What to Do Before Teeth Whitening Treatment

Professional teeth whitening treatments are the simplest, quickest, and least invasive way to drastically improve the look of your smile, take years off of your appearance, and boost your confidence. Before choosing to have your teeth whitened, however, it's important to talk with a dentist to determine if teeth whitening treatments are the right treatment for you. You can then take some steps to prepare for your professional whitening appointment.  

How to Determine If Professional Teeth Whitening Is Right for You

Professional teeth whitening treatments are highly safe and very effective. However, they are not the best cosmetic strategy for every patient. So, before going forward with professional whitening, you will want to be sure that these treatments are the right choice for you.  

Schedule a Checkup to Make Sure You Qualify for Teeth Whitening Treatment

Patients who generally do not qualify for professional teeth whitening treatments include:

• Patients who are nursing or pregnant

• Patients under 16 years of age

• Patients who are allergic to ingredients contained in teeth whitening treatments, such as hydrogen peroxide

To qualify for teeth whitening treatments, patients must generally have good oral health. Dental caries (cavities) or excessive calculus buildup can interfere with whitening treatments and would need to be treated and removed before whitening.  

Professional whitening treatments are safe and gentle, but they can result in slight irritation to the gum tissues, so it is not typically recommended for patients who have periodontal disease (gingivitis or periodontitis), tooth decay, or exposed tooth roots.  

If it has been more than six months since your last dental cleaning and examination, you should schedule an appointment for a checkup and whitening consultation to make sure you qualify for whitening treatments.  

Be Sure Teeth Whitening Treatments Will Help

Patients who are considering professional whitening treatments should also be aware that whitening treatments do not work for everyone.  

Dental Restorations

Whitening treatments will not impact dental restorations made of composite resin or porcelain. So, patients who have dental work such as dental crowns, dental implants, or veneers will require special treatment to ensure that their natural teeth match their dental restorations. If your natural teeth have become stained since your restoration has been placed, then we can usually use professional whitening to lift stains and make your natural teeth match your restoration. However, if your restoration is the same shade as your discolored natural teeth, then we might need to replace your dental restoration to ensure an even appearance.  

Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Discoloration

Professional teeth whitening treatments are designed to dissolve and lift stains and discoloration from the surfaces of the teeth (i.e. extrinsic discoloration). Teeth that are discolored as a result of injury, disease, medication side effects, or excessive fluoride exposure have intrinsic discoloration, and they cannot be successfully whitened with professional teeth whitening treatments.  

If you have intrinsically discolored teeth, our dentist can discuss alternative treatment options for you such as dental veneers, dental bonding, or dental crowns that can be used to improve the appearance and color of these teeth.  

Ask About Teeth Whitening Treatment Cost

Professional teeth whitening treatments are typically not covered by dental insurance, so patients typically need to pay for these treatments out of pocket. During your consultation, we welcome you to ask about professional whitening fees and payment options to ensure that professional whitening treatments fit into your dental care budget. We can provide you with an estimate of costs and answer any questions you might have.  

Before Teeth Whitening: 7 Ways to Prepare for Your Teeth Whitening Appointment

When you have decided that professional whitening treatments are the right path for you, you will want to consider the following preparations before your whitening appointment. Following these instructions will help to ensure you have the best experience and successful results.  

1. Do Not Use Over-the-Counter Whitening Products

Before your cosmetic teeth whitening appointment, refrain from using over-the-counter teeth whitening products. These kinds of products can make your teeth sensitive and irritate your gum tissues which can lead to a risk of discomfort during your professional treatment.  

2. Practice Good Oral Hygiene

For the best results during whitening treatments, it's important for the whitening agents to be able to evenly coat the surfaces of your teeth. Accumulated food debris, plaque, and tartar can prevent the whitening agents from working evenly.

Whether you have had a recent dental cleaning or have one scheduled right before your whitening treatment, it's important to practice good oral hygiene before your appointment. Use a soft-bristled toothbrush and toothpaste for sensitive teeth to brush your teeth for two minutes at least twice a day. Be sure to floss thoroughly to clean between your teeth too.  

3. Eat Before Your Appointment

We recommend that patients have something to eat and drink before their whitening appointment because you won't be able to eat or drink during your treatments. Plus, for the safety of your tooth enamel, you will need to wait at least an hour after your whitening treatment before eating or drinking anything other than water.  

4. Floss and Brush Your Teeth With Toothpaste for Sensitive Teeth

After you've eaten before your appointment, wait about 30 minutes and brush and floss your teeth. Using sensitivity toothpaste will help to assuage any tooth sensitivity that could occur as a side effect of professional whitening and clean teeth will have the best results.  

5. Plan Enough Time for Your Teeth Whitening Treatment

To ensure you achieve the whitening results you desire, it's important to plan enough time for your dental appointment. Typically, a whitening session can be completed in about 30 to 45 minutes with some additional time for preparations and cleanup. For example, before your whitening session begins, we will prepare you by applying a protective gel to your gums and using gauze to keep your teeth dry during the treatments. We recommend that patients plan to spend about one to two hours at the dental office for their whitening appointments.  

6. Know What to Expect During Your Whitening Procedure

Whether you feel anxious about getting your teeth professionally whitened or you simply want to be prepared, knowing what to expect during your appointment can help immensely.  

Whitening treatments are quick, simple, and non-invasive. They sometimes begin with a light professional dental cleaning to ensure the even application of and exposure to whitening agents. We then insert a lip retractor to help prop your mouth comfortably open during the treatments. We will also apply protective gel and gauze to your gum tissues to minimize irritation and sensitivity.  

We then apply the whitening gel and use a special light to activate the hydrogen peroxide. Depending on your desired results, the solution will be left to work for about 20 or 30 minutes. During this time, patients should sit back and relax, trying to stay mostly still.  

If you do feel anxious about your appointment or suffer from dental anxiety, we can talk with you about dental sedation options for your appointment.  

7. Be Prepared to Avoid Certain Foods and Drinks

Following your whitening appointment, your teeth will be more susceptible to staining and sensitivity for about 24 hours. During this time, we recommend avoiding overly hot or cold temperatures, citrus, and highly pigmented foods and drinks such as tea, coffee, red wine, dark-colored sodas and juices, sports drinks, chocolate, berries, soy sauce, curry, ketchup, and tomato sauce.

Additionally, we recommend that all patients refrain from tobacco use of all kinds.  

Learn More About Teeth Whitening Treatment in Gig Harbor

Patients of Cedarbrook Dental have access to comprehensive dental care under one roof. We are fully equipped to provide patients with the most advanced cosmetic dental care, including professional teeth whitening treatments. If your teeth have been stained or discolored, we encourage you to contact our dental office in Gig Harbor. We can schedule you for a teeth whitening consultation and dental checkup to help you determine if professional whitening treatments are the right treatment option for you.

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