Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure that can enhance the appearance of your smile. Professional teeth whitening performed at a dental office is considered safe, affordable, and highly effective, offering results that you desire without any unpleasant side effects. They are way above the procedures done at home or using over-the-counter products. The use of over-the-counter kits for whitening an unhealthy mouth could cause substantial damage to your teeth and gums. Your teeth are precious and are designed to last a lifetime, but can only do so if you treat them properly.

Why Whiten Your Teeth Professionally?

A lot of thought should be put into it before deciding on whitening your teeth. You need to consult a dentist and take their professional advice before going ahead with the process. Only dental professionals are qualified to safely use the highly potent whitening products that give optimal results. Our dentists will first diagnose the condition of your gums and teeth to make sure you don’t have any pre-existing oral conditions such as cavities or gum disease.

If any signs of disease are identified, they must be treated before they can whiten your teeth safely. If you try to whiten teeth in an unhealthy mouth, the whitening gel may cause annoying tooth sensitivity and quite possibly pain, and worsening any dental problems. Another valid reason to consult your dentist before teeth whitening is that everyone’s teeth are unique and need different strategies to achieve the desired results.

How Can Teeth Be Whitened Evenly?

When you come to our office, we will first analyze the reasons behind your teeth stains and discoloration. For instance, teeth can have external or internal stains.

External stains are restricted to the outer layer of tooth enamel that covers and protects your teeth. They are most commonly caused by lifestyle choices like smoking, drinking tea, coffee, red wine, or consuming highly colored foods. Besides, the tooth enamel thins as you grow older, exposing more of the natural tooth color below the dentin. External stains tend to respond pretty well to tooth whitening treatments. But even so, the results can differ based on the natural color of your teeth.

On the other hand, internal stains won’t respond so well to teeth whitening treatments. The stains can be caused by tetracycline used during pregnancy or if your teeth were exposed to too much fluoride during childhood. If you have internally stained teeth, they may need a slightly different course of action to make sure they whiten evenly with the rest of your teeth.

If you are interested in learning more about our teeth whitening treatments, visit our office, Shepherd Dental at 235 E Hildebrand Ave #100, San Antonio, TX 78212, or call at (210) 820-0400 and schedule an appointment.