What should you expect during your Zoom! whitening procedure? This laser teeth whitening at
your dentist’s office is relatively quick and simple, making whiter teeth possible in just one
appointment. Here’s what you need to know when it comes to Zoom! teeth whitening.

Before the Procedure

In order to prepare for your Zoom! teeth whitening, most dentists suggest getting a
professional dental cleaning beforehand. Getting your teeth professionally cleaned can help
remove surface stains and enhance the effectiveness and intensity of your teeth whitening.

During your cleaning, you and your dentist can also discuss the shade of white you’d like for
your upcoming whitening procedure. From movie-star white to a subtle but noticeable
difference, your dentist can customize your Zoom! teeth whitening to ensure your smile looks
just how you imagined.

During Your Zoom! Teeth Whitening

Zoom! teeth whitening is an in-office procedure that takes approximately one hour to
complete. The actual time may range from 45 minutes to just a little over one hour.

Before the actual whitening process begins, your dentist will make every effort to protect your
gums from the whitening agent; this means painting a protective material over your gums while
leaving your teeth exposed and ready to be whitened.

Then, the Zoom! teeth whitening material is applied on your teeth and you wear a special pair
of sunglasses to protect your eyes from the laser. Then, the laser is set on your teeth for about
three to four 15-minute sessions.

During this time, you may experience small sensations of sensitivity; these are temporary and
your dentist may apply a fluoride treatment immediately after the procedure to protect against
tooth sensitivity immediately following the procedure.

Immediately Following Your Appointment

Once your whitening process is complete, your mouth will be rinsed out and you can see your
beautiful new smile. Your dentist will also provide you with supplemental take-home trays of
the Zoom! whitening agent to help prolong the beautiful shade of white as time goes on.

In addition, your dentist will advise you to avoid certain foods and drinks for approximately two
days following the procedure—these typically include drinks such as red wine or cola and foods
such as chocolate and tomato sauce. Also, no smoking!

To keep your teeth as white as possible for as long as possible, it’s imperative to keep up with
your oral hygiene, which includes visiting your dentist for checkups. You can protect your
investment in your white teeth with regular professional cleanings in addition to at-home care.

Zoom! professional teeth whitening allows patients to have a bright white smile in as little as 45
minutes at your local dentist’s office. When you want white teeth without the hassle of take-
home options, ask your dentist about Zoom! teeth whitening!

The post What to Expect During Your Zoom! Teeth Whitening Procedure appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

When choosing toothpaste for a child who is under 3 years old, it is best to get one that does not contain fluoride. Fluoride is important throughout life to keep tooth enamel strong and reduce the risk of cavities, but very young children can’t spit toothpaste out, and fluoride should not be swallowed. This type of toothpaste non-fluoride toothpaste made for young children is sometimes called training toothpaste. At this stage in your child’s life you will be gently brushing their gums or newly emerging teeth with your finger, and then eventually with a soft bristle brush.

The time to switch to fluoride toothpaste is when your child is old enough to brush his or her own teeth and spit the toothpaste out. While most adults use mint-flavored toothpaste, kids often find milder flavors more palatable. Children’s toothpaste comes in a variety of fruit flavors as well as flavors like bubble gum or cotton candy. You can give your child the freedom to choose flavor of the toothpaste; as long as it carries the ADA Seal and contains fluoride you can be sure it’s a good choice.

The ADA Seal is important because it means that the American Dental Association has approved the toothpaste. In order to carry the ADA Seal, a manufacturer must submit ingredients lists and other information about their product, conduct clinical trials and provide evidence that the product is manufactured in properly maintained and supervised facilities. So when you see the ADA Seal, you know the ADA has confirmed that the product is safe, effective, and does what the label claims.

Finding a good toothpaste for your child that he or she likes is usually not too difficult. There are many flavors available, as well as brands of toothpaste and toothbrushes that are associated with popular characters. Making oral hygiene fun is the best way to get kids to brush regularly without complaints. Start them early and make oral health and dentist visits fun and exciting, to keep their teeth and gums healthy and begin a habit of oral hygiene that will last a lifetime.

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Many at-home whitening products can effectively remove surface stains on tooth enamel. Stains that penetrate the enamel and darken the next layer, the dentin, are still visible because the enamel is translucent. Zoom whitening works by penetrating the tooth enamel and breaking up stains on the dentin. With Zoom, all stains are removed, so nothing shows but white teeth.

There are several Zoom whitening products, and which one is best for you can be decided during a consultation appointment with the dentist. Teeth whitening procedures in the office are generally short, but repeat visits are usually needed before results begin to be seen. It is possible to have visible results the same day as your first whitening with certain Zoom products.

Zoom also offers at-home whitening kits. These are purchased from the dentist and can be used as the only whitening procedure or in combination with in-office procedures.

The results of teeth whitening can last a long time, but smoking or consumption of staining foods and beverages will gradually stain teeth again. Zoom at-home whitening can help to maintain your white smile. Zoom at-home whitening kits include trays that are customized to your mouth. This ensures that the whitening gel will only come in contact with your teeth and not your gums.

Your first step to whiter teeth and a more beautiful smile begins with a consultation. Call now to set up an appointment to discuss Zoom whitening and learn how it can best work for you.

The post Smile Confidently with Zoom! Professional Teeth Whitening appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

Dentists bring varied levels of skill and experience to their craft. Many general dentists who claim to be cosmetic dentists are capable of performing basic cosmetic procedures such as whitening or single veneers. However, if you desire a significant amount of cosmetic work, you are well advised to seek out the rare dentist who specializes in exceptional cosmetic/aesthetic dentistry. Don’t ever be afraid to ask to see examples of cases similar to what the dentist proposes to do for you, and ask to see at least ten similar cases. If the dentist has only a few examples of what you desire, you probably will want to keep looking for the best cosmetic dentist for you.

Just as you would carefully choose a surgeon or financial planner, you should dedicate time to getting to know your cosmetic dentist. The best cosmetic dentist for your needs desires a relationship with you to clearly understand your expectations. Top cosmetic dentists know that it doesn’t matter how technically correct the dentistry is if it’s not what the patient wants. Relationships that thoroughly explore a patient’s desires and the options for fulfilling them rarely happen in one visit. You and your dentist will most likely have to invest time in each other to ensure that your expectations are understood. Any dentist who is not willing to spend time with his patients to understand their needs and desires is unlikely to come near meeting their expectations and is even less likely to exceed those expectations.

Top cosmetic dentists know and realize that for a patient’s new cosmetic dentistry to last and perform well, careful planning must occur both before and after the procedure. The best cosmetic dentists engage in comprehensive staging and planning and discuss not only the approach to your restoration but also the steps necessary to protect and ensure the longevity of your new smile. If the cosmetic dentist with whom you consult is more interested in what he can do for you than in what you want, or does not explain the process for realizing and maintaining your dental dreams, you are not talking to a top cosmetic dentist.

The secrets to finding a top cosmetic dentist explained above relate to qualities of the dentist himself or herself. The final secret relates to the environment surrounding the dentist. Chances are great that if the office is designed for the comfort of those who spend time there, you will feel relaxed and peaceful. If you are greeted by people who are competent and genuinely interested in your well-being and comfort, you might reflect that the dentist who has surrounded himself with such exceptionally caring people is of like mind. Environments which reflect indifference to the comfort of the dentist’s patients or team are not likely to be a home for a top cosmetic dentist.

The post Finding the Cosmetic Dentist That’s Right for You appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

The reason a missing tooth can cause so much trouble is because of the bone structure that lies under the gums and holds the teeth in place. When a tooth is gone, the bone that was supporting it no longer has a function. The body reacts by allowing the bone to weaken and wear away. With a portion of the bone gone, the bone near the spot where the missing tooth was is affected and can cause the teeth it supports to move inward towards the space. Eventually, crooked teeth can be the result of just one lost tooth.

A lost tooth also makes effectively cleaning and flossing that part of the mouth difficult. Poor oral hygiene is the primary cause of gum disease. Food particles that get left behind after brushing allow bacteria to feed and grow, which causes gum disease that can lead to tooth decay and tooth loss.

There are many options for getting a lost tooth replaced. If a tooth is knocked out due to an injury, it may be possible for it to be reattached if you act quickly to get to a dentist with the tooth. When reattachment is not possible, replacement options include dentures, bridges or implants. A single tooth can replaced with a partial denture that is removable or a fixed bridge that is cemented to surrounding teeth. An implant is an artificial tooth attached to a metal post, which is implanted into the jaw and acts as a root to the artificial tooth. Whichever option you choose, replacing a missing tooth is the best thing you can do for your dental health and your smile.

The post Why You Should Replace a Missing Tooth appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.

There are several different brands of teeth whitening products available to dentists. Their ingredients vary, and some brands are known for being more gentle, some are faster than others and some are stronger or have a higher percentage of hydrogen peroxide or another whitening agent. Nearly all of these products are gels that the dentists applies directly to the teeth.

The length of time the product is left on the teeth varies by brand and by the level of whiteness you wish to achieve. Depending on the brand and type of whitener, the gel may be washed off after about 15 minutes and then reapplied. The dentist will check the color of your teeth between applications to determine if more applications are necessary. In one visit, results are usually satisfactory after two applications and about an hour to 90 minutes in the dentist’s chair.

With many brands of whiteners, the process can be speeded up by the use of a light to cure or harden the whitener. This is sometimes referred to as laser whitening, and it is the fastest type of professional whitening available.

Whitening in a dentist’s office can be repeated at future office visits if you want to achieve an even whiter smile. A dentist can also provide at-home professional whitening trays so you can follow up the first whitening treatment at home. This works by having an impression of your teeth taken and a custom whitening tray made for you.

Professional teeth whitening can whiten teeth that have been stained by coffee, tea, tobacco, wine or other foods or beverages, and even teeth that have yellowed with age. Stains that are caused by genetics or something inside the tooth usually cannot be removed with whitening. Before a whitening procedure, the dentist will evaluate your teeth and let you know if whitening would be effective for you.

The post Which Teeth Whitening Method is Right for You? appeared first on Your Dental Health Resource.