What’s one of the first things you notice about someone? Is it their hair, their clothes, their shoes? Maybe, but you’ll definitely notice their smile, especially if their smile is bright and pearly white. Whitening your teeth is an easy way to boost both your confidence and the health of your teeth. So how can you get that sparkling smile?
First, let’s talk about what causes teeth discoloration:

  • Poor dental hygiene
  • Coffee (Sad, but true. We love our coffee here!)
  • Age
  • Smoking and tobacco products
  • Certain foods (some have more staining pigments that cling to your tooth’s enamel)
  • Soda

Some of these are unavoidable factors, and others are part of our daily routines. Don’t worry, we’re not demanding you give up coffee or your favorite foods; there are solutions for a discolored smile that don’t involve sacrifice.
Teeth whitening solutions fall into two main categories: in-home treatments and in-office treatments. We are going to focus on what you can do to whiten your teeth at home.
In-Home Treatments
In-home treatments are the options you find in the personal care aisles of grocery stores and drug stores. They tend to take a bit longer to work and have shorter-term benefits, but are generally lower in cost. In-home options include:

  • Whitening strips: These are usually adhesive strips with a peroxide-based gel that you place directly onto your teeth for a given period of time. It will take longer for you to see results when using whitening strips for a couple of reasons. One reason being that the gel used in these strips is typically weaker than other methods, such as whitening trays. Another reason is because the strips are a “one size fits all” method rather than being personalized to your teeth. “The strips are not fitted to your teeth, which makes them less effective than other options,” said Dr. Henritze. Results often last a few months. These usually cost between $40-$55 per box.
  • Tray-whitening system: This can be purchased either from a retailer or from your dentist’s office. A mouth guard-type tray (a custom fit one provided by a dentist is more effective) is filled with a gel or paste and placed onto the teeth for the prescribed period of time. This mirrors what is done in the dentist’s office more closely than any other in-home whitening option, and the results are longer lasting. The cost for this system can range from $100-$500.

Tip: if you are experiencing tooth sensitivity as a result of using whitening products, we recommend that you use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Using a sensitive toothpaste in conjunction with the whitening treatment may help relieve some of the pain.
We offer a tray-whitening treatment for only $99. Yes, you read that right – $99. What do you have to lose? Stains and yellowing teeth, perhaps – and we guarantee you’ll lose those after our treatment.
There are so many options available to get that perfect, bright white smile. If you’re still wondering which way to go, give us a call and we can help you decide. If you are interested in our $99 tray-whitening service, be sure to mention it when you call.
*Please note, with any form of whitening you choose, there may be some gum irritation or tooth sensitivity that follows. If you experience this for a long period of time, contact your dentist as soon as possible.