Teeth Whitening in Houston, TX

Our tooth enamel is the hardest tissue on the human body, but it is also slightly porous. When we drink a cup of coffee or eat a bowl of blueberries, some of the color penetrates our enamel and stays. Unlike a stain on a shirt, over time, the stains accumulate and our teeth become a little dingy. This type of staining responds really well to teeth whitening.
Another type of staining that occurs in the dentin layer of the teeth that can happen from trauma to a tooth, as a reaction to tetracycline, or even from too much fluoride. These deep stains don’t respond the same to teeth whitening. For these types of cases, Dr. Velasco can correct the stained teeth with porcelain veneers.

Here are the reasons your teeth aren’t as white as they once were:

Food — Blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, even dark chocolate have natural pigments in them that can stain the enamel of your teeth.
Drink — Coffee, tea, red wine, cranberry and other dark juices, even cola soft drinks all can stain your teeth.
Smoking — Nicotine and/or tobacco leave yellow stains on your teeth.
Genes — The enamel on some people’s teeth is darker than others. Also some people have enamel that is more porous and stains easier.
Fluorosis — If a child has too much fluoride, it can cause this condition, which stains the teeth. This staining is in the dentin.
Drugs — In the 60s and 70s tetracycline was a heavily used antibiotic, especially in children. Unfortunately, in many kids it permanently discolored their teeth.

Contrary to some thinking, teeth whitening isn’t an unlimited proposition. The goal is to return the patient’s teeth to their natural, bright white color. The way whitening agents accomplish this isn’t unlike the way detergents remove stains from clothing. Opalescence Boost’s hydrogen peroxide is the whitening agent. When it penetrates your stained enamel, oxygen molecules from the hydrogen peroxide react with the discolored molecules that have embedded in your enamel. This interaction breaks the bonds that have allowed the stains to stick. As the oxygen molecules then spread across the tooth surface, it becomes whiter. Opalescence Boost can whiten your teeth up to eight shades.

This is how an Opalescence Boost session at Uptown is done.

Step 1 — We determine the shade of your teeth with a shade guide.
Step 2 — We then place a lip and cheek retractor and a bite block. These protect your tongue, cheeks, and lips from the whitening gel.
Step 3 — A gum barrier is then drawn onto the gumline around all the teeth to be whitened. This barrier will completely protect your gums from the whitening gel.
Step 4 — The Opalescence Boost gel is then painted onto each tooth. The gel is allowed to stay on the teeth for 20 minutes.
Step 5 — We suction away the gel and check the degree of whitening. If more whitening is needed, we can apply the gel up to two additional times for 20 minutes each.
Step 6 — We rinse off your teeth, remove the gum barrier, and you’re done. And the whole process took just an hour.

It’s amazing how a bright dazzling smile gives you more confidence when interacting and talking with others. Whitening is great before a big event such as a wedding or job interview.

And people react to a bright smile. According to a survey from the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, 48 percent of people believe a smile is the most memorable feature after first meeting someone, more than the first thing a person says (25%). Respondents perceived people with flawed smiles as less attractive (37%) and less confident (25%) compared to people with perfect, white smiles.

Opalescence Boost teeth whitening can last for up to three years. But just how long your teeth stay bright white is really up to you. If your teeth became stained before by coffee and the like, they will become stained again.

Home hygiene makes a difference. Using whitening toothpaste (ADA approved, of course), and brushing for two minutes twice daily is important. Plus, coming in for twice-yearly professional cleanings at Uptown Cosmetic & Implant Dentistry is equally important to keeping your teeth their whitest.

The American Dental Association has done numerous studies on teeth whitening, covering decades of procedures, and has concluded that teeth whitening is safe and has given its approval to various products (including Opalescence Boost). There are not any recorded instances of irreversible or structural damage caused by whitening programs.

Whitening can make your teeth a little more sensitive for a brief period of time after the application, but this sensation passes quickly. The potassium nitrate in Opalescence Boost helps prevent sensitivity.

There are various over-the-counter whitening options out there, but they have their drawbacks. First, a trained dental professional is not administering them. Because of that the whitening agents used in at-home kits must be much less powerful in case some of the gel gets on your gums or tongue at home. By contrast, when we place the Boost gel on your teeth, we have created a barrier on your gumline, we’ve blocked your gums, tongue, and cheeks. Boost can use a 40 percent hydrogen peroxide solution because it will only be applied in-office. Second, with at-home kits the application is inconsistent. Whether strips or one-size-fits-all trays, it’s difficult to get a good, even application. This can lead to inconsistent results. Third, at-home whitening is messy and it takes a long time. Most kits require application for 30 minutes every day for two weeks. Or, you could simply come to our comfortable Houston office and in just an hour your teeth are dazzling white.

Many people hear the word “bleach” and immediately think that it is toxic. The bleaching agent used in most whitening pastes is carbamide peroxide, which has been thoroughly evaluated by the American Dental Association (ADA). The dental product manufacturers that make such products have done many experiments and studies to verify the safety of these teeth whitening products. Keep in mind that as with any health and beauty product there can be side effects for some users. Typically, the side effects tend to concern three major areas of the mouth: the gums, the teeth, and dental restorative products like fillings. The degree to which you may experience such side effects or issues depends on the type of whitening treatment you receive or use.