Warmest Christmas wish to you and your family from all of us. May your New Year be blessed with Good Health, Peace, and Happiness!
Happy Thanksgiving!
Have a beautiful gathering with your loved ones!
Happy Mother's Day
Happy Mother's Day to all the moms. #MomisForever
Which over the counter teeth whitening product is good?
I received this question yesterday. From what I have seen, the one over the counter product that seems to show some good results is Crest White Strips. However, patients who use the product tell us that in order to keep up with the whitening - the costs eventually add up. Also, the strips cannot adhere to the teeth well if the surfaces of the teeth are not straight.
Professional whitening products are better because we fabricate custom fit trays that conform to the patient’s teeth. Whitening gels then get injected into the trays to whiten the teeth over time. Most patients do not use up all their gels, and the remaining gels can be stored and used for touch-up whitening occasionally as needed.
The upfront cost of professional whitening treatments beats the long term costs of over the counter product, and the concentration of the active whitening ingredients is much better.
Alex Nguyen, DDS - Saratoga Dentist
Brown Stain on Teeth
This patient asked me why his teeth have these brown patches of stain. He was afraid that perhaps he has a disease which would cause his teeth to turn brown.
The most common cause for stain on teeth is due to food and drink. After a detailed discussion it was revealed that this patient sips on tea all day. Tea is his beverage of choice, and the tannins in tea stain teeth aggressively and quickly. Like tea, coffee and red wine can have the same effect.
Sometime the similarly looking stain can actually be caused by chromogenic bacteria in the mouth. If the stain is caused by these bacteria, the patient can have a professional cleaning done and the stain can reappear within hours after the cleaning was done. Bacteria in the mouth can interact with iron in saliva to create stain.
In any event, stains form faster if the surfaces of the teeth are more porous and covered with plaque. To prevent stain on your teeth, brush and floss after every meal to minimize plaque accumulation. Long lasting stain can be removed with professional cleaning and teeth whitening products, but the best treatment of teeth stain is to prevent them from forming in the first place.