Did you make the mistake of not brushing your teeth enough throughout your life? If you are now left with stained teeth that you can't seem to bring appeal to, going to a dentist for professional whitening might be the solution. A dentist can actually use more than one whitening technique to achieve the highest extent of whitening. This article covers a few teeth whitening techniques that a dentist might use to bring you satisfactory results.

Get Rid of Accumulated Tartar

When you go years neglecting to brush your teeth on a regular basis, plaque begins to accumulate. The plaque eventually thickens and becomes what is known as tartar, which is difficult to remove. In order to successfully whiten your teeth, a dentist will get rid of the tartar. He or she will manually remove the tartar by scraping it off via dental techniques known as scaling and root planing. Once the tartar has been removed, simple brushing should bring more satisfactory results.

Thoroughly Brush Your Teeth

One of the things that a dentist will do is brush your teeth. However, he or she will use a professional grade of toothbrush, as well as potent toothpaste. The best thing about having a dentist brush your teeth is that a thorough job will be done. He or she will actually get a better look of your teeth during the brushing process than you are able to, which is great for making sure no plaque is left behind.

Use a Teeth Whitening Gel

After your teeth have been thoroughly brushed, a dentist can take the whitening process a step further by applying a gel. The gel is ideal for getting rid of stains that were unable to be removed with a toothbrush. It is common for a laser to be used when whitening gel is applied to teeth. The laser is handy because it helps the ingredients in the gel kick into action faster. Numerous gel treatments can be done until you are satisfied with the results. Keep in mind that any additional sessions will be done on different days than the original session.

Prescribe Potent Fluoride Toothpaste

A dentist will make sure you are able to keep your teeth white after he or she is done. He or she can prescribe fluoride toothpaste that you can use at home to keep your teeth looking their best. There is more bleach in prescription toothpaste than what general stores typically sell.

For more information about teeth whitening, talk to a dentist like those at Suncoast Dental Center.