Combining Teeth Whitening Treatments: What Patients Should Know
The team at the Cosmetic Dentistry Institute offers plenty of options to brighten and whiten your smile. The most popular and effective option for most of our Troy, MI patients is teeth whitening. Using advanced bleaching agents and light-activated technology, we can dramatically enhance the brightness of your smile.
Patients often ask us if teeth whitening treatment can be combined with other products or procedure. Let's take a moment to consider some of the combinations of treatments that patients often ask us about.
Can Different Teeth Whitening Systems Be Combined?
Using two different professional teeth whitening systems at the same time is generally not advised. The dental bleaching solutions can differ from system to system, and there's a potential for poor results if two separate systems are used concurrently. Just to be on the safe side, only one in-office professional whitening system should be used on a single patient during the treatment process.
That said, if a patient experiences sub-optimal bleaching results with one whitening system, they can try a different whitening system at a later time.
Can I Use Over-the-Counter Whitening Toothpaste with Professional Care?
Over-the-counter toothpastes that have teeth whitening properties tend to have few chemicals that would lead to adverse interactions while undergoing professional teeth whitening treatments. This means you can technically continue to use your whitening toothpaste during professional teeth bleaching.
That said, you may instead want to use a toothpaste for sensitive teeth while you're undergoing professional teeth whitening treatment. Hot/cold tooth sensitivity is a common issue during professional bleaching, and special toothpastes for sensitive teeth can help minimize discomfort between bleaching sessions.
Can I Use Whitening Strips During Professional Teeth Whitening?
It's generally a good idea to avoid using teeth whitening strips while you are undergoing professional teeth whitening treatments. This helps prevent issues with chemical interactions and increased tooth sensitivity. This approach should also be considered when it comes to using over-the-counter whitening tray systems for dental bleaching.
Keep in mind that professional teeth whitening is far more effective than whitening strips or any other over-the-counter whitening system. While you're having professional teeth whitening done, you may not even need to bother with other consumer-grade bleaching products.
Combining In-Office Bleaching and Take-Home Whitening Kits
In order to maximize the result of professional teeth whitening procedures, your dentist may also give you an at-home dental bleaching kit. This at-home kit uses stronger bleaching agents that will aid in removing stains and whitening your teeth.
Not all patients will require both in-office and at-home teeth whitening to achieve the best possible bleaching results. During the consultation process, your dentist can determine whether or not you will benefit from combined in-office and at-home whitening.
Combining Teeth Whitening and Other Treatments
Sometimes professional teeth whitening alone is not enough to address a patient's dental stains and tooth discoloration. In these cases, the best option is to combine teeth whitening treatment with another cosmetic dentistry procedure, such as the use of porcelain veneers.
When combining another cosmetic dentistry procedure with teeth whitening, it's common to bleach the teeth as much as possible first, and then to follow the teeth whitening treatment with the use of veneers. This helps ensure the veneers are properly color-matched to your brightened teeth.
Contact the Cosmetic Dentistry Institute
To learn more about your options for treating tooth discoloration and dental stains, be sure to contact the Cosmetic Dentistry Institute. Our team looks forward to your visit and discussing these matters in greater detail.
