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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

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Don't Let Dieting Impact Your Oral Health

Like many people who need to lose a few pounds, I try diet after diet in an attempt to find one that finally works for me. I learned the hard way that I need to make sure any diet will not harm my teeth, even if it does help me lose a few pounds. I learned this lesson when following a grapefruit diet. There are many versions of this, but the version I tried had me eat a grapefruit alone several times each day. It was supposed to suppress my appetite. I helped keep me from munching on unhealthy snacks, but the acid in the fruit took a toll on my tooth enamel and I quickly started getting lots of cavities. I created this blog to remind people that change up their diets often to make sure the foods they are eating are not harming their teeth.

What Happens at a Teeth Whitening Treatment?

1 February 2022
 Categories: Dentist, Blog

Professional teeth whitening treatment is an excellent way to get beautiful, white teeth without compromising the health of your enamel. Dentists can offer in-office teeth whitening to new patients and existing patients alike. The process of professional teeth whitening is more involved than anything you can perform at home, so learning about the steps involved can help you know what to expect. Here is what will happen when you arrive at the dentist's office for a teeth whitening treatment:

1. Your Dentist Will Protect Your Lips and Cheeks

You'll need to keep your mouth open for the duration of your teeth whitening treatment, which can make you more likely to experience lip irritation. To prevent this, your dentist will apply Vitamin E oil to your lips in order to keep them from drying out. Your dentist will also pack your cheeks with gauze and cotton rolls to help you contain your saliva. A lip and cheek retractor may be placed in your mouth to help you maintain the correct position throughout your appointment.

2. Your Dentist Will Apply a Covering to Your Gums

Your lips and cheeks are not the only vulnerable part of your mouth. The high concentration of peroxide in teeth whitening solutions can also cause gum irritation. Before your treatment starts, your dentist will apply a liquid coating of rubber-like solution to your gums. Blue light will be used to harden this coating so it will stay in place for the duration of your appointment.

3. Your Dentist Will Apply the Teeth Whitening Solution

Once the teeth whitening solution is in place, your dentist will apply blue light to the area. Blue light will encourage the hydrogen peroxide in the teeth whitening solution to activate. It's important that you stay still during this part of the process for best results. Your dentist will give you a chance to get comfortable before turning on the light, which will allow you to get into a position that you can hold for the duration of your blue light treatment.

4. Your Dentist May Repeat the Process

It's not uncommon for dentists to repeat the process of applying teeth whitening solution and blue light two or three times during a single treatment. Whether or not you need additional applications of teeth whitening solution depends on the starting color of your teeth and your desired results. If you do require additional teeth whitening solution, your dentist will suction the old solution off your teeth in between treatment.

Contact an office like Cottonwood Dental for more information about teeth whitening.