Tips For Preparing For Your Dental Whitening Treatment

If you have finally decided to pursue teeth whitening for your discolored teeth, it's important that you're fully prepared before you go in to see your cosmetic dentist. The better prepared you are, the better your chances will be of a successful treatment that will last. Here are a few tips to help you ensure that your teeth whitening treatment results in the smile that you've been hoping for.

Start With Your Dentist

Before you visit a cosmetic dentist for a whitening treatment, you should take time to visit your dentist first. He or she will ensure that your teeth are in good shape for whitening. After all, if you have gum disease or any tooth decay, those things need to be treated before you can have any kind of whitening done. If you need any work done, have it finished before you go see your cosmetic dentist.

While you're at it, have your dentist evaluate the stains on your teeth to be sure that they are right for whitening treatments. If the stains you're struggling with are internal, which can occur due to trauma, long-term use of certain medications, and other dental problems, whitening treatments won't affect them. You'll need veneers or something similar to combat those types of stains. If, however, your dentist confirms that the staining is just on the surface, you should be all set to move forward.

Desensitize Your Teeth

Whitening treatments have been known to cause bouts of sensitivity in teeth. However, for people who already have sensitive teeth, those side effects can be significant. Your cosmetic dentist will recommend that you desensitize your teeth for a couple of weeks before you go in for your whitening treatment. To do this, you'll want to get a desensitizing toothpaste and mouthwash from your dentist. Use them a couple of times a day for a few weeks before your appointment to help ease the sensitivity effect of the whitening treatment.

Make Sure You Have Time For The Treatment And Upkeep

The day of your procedure, make sure that you show up early enough to complete paperwork if needed and have all of the prep work done to your teeth. You'll also want to ensure that you allow not only for the hour treatment time but for after-care instruction time as well. Your cosmetic dentist will walk you through the instructions for maintaining your whitening treatment, including the potential for using whitening toothpaste, changing your diet to eliminate staining foods, and other important information. You'll want to schedule your follow-up appointment the same day so that you can be confident in your ability to maintain your new smile.

For more information, contact companies like Professional Dental Center.