Wise Whitening
Brighten Your Smile Before Holiday Events
By Amy Morgan
Holiday events are on the calendar, and you want to look your best. You may have noticed your daily coffee or red wine habit has diminished the brightness of your smile. Age, too, can be a culprit. Don’t despair – there’s no reason to resign yourself to a less-than-sparkling smile! The dental professionals at 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics suggest several ways to whiten your teeth prior to that party.
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You can choose to whiten at home or in the office. Both offer good results, says Mandy Dennis, R.D.H., Director of Hygiene Operations at 7to7. Depending on the length of time before your big day, you can start with a whitening toothpaste like Colgate Optic White or Optic White Pro. At home kits also provide good results, she says.
​Ouch! Teeth sensitive? Brush with Sensodyne, or Colgate Sensitive toothpaste prior to whitening. Listerine also makes a sensitivity-reducing mouthwash. An in-office fluoride treatment can help re-mineralize tooth enamel and reduce sensitivity, recommends Dental Hygienist Jennifer Reyna, R.D.H.
If you need immediate results, 7to7 offers in-office whitening with the Colgate Optic White system. In just one hour, you’ll leave with teeth an average of seven times whiter. A dental professional applies a 35% peroxide solution directly to the teeth, then places a small instrument in the mouth. The device’s blue light activates the product. Three 10-minute sessions over a 60-minute appointment are all that’s needed to see great results. “Patients love it!” Jennifer says. Best of all, patients report no sensitivity with this in-office system whitening. The system must be administered by a trained dental professional, and 7to7 Dental is designated one of Colgate’s preferred providers.
Whichever the selection, start with a thorough dental cleaning to remove plaque and begin whitening on a clean base. As an added incentive to remain current with cleanings, 7to7 Dental’s patients enjoy a free whitening for life program, which includes trays molded to fit their teeth and a complimentary tube of 3% peroxide whitening gel with every visit.
Whether in-office or at-home, follow these tips, and you can be assured your teeth will be shiny and bright for your holiday pictures and posts.
