When will I see results from at-home teeth whitening? I started using carbamide peroxide 16% for my tetracycline stains about 5 weeks ago. I gave my teeth a break after only getting slight improvement. How long should I wait before trying again to avoid over-bleaching my teeth. I wonder whether I should try another brand of bleaching gel to see if the results are better. When should I see the improvement? – Thanks Zane

Zane – Understandably, you want to do something about the tetracycline stains on your teeth, but 16% carbamide peroxide won’t remove them.

When Will You See Results from At-Home Teeth Whitening?

You can see results from at-home teeth whitening the next day or several days later, depending on the type and strength of bleaching gel used. However, some whitening methods are not effective at all. If you have tetracycline stains, bleaching gel may not help at all. If teeth bleaching will help the stains, it needs to be done professionally by a dentist with high-strength bleaching gel. Even if the stains don’t disappear, overbleaching your teeth can damage them. Only an experienced cosmetic dentist can determine the treatment method for tetracycline stains.

It takes time and skill to get good results, though. It isn’t something that you should try on your own. Depending on your teeth and the severity of the stains, teeth whitening might not be the best option.

Porcelain veneers are a natural-looking way to conceal the tetracycline stains on your teeth. However, covering them isn’t easy. It requires the skill of a cosmetic dentist to give you porcelain veneers to cover the stains without them looking pasty or opaque.

Find an experienced, credentialed cosmetic dentist to examine your teeth and recommend the right treatment.

Metairie, Louisiana, dentist Dr. Duane Delaune sponsors this post.