3 Essential Questions To Ask Your Dentist About Teeth Whitening
Do you feel that your teeth are less than ideal? Are you wanting to make them look nicer than they do right now? Many people are dissatisfied with their smile so you're not alone. Fortunately, modern dentistry makes it easier to achieve the dental health that you always wanted. But it can sometimes feel overwhelming the first time you visit a dentist about the cosmetics of your smile rather than just having cavities and other similar problems are taken care of. It helps if you arrive at the consultation with a list of questions to ask your dentist. A few questions that you should at least consider asking include the following.
How much whitening can be expected? Commercials for toothpaste and dental whitening products all imply that everyone can have blindingly white teeth, but this isn't necessarily true. Even with perfect dental care, things like genetics, diet, or certain medicines can discolor teeth from the inside out. An experienced dentist will be honest about how much you can benefit from teeth whitening. Almost everyone will see improvement after a few treatment sessions but you should still know what to expect before you agree to any treatment plan.
How many sessions will be needed? With some teeth, you may be able to see results after just one treatment session. Sometimes, it can take three or four teeth whitening sessions before you see a noticeable difference. Everyone's mouth is different, and your teeth are going to be unique from anyone else's teeth, but an experienced dentist will be able to give you a reasonable estimate as to what sort of timeline you're looking at before you are able to smile and see the teeth of your dreams.
Will there be any dietary restrictions after treatments? Your dentist will let you know what sort of foods you should avoid after teeth whitening in order to keep your teeth whiter for a longer period of time. These may include things like coffee, tea, or wine but may include other foods. You might also notice some tooth sensitivity for a day or two after treatments. You may want to avoid very hot or cold items for a few days while your teeth adjust. Your dentist may also suggest that you have a minor painkiller like aspirin or ibuprofen available just in case of dental pain. Most people probably won't need these things, but they can be good to have on hand if it turns out that you do need them.
For more information about teeth whitening, contact your dentist.
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