Over-the-Counter Teeth Whitening Products: How Effective Are They?

Everyone wants a bright, healthy smile that they’re proud to show off to the people in their lives, but aging and many external factors can cause our teeth to look less than lustrous. Today, there are many over-the-counter teeth whitening products available at your local pharmacy and grocery stores, each of them promising amazing results. It is important, however, to be an informed consumer when it comes to teeth whitening products and services before you make a decision. At Smile by Design in Virginia Beach, VA, our doctors are happy to help patients understand the intricacies of teeth whitening and how it affects your teeth.

OTC Whitening vs. Professional Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening strips and comparable over-the-counter whitening products are capable of producing temporary results because they remove surface stains from the enamel. Unfortunately, their active ingredients aren’t powerful enough to deliver long-lasting results and, therefore, customers must repeat the process every month or so. In addition, because these products are used at home, there is more margin for error in application. This means that you may not even get the results you see on the package, particularly if the whitening solution does not remain in contact with all surfaces of the teeth for the prescribed amount of time.

Zoom! Whitening: Advantages of In-Office Whitening

Unlike over-the-counter teeth whitening products, professional whitening services – including the highly-effective Zoom! Whitening we offer in our office – produce lasting results by removing stains from deep within each tooth. The hydrogen peroxide gel formula we use during your Zoom! procedure is activated by a specialized light, allowing the active ingredients to permeate the stained layers of dentin and enamel. Years of discoloration are effectively lifted in a single, one-hour treatment. Take-home kits can be used to touch up your smile and maintain lasting results. Over-the-counter treatments simply cannot penetrate the surfaces of your teeth to remove set-in stains the way Zoom! Whitening can.

Schedule Your Appointment Today

Do you want to experience the full benefits of a gorgeously white smile in less time than ever before? Contact our office today if you have any questions about teeth whitening, or if you’re ready to schedule your appointment with our team of experienced doctors and our friendly staff. We look forward to helping you achieve the brilliantly white, healthy smile of your dreams. Our conveniently located office in Virginia Beach, VA proudly serves patients from the surrounding areas as well, including Portsmouth, Norfolk, Fort Story, Sandbridge, and beyond. 

E-Cigs and Your Smile: How Does Vaping Affect Your Teeth?

As many cigarette smokers turn to electronic cigarettes to get their nicotine fix, the topic of how these popular products affect oral health inevitably comes up again and again. While it is common knowledge that smoking cigarettes can cause a variety of oral health problems – including oral cancer, periodontal disease, and substantially stained teeth – not much is yet known about how e-cigs impact a person’s smile. At Smile by Design in Virginia Beach, VA, our doctors are happy to share valuable oral health information with our patients, including how the mouth is affected by smoking vs. vaping e-cigarettes.

Being an Informed Consumer

Though research is still ongoing regarding how e-cigs affect oral health, there are a few things that medical studies have been able to tell us so far. One of these factors involves the manner in which vaping dehydrates the mouth. A dry mouth is an excellent environment for bacterial imbalance and the development of periodontal disease. Patients who experience chronic dry mouth – whether it is caused by using electronic cigarettes or not – should contact our office for a consultation to determine the underlying issue, as well as to seek treatment.

Other concerns regarding e-cigs and oral health revolve around the ingredients used to create the liquid, or “juice,” these products use to deliver nicotine. More research is needed to determine how these ingredients, including propylene glycol and the flavorings used, impact the teeth and soft tissues of the gums, cheek lining, and tongue.

Schedule Your Appointment Today

Whether you are currently a smoker, an e-cig user, or simply someone who would like to learn more about how these behaviors affect your oral health, we are here to help. Our doctors and caring, compassionate staff are always happy to share vital oral health information with our patients because we want you to have the happiest, healthiest smile possible. Contact our office today to schedule a visit to our Virginia Beach office and discover the difference that our patient-centric approach can make in your life. We also happily serve patients in Norfolk, Sandbridge, Fort Story, Portsmouth, and beyond.