Teeth Whitening Specialist

What causes teeth to lose their whiteness?

Everybody wants a luminous smile, but there are a variety of factors that can make your teeth lose their shine.

In many instances, teeth become discolored from consuming too many foods and beverages with dark, stain-producing pigments, like:

• Coffee
• Red wine
• Dark sodas
• Berries
• Tomato-based sauces

Prolonged tobacco use, like smoking cigarettes or using chewing tobacco, also stains your teeth. 

Stains settle in and become more pronounced when you don’t practice exceptional oral hygiene, so for many people, insufficient brushing and flossing can cause your smile to lose its luster.

Medications can have an impact on the color of your teeth, as well. Certain antihistamines and antipsychotics are known to cause staining, as is early exposure to certain antibiotics. 

Your teeth also lose their color as a natural part of aging. As you get older, your enamel wears down, exposing more of the inner layer of your teeth, called dentin. Your dentin yellows over time, which, when combined with thinner enamel, can make your smile look dull or discolored.

How do you whiten my teeth?

Dr. Hiroshige can radically transform the appearance of your smile with safe, effective, and professional at-home whitening treatments. 

At-home whitening involves applying a professional-strength whitening solution to your teeth with custom-designed whitening trays that Dr. Hiroshige makes from an impression of your smile. Because your custom whitening trays fit snugly around your teeth, they keep the whitening solution in constant contact with your enamel and prevent it from leaking out and damaging your gums.

The whitening solution contains hydrogen peroxide, which effectively penetrates your enamel and breaks up the pigmentation causing staining on your teeth. You wear your trays on your smile for a prescribed amount of time each day (typically less than an hour), and within a matter of weeks, you have a whiter, brighter smile that totally transforms your look.

Is teeth whitening safe?

Teeth whitening is safe and noninvasive. At most, you might experience increased sensitivity in your teeth for a little while after you whiten. If the sensitivity is bothering you, Dr. Hiroshige can provide you with special toothpaste to minimize your discomfort.

Don’t spend any more time living with a dull or discolored smile. Schedule your teeth whitening today by calling the office of Stephen Hiroshige, DDS, or booking a visit online.