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Set off Your Summer Tan With a Professional Teeth-Whitening Treatment

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Set off Your Summer Tan With a Professional Teeth-Whitening Treatment

Summer is here, and that means it’s time to flaunt your beautiful, suntanned skin. Whether your tan comes from the sun, a tanning bed, or (the safest option) a bottle, one thing’s for sure: White, bright teeth are one accessory that can make your tan look its healthiest best.

At Tomase Dental Care in Toledo, Ohio, Timothy Tomase, DDS, and his team use a custom, patient-centered approach to professional whitening treatments, helping patients restore dingy, stained teeth in just one visit. Here’s why professional teeth whitening should be at the top of your to-do list this summer.

Why teeth look dingy

Two of the biggest causes of dingy, stained teeth are factors we can control: the foods and beverages we consume and the tobacco products we smoke or chew. 

Many foods and drinks contain pigments that penetrate tooth enamel and leave staining residues behind. Some of the most common culprits include:

  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Tomato products
  • Deep-colored berries
  • Red wine
  • Yellow, red, or orange spices

If these foods contain a lot of acids, or if they’re combined with sodas or energy drinks that have a high-acid content, the risk of staining is even greater. That’s because acids temporarily soften tooth enamel, making it easier for stains to penetrate.

Tobacco products contain natural pigments, along with chemicals that “enhance” stains and also soften your tooth enamel. Many smokers find that inhaling tobacco causes stains that are much more noticeable on their front teeth — the teeth that show when you smile or talk.

Another major cause of tooth staining isn’t avoidable: aging. As we get older, our natural layer of tooth enamel tends to wear down, revealing more of the yellower, underlying dentin. The good news is, all of these issues can be helped with professional teeth whitening.

How professional whitening helps

Professional whitening uses whitening agents designed for use only by dentists, which means they’re much stronger than the products you can buy in drugstore bleaching kits. Dr. Tomase offers the Deep Bleaching™ System by KöR, an innovative teeth-whitening system that uses a special refrigerated gel, dramatically whitening teeth without the need for activation by light.

During your whitening treatment, Dr. Tomase applies the gel carefully to each tooth, making sure to cover all surfaces, including the cracks and crevices between your teeth and the area along the gum line — areas frequently missed by over-the-counter products. The gel remains on your teeth for about an hour, then it’s wiped away, revealing your beautiful, white smile.

To get the most benefits from their whitening treatments, many patients schedule whitening right after they have their teeth cleaned. Cleaning first removes plaque and tartar that could otherwise interfere with the gel’s ability to penetrate the teeth and lift away stains.

In addition to better, longer-lasting results and more consistent coverage, professional whitening treatments are also much faster than over-the-counter kits. In fact, all it takes is a single office visit to see dramatic results, compared with weeks of wearing strips or brush-on products at home.

Compete with the sun

The sun might be the brightest thing in the summer sky, but with professional whitening, your teeth can be dazzlingly bright, too. And since all you need is one visit, you won’t miss out on all the fun summer can offer.

To learn more about professional whitening treatments and how our team can dramatically transform your smile in just one office visit, book an appointment online or over the phone at Tomase Dental Care today.