening kit.

More is definitely not better when it comes to at-home teeth whitening kits: Using home-based whitening kits too frequently may eventually damage the enamel of your teeth. Having Dr. Sharma perform the procedure removes that risk and helps prevent damage to your teeth.