3 Reasons to Consider Professional Teeth Whitening This Holiday Season

Smiles and laughter add joy to the holidays. But if you feel the need to hide your teeth due to discoloration, you could end up more Scrooge-like than bright and jolly. 

While a range of over-the-counter options exist to address these complaints, professional teeth whitening provides stronger and longer-lasting results. Leaving it to the pros also helps ensure a safer and more comfortable experience.

Our expert team at Swinney Dental in Tyler, Texas, offers in-office teeth whitening and professional-grade kits to use at home.

Here’s a closer look at tooth discoloration, including reasons to choose professional whitening and tips for making the most of it.

How teeth get discolored

Discolored teeth can happen in two main ways. 

These include extrinsic, which affects the outside surface, and intrinsic, which starts inside your tooth.

Extrinsic tooth staining often stems from consuming dark-colored foods and beverages, such as tea, coffee, red wine, and soy sauce. Chewing or smoking tobacco products, certain medications and mouthwashes, and poor oral hygiene also contribute.

Intrinsic color changes can derive from certain medications, as well as from genetic conditions or dental trauma.

Because of enamel wear-and-tear, increasing age also raises your risk of tooth discoloration. This can involve extrinsic and intrinsic factors.

Holiday-related reasons to consider professional teeth whitening

1. Feeling more confident about your appearance

Whiter teeth can ease self-consciousness about tooth stains and discoloration. As a result, you’ll feel more comfortable and confident at social gatherings and posing for photos.

People with whitened teeth are consistently perceived as more attractive and more youthful-looking than people with darker teeth.

Remember, full results may take a couple of days or longer, depending on your whitening treatment. If possible, schedule your treatment at least 1-2 weeks before your favorite gathering.

2. Less concern about dark foods and drinks

After a couple of days following professional teeth whitening, you can eat and drink whatever you’d like. At that point, rather than worry that your festive wine and chocolates will exacerbate tooth discoloration, you can relax and enjoy while sporting your pearly whites.

However, your teeth whitening treatment won’t last forever, and staining foods will begin to discolor your teeth again. Drink plenty of water and rinse your mouth after consuming dark-colored fare to prevent staining over time. 

3. Motivation to take care of your teeth

Once your teeth are whiter and brighter, you should feel motivated to keep those results. By improving your oral hygiene habits, you elongate your results and benefit from healthier teeth and gums. 

Smart habits include brushing at least twice a day, flossing once a day, and scheduling routine cleanings. For better outcomes, use an electric toothbrush.

Getting started with teeth whitening

At Swinney Dental, we offer Philips Zoom whitening, which whitens teeth by up to eight shades in one hour. You can also opt for one of our at-home whitening kits, which come with custom-fit whitening trays and professional-grade whitening gels. 

If you have sensitive teeth, we may recommend using our GLO® at-home whitening system. It uses heat and light to whiten your teeth, protecting you from bleach-related irritation.

To learn more about professional teeth whitening or get started toward a whiter, brighter smile, contact Swinney Dental today. We also offer veneers for whiter teeth.