A Brighter Holiday Smile with Teeth Whitening in Torrance

You eagerly anticipate the holiday season–the celebrations, the decorations, the gifts and the laughter and smiles. But wait! Laughter and smiles mean you will be showing your teeth in public, and frankly, they’ve become really stained. Don’t worry. You can get a beautifully bright smile in time for the holidays with professional teeth whitening from Blue Coast Dental Group in Torrance.

Why Teeth Discolor

There are many reasons why tooth enamel darkens as time goes by. Age, some pharmaceuticals, such as antihistamines, and smoking–they all take a toll on tooth color. Most people’s teeth end up looking dull and yellow, and self-image take a pretty sharp blow.

Other stains come from the foods we eat and the beverages we drink. Darkly pigmented beverages such as black tea, red wine, colas and sports drinks bathe teeth in staining materials. Dark foods such as curry, soy sauce and blueberries do, too. Even healthy acidic foods, such as citrus fruits and tomato-based sauces, lead to stains because they soften dental surfaces.

However, these extrinsic stains respond really well to professional teeth whitening from

Sanez Hamzehpour DDS and Peter Refela DDS at Blue Coastal Dental. This experienced and caring dental team understands that people of all ages want their smiles to look youthful, healthy and gleaming. So, the dentists offer a range of aesthetic dental treatments to perk up smiles. Professional teeth whitening is one of those treatments.

How Teeth Whitening Works

Dr. Hamzehpour and Dr. Refela offer two kinds of professional teeth whitening: in-office and at-home. With either method, the patient’s mouth must be free of tooth decay, extensive restorations, such as deep fillings, and gum disease. Patients with very sensitive teeth are not candidates for teeth whitening.

With in-office whitening, the patient comes to Blue Coast Dental Group for a single, one-hour treatment. While the patient relaxes in the dental chair, the dentist applies a powerful hydrogen peroxide gel which penetrates tooth enamel. The gel literally lifts out the staining organic material. After about an hour, the gel is rinsed off, and the teeth are several shades brighter in color with little to no residual dental sensitivity.

The at-home version involves custom-fitted whitening trays that the patient fills with a less concentrated gel. He or she applies the trays for a prescribed amount of time daily–usually about half an hour. After about 2 weeks, this more gradual whitening process is complete, yielding a wonderfully white smile.

Maintaining a White Smile

The doctors tell their cosmetic dentistry patients to avoid things which stain their teeth–especially tobacco use. However, because we all have to eat, they simply say to limit coffee intake and other dietary choices that are healthy but cause discolorations. Some people drink staining liquids through a straw. Others rinse their mouths thoroughly with water, or brush if possible, when they eat or drink something darkly pigmented.

Additionally, the team at Blue Coast Dental Group will provide patients with touch-up kits for use at home. Touch-ups really help extend that beautiful tooth color.

There’s Time

The holidays aren’t here yet; so there’s time to find out if professional teeth whitening is an option for you. Contact Blue Coast Dental Group to schedule your cosmetic dentistry consultation. Look forward to plenty of happy smiles this holiday season!