Are you considering whitening your teeth? After all, a bright smile boosts confidence and those important first impressions. Should you choose professional teeth whitening or DIY products? At Norwalk Family Dentistry in Norwalk IA, Drs. Donna Grant, Elizabeth Fleck, and Maureen Winslow recommend dentist-supervised whitening for best safety and outstanding results.

Dental stains

Stains are almost unavoidable even when you brush, floss, and get hygienic cleanings regularly at your dental office in Norwalk IA. Professional teeth whitening can remove the deeply ingrained organic matter which discolors your tooth enamel, and the results are amazing.

Surface, or extrinsic, stains come from:

• Coffee
• Tea
• Sports drinks
• Cola
• Tobacco products
• Dark foods, such as curry, soy sauce, and blackberries
• Prescription medications (antihistamines, for example)
• Neglected brushing and flossing

Which should you choose?

These days, do it yourself teeth whitening Norwalk products are very popular. Sadly, they are ineffective in removing deep discolorations and may cause painful gum and tooth sensitivity and odd chalky tooth color.

Plus, whitening strips cannot cover crooked teeth or wide smiles adequately, and strips may slide around, spilling whitening chemicals onto soft oral tissues, says the Consumer Guide to Dentistry.

At Norwalk Family Dentistry, your professional team recommends take-home or in-office Zoom! Whitening. Safer than DIY products because your dentist medically clears you for whitening, both options deliver hydrogen peroxide gel right where it's needed--never irritating gums, lips, or tongue.

At home, you'll use custom-made acrylic trays to place the whitening gel right where it's needed. In the office, your dental care provider will apply it three times, activate each with the Zoom Chairside Lamp, and rinse off the gel. The total time is about 45 minutes. When you complete your treatment, your smile will gleam and shine brighter by about eight full shades.

Finally, teeth whitening Norwalk results last up to two years when you brush and floss and get your regular cleanings on schedule. Watching what you eat and stopping all tobacco products help keep your smile bright too.

Get more information

At Norwalk Family Dentistry, teeth whitening is just one of the many cosmetic services we offer. Learn more by calling us for a consultation with Drs. Donna Grant, Elizabeth Fleck, and Maureen Winslow. Why go it alone with professional teeth whitening works so well and is so safe? Call our office team in Norwalk IA at (515) 256-9000.