If you don't like the look of your yellow teeth, you have multiple options to whiten them. However, the best option is often a professional teeth-whitening session with your dentist. Here are a few reasons why:

Quick Results

During a professional teeth whitening, your teeth are exposed to professional-grade products that tend to whiten the teeth faster than natural and over-the-counter applications. The whitening effects are typically seen after a single application. Nevertheless, you may still opt for several teeth-brightening sessions if your teeth are deeply discolored. Each session should progressively whiten your teeth until they reach an optimal level of whiteness.

Effectiveness

The peroxide in professional teeth-whitening products that are often used in dental offices reaches deep within the pores of the teeth to bleach away pigments that have settled there.

Each time you eat or drink a deeply colored substance, the colorants in the food or drink are deposited into the pores of your teeth. As these pigments build up, your teeth become more discolored. Even though you may be brushing and flossing regularly, these actions alone don't reach deep enough into the enamel to whiten the discoloration.

Less Irritation

During a professional whitening treatment, the dentist protects the gums and other soft tissues of your mouth to lessen the chance of inflammation. Although whitening products are generally safe for your mouth, when sensitive tissues are exposed to peroxide and other chemical bleaching agents for a prolonged period, they can become irritated. Since the dental professional is careful to only apply the whitening product to the teeth and ensures that the cheeks are held away from the teeth during the application, these soft tissues remain relatively unaffected by the whitening chemicals.

Also, there is less chance of irritation to the dental nerves within the teeth. The professional-grade products are designed to minimize nerve irritation. Sometimes, when over-the-counter whitening products are applied by a patient, they are left on the teeth too long.

Some patients believe that a lengthier stay on the teeth will result in greater whitening. However, by leaving the product on the teeth too long, patients risk the chance of inflaming the dental nerves. This can result in great discomfort, and in some cases, may require a root canal to remedy the pain.

To learn more about professional whitening sessions and why they are preferred, schedule a consultation with a cosmetic dentist at a location like Adams Dental Center in your area.

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