If your teeth were once clean and white but have become dull and discolored over time, don’t fret. You have many options available to help in the burgeoning teeth whitening industry; in 2015 alone, Americans spent over $11 billion on whitening products and treatments.
At Fluegge Dental, Dr. Matthew Fluegge and our team understand the positive message a bright, white smile conveys. As an East Wenatchee family dentist, we offer in-office and at-home whitening treatments to help patients restore a brighter, more confident smile.
Why are my teeth losing their whiteness?
Teeth lose their whiteness due to a wide range of factors.
Intrinsic factors happen within the tooth structure. As you age, the hard enamel covering and protecting your teeth begins to thin, revealing the yellowish-brown color of the soft dentin inside. No amount of brushing can remove the color because it’s part of the tooth itself.
Extrinsic factors derive from food, drink, some medications, and lifestyle factors that cause the enamel to stain. Some of the biggest staining culprits include:
- Tea and coffee
- Colas
- Red wine
- Dark berries like blueberries and blackberries
- Tomatoes and tomato sauce
- Soy sauce
- Tobacco in any form
- Antibiotics like tetracycline
Various whitening methods can remove most of these kinds of stains. While there’s not much you can do to avoid stains caused by medication, you can cut back on staining consumables and avoid tobacco entirely. That’s not to say you can’t ever enjoy your favorite indulgences; just rinse your mouth afterward and brush after meals so they don’t leave a residue.
Regaining white teeth
If your teeth are becoming less than bright and you’re unhappy about it, you’re in luck. As part of our cosmetic dentistry services, Fluegge Dental offers professional teeth whitening with the Zoom!® System from Philips, which can brighten teeth by up to eight shades in a single hour-long treatment session.
Zoom! is more effective than other systems because it removes discoloration of the outer enamel and reaches inside the tooth to whiten the inner dentin.
When you come in for your session, Dr. Fluegge places the whitening gel in a tray on your teeth and uses an LED light to activate the bleaching agent. The peroxide (active ingredient) penetrates the enamel, breaks up the pigments that cause stains, and allows your teeth’s natural whiteness to shine through.
We also offer an at-home version of the Zoom! System, the Philips ZOOM Customized Home Whitening Kit, for patients who would prefer to whiten their teeth in the comfort of their own homes. With the Phillips at-home kits, you can expect to be up to four shades brighter in just 30 minutes.
And if that’s not enough, you can build the effects with additional applications.
If your teeth are losing their natural whiteness and want to restore them, contact Fluegge Dental to schedule an appointment. Call our office at 509-888-3384 to schedule, or book online today.