Teeth Whitening Specialist
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Wood Family Dentistry
Keith Wood, DDS
General Dentistry & Orthodontics located in Folsom, CA
When you have bright, white teeth, you always want to show off your smile. While over-the-counter at-home whitening techniques can remove surface stains from your teeth, Keith Wood, DDS, knows that they can’t dramatically brighten your smile like professional products. At Wood Family Dentistry in Folsom, California, Dr. Wood uses chairside whitening to remove deep stains from your teeth. Call the office to speak with a friendly team member or schedule a visit online to learn more.
Teeth Whitening Q & A
Why are my teeth yellow?
As you age, you may notice that your teeth aren’t as white as they once were. Even if you diligently brush and floss your teeth, there are many reasons your teeth look yellow, including:
Foods and drinks
Certain foods and drinks can stain your teeth, particularly coffee, tea, red wine, soy sauce, dark berries, and sugary sodas.
Tobacco
The tar and nicotine in tobacco products, such as cigarettes and chewing tobacco, can leave yellowish-brown stains on your teeth.
Certain medications
Many medications, including antihistamines and chemotherapy, can darken the natural shade of your teeth.
Genetics
Your hard enamel protects the softer dentin underneath. If you naturally have thin enamel, it can expose the darker dentin.
Poor oral hygiene
If you don’t brush and floss your teeth twice a day, stains can build up on your teeth, leaving them yellow and discolored.
What is teeth whitening?
Teeth whitening uses bleaching products, such as carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide, to dramatically brighten your teeth.
Unlike over-the-counter (OTC) whitening solutions, which remove surface stains, professional whitening penetrates deep within your teeth to remove years’ worth of discoloration.
While OTC whitening solutions — toothpastes, mouth rinses, whitening strips, etc. — typically lighten your teeth by one shade, in-office whitening can brighten your smile by up to eight shades or more.
How does teeth whitening work?
There are many types of professional teeth whitening, including chairside whitening and take-home trays. With chairside whitening, Dr. Wood applies a bleaching solution directly to your teeth after covering your gums and lips with a protective gel or cover.
Next, he uses an LED light to activate the solution, allowing it to penetrate deep within your teeth to remove tough stains. He may repeat these steps until you achieve the shade you want.
For take-home whitening trays, Dr. Wood makes a mold of your teeth using highly accurate impressions. These impressions create trays that look similar to clear aligners.
Depending on your unique case, Dr. Wood can instruct you on how long to wear the trays each day to achieve your desired results.
Professional teeth whitening is one of the most popular cosmetic treatments offered by dentists. To schedule an appointment with Wood Family Dentistry, call the office or book a visit online now.
