Teeth Whitening

If your smile is stained, discolored, or dull, our in-office Lenoir tooth whitening services can restore them. Since dentists are able to supervise patients in-office, we are able to use much stronger whitening agents than those sold over-the-counter, resulting in a whiter smile that lasts longer. Stop by and see why whitening toothpastes and strips just can’t beat professional tooth whitening!

How Do Teeth Become Stained?

Red wine, coffee, tobacco products, and foods like cherries and soy sauce can cause teeth to become stained over time. Your teeth can also become darker as the white enamel is worn away, revealing the darker yellowish tissue, dentin, beneath. Age also plays a factor—as you become older, your teeth become more absorbent and vulnerable to staining from food and other substances.

Sometimes, traumatic injuries, medications, and/or fluorosis can cause discoloration inside the tooth. These types of stains can only be treated by a dentist, as brushing and flossing the tooth surface will not help.

Why Choose Professional Tooth Whitening?

Many commercially available “whitening toothpastes” promise to make the teeth whiter by several shades. However, many of these products have abrasive substances that can actually wear away your tooth’s enamel. Charcoal toothpastes, or toothpastes containing a high amount of silica, can scour away your tooth enamel in the same way baking soda scours a pan, leading to increased sensitivity. In addition, your teeth will eventually look more discolored than ever, because the white enamel layer has been worn thin and the yellow dentin is showing through.

Another fact to consider is that many over-the-counter whitening agents are ineffective at treating certain types of stains. These products tend to have difficulty restoring brownish or grayish areas; pitted teeth; severely discolored teeth; and restorations like crowns, bridges, bonding and tooth-colored fillings. Professional whitening performed by our office is considered to be the most effective and safest method. When done properly, in-office tooth whitening can last as long as five years.

Want a radiant, confident new smile? Click here to request a tooth whitening appointment at our Lenoir dentist office.