Teeth Whitening

Why Aren’t My Teeth White?

Teeth lose their luster for a number of reasons, including:

• Poor at-home care
• Using tobacco products like cigarettes or chewing tobacco
• Drinking beverages with dark pigments, like soda, wine, or coffee
• Eating foods with dark pigments, like berries or carrots
• Early exposure (before 8 years old) to certain antibiotics, like tetracycline or doxycycline
• Medications, such as certain antihistamines, antipsychotics, and high blood pressure medications

There are many natural factors that affect the color of your teeth, as well, such as your age. As you age, the hard outer layer of your teeth (enamel) becomes thinner, allowing the soft inner layer of your teeth (dentin) that is naturally yellow to show through more clearly.

Genetics can also play a role in the color of your teeth, since the porousness of your enamel is actually an inherited trait, and more porous enamel is more transparent.

How Do You Whiten My Teeth?

The dental experts at Smile Design Manhattan use the Philips Zoom!® in-office whitening system to give their patients whiter smiles that they’re proud to share with the world.

When you come in for a Zoom! whitening treatment, your dentist puts a retainer filled with a whitening solution snugly over your teeth. The whitening solution is made of special bleaching agents that break up the staining pigments in your teeth.

The Philips Zoom! system enhances this process by using a special light that your dentist shines on your teeth during the whitening. This light helps the gel penetrate your teeth, where it breaks up deeper stains and areas of more difficult discoloration.

With Zoom! whitening treatments at Smile Design Manhattan, you can make your teeth up to eight shades whiter with a single hourlong appointment.

Can I Just Use Over-the-Counter Whitening Strips?

You shouldn’t. Over-the-counter whitening strips and generic whitening trays aren’t nearly as effective as a professional teeth whitening treatment, and they can actually even be damaging to your oral health.

The bleaching solution in over-the-counter products isn’t nearly as strong as what you get at Smile Design Manhattan, and because the trays and strips aren’t designed to perfectly fit around your unique smile, the bleaching solution frequently leaks out and comes into contact with your gums, where it acts as an irritant.

For truly safe and effective teeth whitening, you should seek the help of a professional. Put the shine back in your smile today by booking an appointment with the dental experts at Smile Design Manhattan. You can call the office or schedule your visit online.

Book Online