Home or in Office, Which Way Works When Whitening Teeth?
Few aspects of your appearance can draw as much positive attention as a mouth full of brilliantly white teeth. Not only can a set of pearly whites enhance your overall appearance, they can also help to improve your self-esteem and confidence. However, maintaining a brilliantly white smile can have its challenges. A wide variety of foods and drinks can negatively affect the color of your teeth. While coffee and red wine lovers may already know the uphill battle they face, individuals who consume an abundance of such items as tomatoes, blueberries, cranberry juice, soda, beets, and soy sauce also have a higher risk of staining their teeth with what they eat. At Salmon Creek Family Dental, we want to help restore the brilliance to all of our patient’s smiles. As one the premiere dentists Vancouver, WA has, Dr. Nelson understands, however, that his patients have a number of options when it comes to regaining some of their teeth’s lost luster. The at-home whitening market contains an overwhelming number of options for consumers looking to improve their smiles. While at-home products can help to improve the color of your teeth, they do occasionally carry some risk, and not all products work as effectively as others. Here’s what you need to know when considering whether to whiten at home or to schedule a teeth whitening during your next appointment at Salmon Creek Family Dental. At-Home Products A number of different whitening products have hit the shelves in recent years that claim to improve the color of your teeth. Even though the majority of these products fulfill their claims, the time and discomfort required to use them may discourage some patients from attempting to improve the brightness of their smile at home. Common types of products include: Whitening rinses. Used just like a mouthwash, rinses contain whitening agents that help to improve the color of your teeth. Whitening rinses have the benefit of being easy to use, as all you need do is swirl the rinse around in your mouth after you’ve brushed and floss. However, because the whitening agent comes into contact with your teeth for such a short period of time (most rinses only require you to swirl for 90 seconds), they work gradually, and can take several weeks to make a noticeable difference. Whitening toothpaste. Whitening toothpastes contain mild abrasives or enzymes that help to remove stains from your teeth through gentle brushing. Just as with rinses, whitening toothpaste can take several weeks to make a noticeable difference, and some people can develop sensitive teeth after prolonged use of whitening toothpaste. Gel strips. Generally applied to teeth once a day for anywhere from a few minutes to a couple of hours, gel strips need to be worn for 10 to 20 days, depending on strength, to lighten the color of your teeth. Whitening trays. Similar to the whitening treatment used by Dr. Nelson, trays filled with a bleaching solution fit over your teeth like a mouth guard. By far the most effective product on the mark, trays can help to whiten your teeth after just a few uses. However, unlike the custom trays made for patients by Dr. Nelson, over-the-counter trays are made one size fits all, and wearing them may cause gum irritation. In-Office Treatment At Salmon Creek Family Dental, our teeth whitening procedure is a safe and inexpensive way to improve the brightness of your smile. Depending on your preference, we can lighten just your upper teeth or both your upper and lower teeth. Once you let us know that you’re interest in whitening your teeth, we will begin to create a custom teeth whitening tray you can pickup at your next appointment. Unlike over-the-counter whitening trays, we provide you with a special bleaching agent you place in the trays that will remove stains from your teeth’s enamel with only one hour of wear a day. Once your teeth reach your preferred brightness, only occasional treatments are necessary to maintain your brilliant new smile. So when deciding on how to whiten your teeth, make sure to talk with Dr. Nelson to see what the best solution might be for you.
Is an Electronic Toothbrush Right for You?
Here at Salmon Creek Family Dental, we get a lot of patients who ask us about creative ways to care for their teeth. We often say one of the best things you can do for your smile is to buy an electronic toothbrush. Electronic toothbrushes are often better and more superior than regular toothbrushes because they have a timer and are more gentle on the gums tissue. Although using an electronic toothbrush is not for everyone, read further to see if an electronic toothbrush is the best fit for you. Electronic toothbrushes are a great way to keep your teeth clean. There have been many studies that indicated using the electronic toothbrush has an edge over the handheld toothbrushes. This is because it reduces plaque and gingivitis in the short and long-term with a gentle timed circular brushing motion. Electronic toothbrushes are good for people with arthritis or people who need to handle their toothbrush with more control, because it will result in cleaner teeth and gums for these people. Dentist near Baberton, WA, Dr. Dale Nelson says that there are many types of toothbrushes that are electronic for you to look at, some require batteries and some require just plugging into the wall. It pays to do research and find which style works best for you. Electronic toothbrush’s have a timer which makes it easy to push the start button and continue brushing until it is over, this allows people to clean their teeth more accurately. Electronic toothbrushes do a deep down teeth cleaning and your teeth and gums will be very healthy. It will reduce gingivitis, in addition it is ideal for anyone who is suffering from any conditions of painful teeth and gums to consult with Dr. Nelson first, we are here to help you. If you use a manual toothbrush you may realize that sometimes it doesn’t get all of your teeth as clean as possible. It’s important to note that teeth are brushed to hard and the tissue around your teeth and gums can become damaged. Whereas an electronic toothbrush requires less pressure and it often leaves the gum tissue with minimal damage. If you’ve been using a manual toothbrush and that works for you, continue to use it. The most important thing is that you practice good oral health care habits. Dr. Nelson wants to remind you that as long is your practicing good oral health care habits and flossing at least once a day your teeth will be healthy. No matter what you choose whether it’s electronic toothbrush or manual toothbrush.
Worst Labor Day Foods for Your Teeth
Here at Salmon Creek Family Dental, we want to wish you a happy holiday and hope that you and your loved ones enjoy this Labor Day. This holiday weekend, like most other holidays, is a great time to relax and connect with family and friends. However, holidays are also a time when many of us eat extra food and use the “holiday” as an excuse to eat as much as we want without thinking about our health consequences. Fall is among us, so why not make healthy eating choices now, so you can have a good head start on the next few months. Many people gain weight in the fall and winter months, because of the extra holidays and colder weather, which makes people want to stay indoors. Since fall is getting started it is important to make healthy choices through the weekend. You might as well focus on good foods starting this weekend. Of course Labor Day weekend is the last summer shabang, but that doesn’t mean you have to go all crazy and eat whatever you want. You can pick healthy foods that are good for your health and teeth. Doctor Nelson, an expert in dentistry for children in Salmon Creek, WA, often educates patients about the best and worst foods for your teeth. Researchers at the University of Washington School of Dentistry discovered that diets that damage teeth might also be bad for the body. The Doctor knows that foods that contain high sugar levels have long been thought to damage teeth. These same sugars can damage other aspects of your body. This Labor Day, you may be inclined to over eat. But before you do, think about your teeth and how your actions now, can impact the health of your teeth in the future. Make wise choices now for a happy healthy month. No BBQ Sauce Avoid BBQ sauce on you meat. It is loaded with sugar that can damage your teeth. BBQ sauce can make your foods taste great, but it is not healthy for your smile. The sugars in the sauce can penetrate into your teeth and cause tooth decay. Try to limit or remove added condiments from your diet. Pick Fish Labor Day is all about the tasty foods, like ribs, hamburgers, and hot dogs galore. But this weekend put your future self into the present and think of how healthy and happy you will feel after the weekend is over if you choose not to overindulge. Instead of eating all the regular meats, pick fish. Fish is extremely high in powerful nutrients; it will help keep not only your body in shape but also your teeth and gums. We found a recent study that shows that eating fish and consuming fish oil may help reduce symptoms of periodontitis, inflammation of the tissue surrounding the teeth. We always ask out patients about their diet, because it does play an important role in your oral health. There are many benefits of eating a healthy diet. And although the holiday is here, recognize that you can still have a great weekend and pick foods and beverages that are good for you and your teeth. After all, by making healthy choices now, you will be smiling long after the festivities are over. Happy Labor Day from all of us at Salmon Creek Dental. May you be happy and healthy.