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Is Zoom the only thing that will whiten my filling?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I been through some tough times in the last couple of years. I had some depression and self-confidence issues that really set me back and I didn’t take care of myself. I’ve come along way and am in a really good place. I feel good about myself emotionally and now I want to make the outside match the inside. I figured I’d start with my teeth – who doesn’t want a beautiful, white smile? Unfortunately, Zoom whitening was too expensive for me, so I decided to try an at-home kit I found online. It’s been a couple of months and I’ve been using it every day. I can definitely tell my teeth look whiter – except for one small spot where I have filling. How can I get the filling to whiten? I’d rather not pay for Zoom whitening if I can get it done here at home. — Heather

Heather,

It’s so great to hear that things are looking up for you! As for the filling, there’s no amount of whitening that can be done that will change the color of it – not even Zoom. If you want it to look like rest of your teeth, you will have to have it removed and replaced with a shade that matches.

Did the kit you are using recommend whitening every day? If not, you should be careful because many of the stronger formulas can cause problems if overused. Have you experienced any pain or gum irritation?  If so, you should discontinue use immediately so you don’t cause more serious pain or even permanent damage.  You might even notice discolored enamel or  uneven color depending on the product’s strength.

Schedule a consultation with your dentist. It’s always best to have a check up and cleaning before starting a whitening regimen. They can also help troubleshoot any problems you may have or even make custom trays to be used with a professional-strength solution that costs a lot less than expensive in-office procedures. Good luck!

My wife may be addicted to teeth whitening. Is it ruining her enamel?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I’ve jokingly call my wife a teeth whitening addict, but I’m starting to worry that’s she’s getting out of hand with it. Don’t get me wrong, she has a beautiful smile — it’s one of the reasons she caught my eye. But, she really obsesses over it. About two years ago, she had in-office teeth whitening done, where they put her under the lights and everything. Right after it, she started using the take-home kit. When her take-home kit ran out of gel, she switched to whitening strips. Now, she buys more gel every six months when she gets a checkup, and uses it right away, and then she uses the strips about once a month between visits. She started talking about going back in for another in-office teeth whitening procedure and I think it’s just nuts. I’m afraid she’s going to destroy her enamel and wind up with serious problems. Are my worries justified? — William

William,
Your wife is probably ok  with the amount she’s using teeth whitening products. Some people do touch up every month or so, but these are usually people who do a lot of things that stain their teeth, like drink coffee daily or smoke. Most people only tend to want to boost their color after a year or so. Bear in mind, the gel she gets in the office is stronger than the over-the-counter stuff, so when she isn’t using that, it’s harder for her to achieve the shade she wants.

Excessive treatments can cause problems, like translucent teeth or sensitivity. If she isn’t experiencing these issues and her dentist thinks her teeth are healthy enough for another round of in-office treatment, she should be good to go.

On the other hand, she could be inadvertently sabotaging her own results. Teeth have microscopic holes in them, but they’re normally closed up. As part of the bleaching process those spaces open. It can take a few days to weeks for them to close entirely up again. So, if she’s prone to doing things that stain (drink coffee, cola or wine or smoke), then the teeth will absorb the stains fairly easily right after treatment. If she can avoid these things, she’ll probably stay happier for longer. Regular brushing right after or even rinsing her mouth, can help slow down the staining process. Over time, her teeth will regain the stains, but her habits play a big role in how quickly this occurs.

The bottom line is that if she isn’t experiencing issues and her dentist has given her the green light, her current schedule is fine.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Can I share my leftover Zoom gel with my friend?

Posted on by smiles4u.

It’s been almost a year since I had Zoom whitening done and I love the results! My dentist sent a tray and gel home with me for maintenance and touch-ups, but I haven’t had to use it. My friend wants to try Zoom, and since mine is just sitting around not getting used, I thought why not give the syringes and kit to her? I’m thinking that should be plenty for her to get good results, and there shouldn’t be any problem with her using it, right? — Trixie

Trixie,
I’m sure you were always taught you that it’s good to share, but when it comes to your Zoom take-home whitening kit, think again. Here’s why:

  1. The gel could be expired. Most whitening gels are good for about a year, and if you’ve had it that long, who knows how long your dentist had it before prescribing it to you. It also depends on how and where you stored it (in the fridge vs. a warm place, like your bathroom).  A good indication is it’s color —  if cloudy or white, it’s definitely no good. And even if it’s still clear, there’s no guarantee it will be effective because of age.
  2. Your friend’s current dental state. If she hasn’t see a dentist recently for a cleaning, it can affect the whitening results. Also, any fillings or crowns will not respond to whitening — so if she has dental work on any teeth that show when she smiles, she will definitely be disappointed.
  3. Your trays will not fit anyone else. Your dentist took impressions of your teeth to make a tray just for you. Even if your friend thinks yours sort of fit her mouth, ill-fitting trays cause unevenness and splotching and the gel can ooze onto her gums and cause irritation.

It’s always fun to share with friends, but stick to clothes or your best-kept secrets. If you want to be a good friend, encourage her to visit her dentist and have a custom kit made just for her to ensure she’s smiling in the end.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Zoom whitening made my teeth look worse!

Posted on by smiles4u.

I recently got my braces off and have very noticeable white spots on my front teeth. My dentist recommended Zoom whitening, so I tried it. I could tell right away that the spots looked even worse, but he said I just needed to wait a few days for the color to even out. It’s been two weeks and my teeth still look the same. What’s going on? I’m thinking about trying an at-home kit to see if it will work. — Sara

Dear Sara,
Your dentist seems to have steered you in the wrong direction. Did he actually examine your teeth before recommending the Zoom whitening?  It sounds like you probably have decalcification. It’s a common problem in which the minerals in the tooth are stripped away as a result of poor cleaning around braces. These areas of decalcification manifest as white spots and it make the teeth susceptible to decay.

Any dentist who is familiar with this problem or who is skilled in cosmetic dentistry, would know that Zoom Whitening or other whitening systems will make the white spots worse. There’s a chance you can add minerals back to those areas, but there’s no guarantee it will work. Products that might help are Tooth Mousse or MI Paste (have your dentist order them for you or you can purchase them online). They are formulated  to saturate the tooth in minerals, in hopes of reversing the decalcification and staving off any future decay. Some dentists will do Microabrasion on the areas, but the end result could make your teeth look creamy – not white. You could also ask about removing the spots and placing bonding on the teeth. That will keep the areas from decaying — and your teeth will be a uniform color. Your only other alternative would be to look at a more costly cosmetic procedure like porcelain veneers.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

My preschooler has a gray tooth… will teeth whitening help?

Posted on by smiles4u.

My daughter injured one of her teeth a while back and it turned gray. The dentist advised me to just let it be. He said it would fall out soon enough and that if there weren’t any symptoms, she should be ok. I was worried about how things would go when she started school in the fall and I asked my dentist if teeth whitening was an option. I’m a stay-at-home mom and my daughter has been home with me this whole time. I’m afraid that if she’s around other kids, they’ll pick on her. That would be a devastating way for her to begin her school years. The dentist looked at me like I was nuts when I suggested fixing it and told me to let it be. Is teeth whitening and option, and if so, how do I go about finding a dentist who will do it?  — Sheila

Dear Sheila,
Teeth whitening, in a general sense, probably won’t work in this situation. The stains you’re talking about are working their way out from the inside, whereas traditional teeth whitening works on stains near the outside of a tooth. It’s ideal to handle stains caused by coffee and other external forces. In cases like this, doctors may perform an internal teeth whitening procedure, but it’s a complex procedure and requires that the patient be highly cooperative.

While it may be true that kids can be difficult, they don’t tend to notice small things like the shade of a tooth at this age. If she was a teenager or a late adolescent, that might be different. It’s highly unlikely that she or any of her peers will have a problem with the discoloration, as long as it isn’t pointed out. Most kids start to lose their front teeth in kindergarten or first grade. You didn’t mention which tooth it is, but those tend to be the ones most susceptible to trauma. So, there’s a good chance she’ll lose the tooth within a year or so anyway and her peers will be so busy focusing on the excitement of who lost a tooth first, the color won’t even be on the radar.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

My dentist won’t use Zoom… can I buy it and use it on my own?

Posted on by smiles4u.

Over the last year, I have gone through a personal transformation of sorts. I’ve lost nearly 100 pounds and I feel great. Now I’d like to tackle my smile. I’ve always wanted to have a bright, white beautiful smile like the ones I see on those makeover shows. When I went to my dentist to request Zoom whitening, he told me that he uses another product similar to Zoom. He called it Kor? I’m afraid it’s some knock-off of the real thing and it won’t give me the results I want. I don’t know how it compares cost-wise, but I offered to pay for Zoom even if it was more expensive. He wouldn’t go for it. Where can I buy Zoom and just do it myself? — Erika

Erika,
WOW… that certainly is a transformation and one you should be commended for! And it sounds like the teeth whitening will just be icing on the cake after all your hard work.

There are several choices for whitening products and oftentimes it’s personal preference which one a dentist chooses. And that is likely the case with your dentist because Kor and Zoom are very similarly priced. He simply may prefer the results he has seen with Kor and wants to stick with it. The product is known to offer very consistent results on tough-stained teeth, and the company also takes great care in preserving the quality of their product during shipment (i.e. they ship in chilled packaging).

Zoom is recommended only under a dentist’s supervision, so doing it yourself should be out of the question even if you can find someone to sell it to you (assuming it’s really Zoom product). You’re dealing with a high-powered, professional strength whitening product that can do more harm than good to your teeth and gums if they are not used correctly.

Give the Kor brand a try. One thing that might help you in realizing your results better is to have your dentist tell you what shade you started at and what your final shade will be. Sometimes you can’t see the difference immediately, but if you can compare the shades side-by-side, I think you’ll be dazzled by the end result.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Does in-office teeth whitening work?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I’m considering professional whitening at my dentist office. I’ve tried the over-the-counter whitening strips and the only thing they seem to do is damage my enamel. I don’t have any friends or family who’ve done in-office whitening to truly know if it works. I’m also concerned about cost and how frequently I’d have to go back to have it done. Any advice? — Cheryl

Cheryl,
Professional in-office whitening is a great, long-term solution to whiten your teeth. As for damaging your enamel, keep in mind that any whitening products (over-the-counter or in office) can be harmful if used too much. Over-the-counter products are designed to whiten a couple of shades lighter, however, it’s really only temporary because they are not as strong. Plus, they must be used frequently to maintain your desired result.

If you’re interested in professional whitening, check with your dentist, because he probably has a couple of options:

  1. An in-office procedure where he will apply a bleaching agent to your teeth and then use a light to activate the gel (this bumps your color several shades, and you’ll need to plan on about two hours at a cost of several hundred dollars)
  2. Take-home trays for bleaching at home which is less expensive (and works just as well over a longer period of time)

Talk with your dentist about whether or not you’re a good candidate for whitening and what might work best. Professional, in-office whitening can leave your teeth bright white for many years. Touch-ups are typically recommended every couple of years, depending on whether or not your eating, drinking or smoking habits discolor the teeth sooner. The good news is that periodic touch-ups are fairly inexpensive.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Will tooth mousse and whitening get rid of my white lesions?

Posted on by smiles4u.

I’ve had white spot lesions on my teeth for several years. I finally decided I wanted to do something about them so at my last dental appointment, my dentist sent me home with tooth mousse and then told me to come back in a couple of months for some whitening. Will the combination of these two things help me finally get rid of these stains for good? — Eric

Eric,
Unfortunately, your dentist is not quite on the mark with this one. Yes, tooth mousse does treat white spots, but it’s only designed to keep them from turning into cavities by remineralizing them. You can check into it, but the company doesn’t make any specific aesthetic claims beyond that.

But what is even more concerning is that your dentist is recommending tooth whitening. The bleaching gel is designed to whitening everything, so if you have white spots, they will end up looking even worse. Find an expert cosmetic dentist in your area and he/she will be able to help you get rid of the white spots with either microabrasion (an acid-pumice mixture that is applied to the surface of the teeth) or tooth bonding which is covering the areas with composite resin.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

I’m obsessed with bleaching my teeth!

Posted on by smiles4u.

I hate to admit it, but I am kind of obsessed with bleaching my teeth. I had trays made by my dentist and I use them two to three times a week. In the last couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that they are not white – they actually look gray. What’s going on? — Shelby

Dear Shelby,
Most people think that the more they whiten, the whiter their teeth will be. Unfortunately, when it comes to teeth whitening, less is best. Most of the at-home whitening systems use carbamide peroxide as the main bleaching agent and it can actually damage the gums if it’s used too much. But even worse, teeth can also become brittle and chalky and the edges can become thin – resulting in that translucent or grey color you are noticing.

Dental professionals need to warn patients about the risks associated with overusing teeth bleaching products. It sounds like you have bleached too much for too long and you need to give your teeth a break. There’s no guarantee that your teeth will return to their normal color and strength, but if you don’t stop now, it will only get worse.  Get some Sensodyne ProEnamel toothpaste to help with remineralization and just back off. You may need to make an appointment with your dentist if they stay gray in color or get even darker. If they have become very weak, they could chip or cause other problems, and you’ll be likely looking at some restorative procedures down the road.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.

Getting rid of white spots…Zoom whitening didn’t work!

Posted on by smiles4u.

I just recently got my braces off. I love how straight my teeth are, but I have very noticeable white spots on some of my teeth. When I asked my dentist about how to get rid of them, he suggested Zoom whitening. I did the Zoom, but for some reason it didn’t work. What went wrong? — Aliya

Aliya,
This is one of the problems that happens when general dentists try to do cosmetic dentistry. Unfortunately, in your case, your dentist doesn’t really know the right thing to do. While Zoom whitening is a very effective treatment, when teeth are uneven in color like you are describing, it simply doesn’t work and neither will at-home systems. As you might be noticing, the spots are probably getting worse rather than better.

The good news is that there are treatments available to help. For the most part, white spots are caused by calcification around the braces due to oral hygiene issues. There is a product called Tooth Mousse that was developed specifically to help re-mineralize these spots. Microabrasion is also an option, but it tends to result in more of a “creamy” look, rather than white.

Direct dental bonding is probably your best option because the softened and de-calcified enamel (which is actually the early stages of tooth decay) is removed and replaced with composite that can be matched to your exact tooth color.

This post is sponsored by New Orleans cosmetic dentist Dr. Duane Delaune. Read more about why many consider Dr. Delaune to be the best dentist in New Orleans.