How Do I Prepare My Teeth for Whitening?

When you decide to invest in professional teeth whitening services, you likely want to do everything you can to make the procedure worth the cost. To have an effective whitening treatment, there are a few things you can do to prepare.

Schedule a Dental Checkup and Cleaning

Before professional teeth whitening, it’s best to visit your dentist for a checkup. Your dentist will consider your dental health and unique needs to determine if you’re an ideal candidate for whitening treatment. There are some stains that even professional whitening methods cannot remove, such as stains from long-term exposure to antibiotics, trauma, or decay. Additionally, it is not possible to whiten dental implants, veneers, or other restorations, even with professional whitening.

You should also have your teeth cleaned before a whitening procedure. Plaque and tartar will prevent whitening products from working most effectively.

Desensitize Sensitive Teeth

Many people have sensitive teeth or experience temporary tooth sensitivity after a whitening procedure. To reduce sensitivity after professional whitening, you can use a desensitizing toothpaste for at least two weeks prior to the procedure. A desensitizing toothpaste helps reduce tooth sensitivity with two essential ingredients, strontium chloride and potassium nitrate, which block pain signals being transmitted from tooth to nerve.

Use a Shade Guide

It’s best to decide what shade you want your teeth whitened to before you go in for the treatment. Using a shade guide, find the shade that most closely matches the current shade of your teeth. Then, decide what shade you want your teeth to be after whitening. If you’re not sure how light you should go, your dentist can help you determine what shade will give you a bright, natural smile.

Do you have more questions about teeth whitening? Call or visit Hale Family Dentistry; we can answer your questions!