Teeth whitening can brighten up your entire face, take years off your smile and it is a procedure that is constantly in demand.  Grand Rapids teeth whitening dentists at Heritage Hill Dental take their time to make sure your results look natural while ensuring your comfort and safety throughout your teeth whitening treatment, whether it be an at home whitening product or our in-office teeth whitening treatment. The results Heritage Hill Dental offers are more dramatic and lasting than other methods of teeth whitening.

Regardless of how well you care for your teeth, it is inevitable that, over time, some yellowing or discoloration will occur. This gradual change can be caused by aging, substances that stain your teeth (see below), excessive fluoride, or the deterioration of a tooth's enamel. A teeth whitening treatment can be performed either as an at-home, dentist-supervised process or in the dentist’s office. While neither of these methods stops future discoloration, these dental teeth whitening treatments bring about whiter teeth and help create a brighter smile.

At-Home Teeth Whitening

One of the most popular methods of teeth whitening is the at-home, dentist-supervised option. During your visit to the dentist for teeth whitening, we will take a mold of your teeth and create a comfortable, customized mouth tray. The mouth tray holds a mild solution whose main ingredient is carbamide peroxide, a substance that reacts with water to release a non-toxic bleaching element (hydrogen peroxide). The mouth tray is placed inside the mouth and sits only against the teeth, thereby avoiding contact with the gums. Patients should wear the mouth tray for 30 minutes with the at home teeth whitening tray. When the mouth tray is worn throughout the night, the teeth whitening treatment lasts one to two weeks.  Patients with more sensitive teeth may opt for the latter approach, which lasts three to five weeks.

In-OfficeTeeth Whitening

In-Office Tooth Whitening is absolutely the fastest, extremely effective and safest teeth whitening systems offered in dentistry today. The complete in-office teeth whitening procedure takes just over an hour. The procedure begins with a preparation period followed by one hour of whitening. A five minute fluoride treatment completes the procedure (a cleaning is recommended prior to the actual In-Office Whitening session.

Foods that Stain your Teeth

We all want bright, white smiles.  They can take years off your appearance and boost your confidence. While bleaching your teeth is an effective (and generally safe) whitening step, it also helps to avoid foods that stain teeth in the first place. In fact, it's particularly important to steer clear of these foods immediately after a teeth whitening treatment; the bleaching process makes teeth extra absorbent. Here is a short list of foods to stay away from that may stain your teeth;  coffee, tea, wine, dark soft drinks, cranberry juice, popsicles & slushies, soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, tomato sauce, blueberries and beets.

Teeth Whitening Concerns

When using the at-home teeth whitening treatment, patients' teeth may feel a heightened, but temporary, sensitivity. The gums may also feel more sensitive or burn slightly. Not all people experience the quality of whiteness they had hoped for on their first teeth whitening treatment, and they may require a "touch-up" treatment. Teeth whitening treatments begin to fade in one to four years. It should be noted that teeth whitening treatments have no effect on the artificial materials used for composite bonds, porcelain veneers, or capped teeth.
If you are interested in learning more about teeth whitening or other cosmetic dentistry procedures, please contact our Grand Rapids teeth whitening office today at 616-451-2336.

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