Do Whitening Toothpastes Work?

Whitening toothpastes may seem quite appealing. For one, they promise to whiten your teeth without adding any extra steps to your oral hygiene routine. They also claim to prevent problems like cavities and tooth decay. But do they deliver on all of these promises, or are they too good to be true? Irvine dentists Drs. Ali and Shery Mansouri of Serene Dental Center reveal the truth about whitening toothpastes and how they can benefit your smile.

What Whitening Toothpastes Can and Cannot Do

Using whitening toothpaste is an affordable and easy way to lift surface stains, such as those caused by drinking coffee and red wine. Whitening toothpaste can be easily incorporated into your morning and nightly routine, and the fluoride in these products prevents cavities and tooth decay.

The drawback of whitening toothpastes is that their whitening potential is quite limited — they cannot lighten the natural color of the teeth or fix deep-set stains. At best, whitening toothpastes can lighten the teeth one or two shades. And, it can take several weeks to see any results.

The Better Solution to Deep-Set Stains and Discoloration

There are better ways to achieve more powerful whitening results. One cosmetic option, available with the team at Serene Dental Center, is professional chairside teeth whitening with the Zoom! system.

During a Zoom! treatment session, a special bleaching gel is applied to the teeth and activated with a special light. The gel penetrates the tooth surface and breaks up deep-set stains. After sitting on the teeth for about 15 minutes, the bleaching gel is removed and the process is repeated two or three times. The entire process takes about an hour, and the teeth look up to eight shades whiter and brighter almost instantly. As an added benefit, the entire treatment is supervised by our dentists to minimize any tooth or gum sensitivity during the procedure.

Another alternative to chairside whitening and whitening toothpastes is to use take-home trays provided by cosmetic dentists Dr. Ali and Dr. Shery. These whitening trays are custom-fitted so they won’t shift around or leak whitening gel onto the gums or soft tissues of the mouth. After wearing the trays every night for a week or two, the teeth look noticeably brighter (but not as dramatically white as after Zoom! treatment).

If you are interested in chairside Zoom! whitening treatment or customized take-home trays, please inquire with our team at Serene Dental Center. Call or email us today for more information.