(360) 629-7229

7204 267th St. NW, Suite 102
Stanwood, WA 98292

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Teeth Whitening

There are a multitude of products out there offering whiter teeth from toothpastes to whitening strips to in-office, light-based products.  If you are uncertain as to which product is the best choice, you are not alone. There is a huge market behind whitening products and many of the studies showing their effectiveness are paid for by the same people selling the product(s). I would like to discuss these to help provide some insight

If you are considering whitening your teeth, you may recognize a number of benefits to whitening.  The biggest downside to whitening is temperature sensitivity, which is typically transient and tends to go away on its own.  You can also use desensitizers and other fluoride-based products to aid with this sensitivity issue.

There are two main approaches to achieve whiter teeth.  The method relied on by toothpaste manufacturers is to remove the stains on the outer surface of your enamel. However, although whitening toothpastes, activated charcoals, etc. may remove staining, they are very abrasive to the point that you may actually brush away micro amounts of enamel or the outer layer of your teeth.

Another alternative to whiten is by using a peroxide-based product, although these products are not all the same.  When it comes to peroxide-based products, there are both in-office and over-the-counter options.  The big over-the-counter product you may have heard of is the Crest Whitening Strip system.  I find that the Crest system is both expensive over time and only around 5% peroxide leaches away from the strips.  Crest also sells a “professional strength” version of these strips, but I would also suggest against them.

In general, we recommend the gold standard of whitening products: dentist-produced whitening trays with a 15-20% carbamide peroxide gel.  Carbamide peroxide works to whiten the outer layer of your enamel, but does so without causing abrasion or loss of tooth structure.  Depending on how often you want to whiten, additional tubes of gel can be purchased to be used with the same trays.

It is also important to touch on the light-based, in-office whitening products like Xoom whitening.  In addition to being a peroxide based system, these systems also use a light application.  Multiple studies have been performed to examine the effectiveness of incorporating light in these systems and have been shown to have no effect on how well the peroxide works.  What these systems rely on is higher strength peroxide in the range of 30%, which can become very painful very quickly.  Additionally, because it is typically a one shot deal, the effects wear off much more quickly than the at-home systems where you can continue as needed.

If you have any questions regarding whitening or any other dental concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at 360-629-7229.

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Shade Checking Just Got Better!

As with everything, technology in dentistry is always improving and changing. As a result, we are always striving to find the best technology to improve the quality and outcome of your dental experience. Along these lines, I am pleased to announce our latest investment: introducing the Vita Easyshade V. The Vita Easyshade V is a tool for taking “custom” teeth shades at the chair without having to rely solely on our eyes. This is important because the slightest difference in tooth shades can really stand out, especially in the front or the “esthetic zone”. Relying on our eyes, alone, is not always sufficient and having another tool in our arsenal for some of the more difficult shade matches is meant to take some of the guess work out of the process. This tool has a great track record, already, and is known as the best digital shade detection system on the market. All we have to do is point the Vita Easyshade at a tooth and it will digitally measure the shade of your existing teeth. It’s that easy!

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Alternative Means Of Whitening

Recently, we have been hearing questions from our patients about alternative means of teeth whitening.  I wanted to discuss two of these alternative options specifically: apple cider vinegar and activated charcoal.  In general, teeth can stain over time due to the hardships we place on them.  Drinking coffee, tea, soda and other harsh foods can take a toll on our pearly white smiles.  Staining happens in two ways, which are known as extrinsic staining and intrinsic staining.  Simply put, extrinsic staining occurs on the surface of the exposed enamel while intrinsic staining occurs deep down.

When we talk about whitening our teeth, we are usually referring to attacking that extrinsic staining.  Many products have been created for consumers to try to eliminate staining and most of these products work by the process of abrasion.  In other words, products like whitening toothpastes are very abrasive and can actually remove minor amounts of tooth structure when used – but will sometimes also result in whiter teeth. Although there haven’t been many studies on the success of activated charcoal in toothpaste, the mechanism by which it works is similar to the same mechanism used in other abrasive toothpastes.  However, in contrast to tooth whitening toothpastes, activated charcoal toothpastes have not been examined or approved by the ADA and too much abrasion can damage your teeth if used as a prolonged alternative to recommended toothpastes.

When considering apple cider vinegar as a mouth rinse and tooth whitening agent, the studies are also absent and its use is strongly discouraged.  Vinegar is a common name for its proper name, acetic acid.  Just like any other acid, anything acidic should be avoided as a long-term rinse as acidic food and drink will shift the environment in your mouth that may lead to the softening and subsequent erosion of your teeth, which may predispose you to a higher risk for tooth decay.  If this is the last thing you do before bed, you are letting your teeth sit in an acidic environment while you sleep.  Additionally, if you are brushing your teeth afterwards, the effects can also be damaging as you are gradually brushing your teeth away.

If you are interested in tooth whitening, both in terms of continued use and long-lasting results, custom-fitted whitening trays remain the gold standard.  Although whitening gels can cause temporary sensitivity, the mechanism used does not damage your teeth and the results last much longer than other over-the-counter alternatives.  Additionally, Cascadia Dentistry offers products than have been shown to reduce or eliminate even the smallest amount of post-whitening sensitivity.

If you’re interested in whitening your teeth, we are here to discuss it further and help you get started!

To schedule an appointment, please call Cascadia Dentistry in Stanwood:  (360) 629-7229