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25 Really Cool Facts You Didn’t Know About Teeth!

Posts Tagged ‘ teeth ’



25 Really Cool Facts You Didn’t Know About Teeth!

Posted on: November 20th, 2019 by admin

Dentists see teeth every day. They work with them every day. They know them inside and out.   Despite all this up close and personal experience, teeth never cease to amaze the people in your Ocean County dental office. We bet you’ll be amazed as well when you read some of these amazing facts about your pearly white teeth:

  1. Babies only have about 20 teeth. Once you grow into an adult, you get your full set of 32 teeth.
  2. Surveys suggest that 50% of folks say that a person’s smile is the first thing they notice.
  3. The hardest part of your body is in your mouth – your tooth enamel!
  4. The amount of saliva you produce over the course of your lifetime is enough to fill two entire swimming pools!
  5. Mosquitoes may seem to “bite,” and in fact they do have teeth! They have about 47 in all.
  6. You can extend the life of a tooth that gets knocked out by putting it in milk or placing it temporarily in your mouth. Keep that in mind if you have to take an emergency trip to your Ocean County dentist!
  7. When you skip flossing, you fail to clean up to 35% of your tooth surface area.
  8. Humans beings will get two sets of teeth during their lifetime. By comparison, sharks will get about 40!
  9. Every single year, students in America lose 51 million hours of class time due to dental-related maladies.
  10. Consumers in America buy about 14 million gallons of toothpaste every single year.
  11. If you think kids eat more candy than adults, you’d better think again. The truth is, adults consume about 65% of all the candy made in the United States
  12. Over the course of your lifetime, you are likely to spend about 38 days brushing your teeth.
  13. Snails have about 25 teeth in the weirdest place: on their tongue.
  14. The most common childhood disease is one your dentist knows too well: tooth decay.
  15. You can reduce your chance of tooth decay by 25% by brushing daily.
  16. About 80% of dental injuries sustained by children in the United States happen to their front teeth.
  17. A tooth that gets knocked out has to be treated fast: it will start to die within 15 minutes.
  18. Your tongue prints are unique! No two are alike.
  19. People used to use charcoal ashes, lemon juice, chalk, and other odd stuff to brush their teeth.
  20. So-called “milk teeth” start to form while the baby is still in the womb, but they don’t actually show up until a child is six months to a year old.
  21. Modern toothpaste is a fairly new thing: it has only been around for about 100 years.
  22. George Washington only had one real tooth at the time of his inauguration!
  23. About 25% of kids won’t have seen a dentist near Manahawkin before they reach kindergarten. Parents, do something about that!
  24. Your teeth – or at the least the parts you can see – are only part of your dental health concerns, because about one third of your teeth are actually located underneath your gums.
  25. If you added up all the people on Earth right now, it wouldn’t tally up to the number of bacteria in your mouth RIGHT NOW!

Pretty amazing stuff, huh? It’s easy to see why your pearly whites are so fascinating. They are far more interesting than people realize!

These Tricks Will Help You Brush Your Teeth Like A Pro

Posted on: September 26th, 2019 by admin

It might surprise you to learn this, but your Southern Ocean County dentist will verify that it’s true: a huge number of patients do not brush their teeth properly.

It’s true.  This part of our daily routine might appear as if it should be something easy and simple to do, but the truth is that even the best of us can start to pick up bad habits over the years.

And as we all know, once those bad habits are formed, they can be very hard to break.  And as dentists near Forked River, believe us, bad brushing habits can make your work to maintain good oral hygiene far less effective.

Thankfully, you’re reading this blog post. The team at Bayside, a dental office near Lacey, is about to change your brushing for he better! Here are some tips to keep in mind:

 

Brush twice a day, three times if you can – In the morning after you get up and in the evening just before bed are the best times to brush, as that’s when you can best target the bacteria that are running amok. Also brush after meals when you can, especially if you’ve eaten acidic foods, sweets, or food and drink that can stain your teeth.

Brush for two minutes – The basic rule of thumb is to brush for two minutes. This gives you enough time to get to all corners of your mouth, brushing away the nasty bacteria that will do damage to your teeth over time.

Don’t brush too hard; it might damage your enamel – Believe it or not, you shouldn’t be too aggressive when you are brushing. Instead, use gentle strokes as you brush. You’re looking to brush away bacteria and food waste, not scrape off your tooth enamel.

Use short strokes as you brush – When brushing, short, swift strokes are ideal. This will focus your energy on specific sections of your mouth. Using long strokes make it too easy to miss spots in your mouth, and when that happens bacteria and plaque can get a foothold in your mouth.

Don’t forget the tongue! – Your tongue is often a haven for bacteria and can be a cause for bad breath, so be sure to brush it! Brush gently, but do so thoroughly. A clean tongue not only gives you a nicer appearance, it’s good for your oral health.

One Last Tip – A good way to make sure your tooth brushing is effective is to mentally divide your mouth into four sections: bottom left, bottom right, top left, and top right. Now you’ve got specific areas to target.  Brush each section for 30 seconds.

Make this into a part of your daily routine. Do this two to three times per day, and your dentist near Forked River will probably think you’ve mastered the art of brushing – and you will have!

With good habits like these, you’ll not only save money on your dentist visits and cleanings, you’ll also live a happier, healthier life with more confidence.

25 Cool Things About Teeth You May Not Know

Posted on: September 4th, 2019 by admin

You might think they’re just your chompers, but your teeth are some of the most fascinating parts of the human body. We’re not saying that just because we’re dentists, either. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at these amazing facts:

Funny Smiling Chimpanzee Barnegat Manahawkin Dentist

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-chimpanzee-smiling-50582/

  1. The plaque our dental hygienists near Forked River remove from your teeth can be home to up to 300 different types of bacteria!
  1. Gold crowns on teeth are nothing new. The ancient Romans used them to restore teeth decayed by cavities, too.
  1. Women smile on average 62 times each day. By contrast, men smile only 8 times a day.
  2. The most common disease in the United States is the common cold. Tooth decay is a close number 2, so be sure to visit your dentist near Lacey so you don’t end up on the list!
  1. Your dentist recommends brushing your teeth for two minutes to get the best results. Most people don’t follow that advice. The average person does it for just 48 seconds.
  2. The ancient Romans used toothpaste just like we do, but it was a little different. It was made from honey and crushed eggshells.
  1. It’s best not to put a cap on your toothbrush. Why is that? It’s because that can help promote even more bacterial growth on the brush than usual. Keep it in the open air!
  1. When you eat is just as important as what you eat. Eating sugary foods after a meal, for example, actually reduces the risk of cavities!
  1. A prison inmate in West Virginia once used dental floss to scale a wall and escape from jail.
  1. Elephant teeth are HUGE. They can measure nearly a foot across and weight up to six pounds.
  1. The hardest substance in your body is not your skull, it’s your tooth enamel!
  1. A knocked out tooth will start to die in just 15 minutes. The best way to help it last a little longer is to put it in milk or hold it in your mouth.
  2. A single can of soda can contain a whopping 12 teaspoons of sugar. That’s as much sugar as six to twelve cups of coffee!
  3. The first bristled toothbrush was made in China all the way back in the late 1400s. The brush was made of hog, horse and badger hair, which sounds gross but was probably very effective.
  1. Crocodiles have it easy when it comes to taking care of their teeth. A species of bird called the crocodile bird acts as their personal dentist. This bird flies into the open mouths of crocs and cleans their teeth for them!
  2. Roughly 3 out of 4 Americans have Periodontal gum disease, sometimes minor, sometimes more severe.
  1. Dentists in Manahawkin want you to floss because if you skip flossing, you miss cleaning about 40% of your teeth surface!
  1. You’ll spend just over 38 days brushing your teeth over the course of your lifespan.
  1. The lowly toothpick is the biggest choking hazard in the U.S. More people choke on toothpicks every year than they do food.
  1. Your dental records are important. Much like your fingerprints, your teeth totally unique to you and can help identify you (as you probably know if you watch police shows and murder movies).
  2. Egyptian mummies have been found that had dental fillings!
  1. George Washington did NOT have wooden dentures. That is a myth. His dentures were actually made from ivory, metals, and animal teeth.
  1. A snail’s mouth contains over 25,000 teeth!
  1. Giraffes  do not have upper teeth, they only have bottom teeth!
  1. Sports injuries account for upwards of 5 million teeth getting knocked out each year!

Pretty fun stuff, right? We’ll be sure to share more with you in future blog posts, so check back and enjoy! In the meantime, follow us on Facebook!

The Basics You Should Know About Teeth Whitening

Posted on: June 12th, 2019 by admin

If it seems like you are hearing more and more about teeth whitening, you are probably right. Improvements in cosmetic dentistry have made it easier than ever to whiten and brighten your smile. You might even be thinking about a visit to your dentist so you can enjoy an affordable teeth whitening treatment.

With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about modern teeth whitening:

How It Works

These days, tooth whitening treatments use a peroxide-based bleaching technique that assists with bleaching out staining and discoloration. Remember that the treatments will have no impact on porcelain crowns or composite tooth-colored bondings.

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/woman-wearing-white-turtle-neck-sweater-709802/

At-Home Options

Not every dentist near Manahawkin dentist will tell you this, but it’s good information to have: there are at-home whitening treatments available, and some of them are available over the counter. The price can range from extremely low to about equal to an in-office visit. It usually takes much longer to get results, and the results are usually not as dramatic as a professional treatment.

If you are considering at-home whitening, your choices include:

  • Strips & Gels – Apply these twice a day for up to two weeks. When you use this cost-effective solution, expect modest results
  • Bleaching Trays – A tray not unlike a mouth guard is filled with gel or a solution. This tray is worn in the mouth for several hours a day. Treatment can last up to four weeks. The results can be good, but the cost is generally similar to professional treatments.
  • Whitening Toothpastes – You won’t see dramatic results from a whitening toothpaste. At best, they can brighten your teeth by about one shade. By contrast, you can get up to eight shades of brightness from professional treatments. However, one benefit is that whitening toothpastes are easy to incorporate into your life.

In-Office Treatments

A visit to your dental office near Manahawkin is going to end up giving you better whitening results than anything you can do at home, and you’ll get those results much faster. Dentists are able to use much stronger solutions than you can purchase over the counter, and the methods they use with in-office treatments can get results quicker. Some important things to know include:

  • Stronger – In-office whitening treatments can be up to 10 times more effective than over the counter treatments!
  • Faster – At-home whitening usually takes anywhere from two to four weeks and may result in a few shades of whiteness. In-office treatments usually take less than an hour per session, and only a few sessions are needed for up to eight shades of improvement.
  • Better Results – As mentioned, at most at-home treatments can increase your tooth whiteness by a few shades. In-office treatments can get you up to eight shades of improvement.

When you sum it all up, you have many treatment options available to you from your Southern Ocean County dentist. Before deciding on one, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist to be sure the treatment is right for you. Not all mouths are made the same, after all!

Keep Your Teeth White By Avoiding These Food And Drinks

Posted on: May 7th, 2019 by admin

We know you want whiter teeth. We all do. The confidence that comes with having a nice smile is hard to overestimate.

Modern teeth whitening treatments can help you get the nice, white teeth you’ve always wanted, but if you hope to keep that bright smile you should avoid eating or drinking too much of this:

Source: https://www.pexels.com/photo/women-s-white-and-black-button-up-collared-shirt-774909/

  • Red Wine – Red wine has some health benefits when enjoyed in moderation, but it can also wreak havoc with your teeth. It’s no surprise that so many red wine fans end up seeking teeth whitening treatments. Years of the good stuff can be a fun part of your social life, but a bad part of your dental life.
  • Coffee – We know this is bad news fore many of you! As much as many of us don’t like to hear it, coffee is one of the worst culprits when it comes to staining your teeth. It may be the morning go-to for half of America, but it’s also one of the worst things for our bright smiles.

  • Tea – Sorry, caffeine lovers, switching from coffee to tea does not change things in this regard. In fact, tea can be even more abrasive on your teeth than coffee. High in tannins and rather acidic, too much tea in your diet can be bad news for your teeth. The good news is, black tea is the primary culprit. Switching to green, white and herbal teas can help.
  • Cola – This is something we all learned as kids: all the sugar in soda will rot your teeth. What they didn’t tell us is that cola can stain your teeth, too. The sugar, dye, coloring and other ingredients of cola means you’ll be seeking need teeth whitening if you are a regular soda drinker and you want to maintain a bright smile.
  • Blueberries – Blueberries are a part of a healthy diet. High in antioxidants, they’re some of the very best fruit to eat – except when it comes to your teeth. Blueberries are high in tooth-staining colors, which is why they have historically been used in dyes. Blackberries, raspberries and other dark berries have similar qualities, though blueberries are more potent than all of them. They’re good for you, so keep eating, just be sure to brush when you’re done!
  • Tomato Sauce – Sorry, everyone, we love tomato sauce too, but that traditional red sauce has qualities that can contribute to stained teeth. The acidic nature of tomatoes along with with their deep red color means if you want a whiter smile, you may want to see your dentist in Southern Ocean County after long years of eating Italian food.

All of this may seem like bad news, but it’s not. Most of the above food and drinks have good health qualities (though you should skip the cola!), and their staining effects can be reversed by modern teeth whitening treatments. Remember, consume them in moderation, practice good oral hygiene, and you can have a great smile your whole life long.

4 Tips To Make Toothbrushing Work For You

Posted on: February 20th, 2019 by admin No Comments

By now, all adults know that they should be brushing twice daily. If you are reading this, you know it, too.

But that doesn’t mean there isn’t more to learn. For instance, consider these 4 tips that will make your brushing (and your choice in toothpaste) far more effective:

Tip #1: Sensitive Teeth? Try A Baking Soda-Based Toothpaste

We see a lot of patients who have sensitive teeth, so we know how frustrating the condition can be. We also know that having sensitive teeth means you must take a slightly different approach to oral health than others might. One way is in the brand of toothpaste you choose. Standard brands may be more abrasive than is comfortable for your teeth, or may contain chemicals that trigger sensitivity in your teeth. A good way to get around that problem is to choose baking soda-based toothpastes. These toothpastes tend to be softer and milder on the teeth, resulting in a gentler yet still effective brush that won’t leave your mouth feeling sensitive.

pexels-photo-814052

Tip #2: Understand That Not All Toothpastes Are Right For Everyone

It’s a common misconception that one toothpaste is pretty much the same as another. After all, it’s all just toothpaste, right? Wrong. The fact of the matter is, not all toothpastes are created alike. Many types of toothpaste are designed to address specific issues, such as sensitive teeth or staining. Others are made for children – children below a certain age should not be exposed to high levels of fluoride – while still others are ideal for people who prefer all-natural products. Yes, that means you may need to buy more than one tube of toothpaste for your family. That’s okay, though. That just means that everyone will be getting exactly what they need to maintain the best oral health possible. Nothing wrong with that!

Tip #3: Some Toothpastes May Accelerate Tooth Decay!

It may sound counterintuitive, but there are some toothpastes that could contribute to tooth decay even as they are helping you clean your teeth. How? By being overly sweet and full of sugars. You’ve probably seen them, usually aimed at children: toothpastes that practically taste like candy they are so sweet. Well, they almost taste like candy for the same reason candy tastes sweet. They are sweetened! It may be easier to get your little ones to use toothpastes like these, but as a general rule of thumb your dentist near Forked River suggests you should avoid them when possible. In some ways, using them defeats the purpose of brushing in the first place!

pexels-photo-298611

Tip #4: Brushing Is Only The Start

For too many Americans, their oral health regime begins and ends with brushing their teeth. While that is a great place to start – if you are mindful enough to be brushing at least twice a day, kudos to you – it is only the start. Good oral health includes mouth rinses, flossing, and regular checkups from your dentist. Remember, brushing is just one part of an overall plan of good oral health.

Keep these tips in mind and we guarantee your Ocean County dentist will have nothing but good news on your next visit!

25 Incredible Trivia Facts About Teeth!

Posted on: November 21st, 2018 by admin No Comments

Dentists see teeth every day. They work with them every day. They know them inside and out.   Despite all this up close and personal experience, teeth never cease to amaze the people in your Ocean County dental office. We bet you’ll be amazed as well when you read some of these amazing facts about your pearly white teeth:

  1. Babies only have about 20 teeth. Once you grow into an adult, you get your full set of 32 teeth.
  2. Surveys suggest that 50% of folks say that a person’s smile is the first thing they notice.
  3. The hardest part of your body is in your mouth – your tooth enamel!
  4. The amount of saliva you produce over the course of your lifetime is enough to fill two entire swimming pools!
  5. Mosquitoes may seem to “bite,” and in fact they do have teeth! They have about 47 in all.
  6. You can extend the life of a tooth that gets knocked out by putting it in milk or placing it temporarily in your mouth. Keep that in mind if you have to take an emergency trip to your Ocean County dentist!
  7. When you skip flossing, you fail to clean up to 35% of your tooth surface area.
  8. Humans beings will get two sets of teeth during their lifetime. By comparison, sharks will get about 40!
  9. Every single year, students in America lose 51 million hours of class time due to dental-related maladies.
  10. Consumers in America buy about 14 million gallons of toothpaste every single year.
  11. If you think kids eat more candy than adults, you’d better think again. The truth is, adults consume about 65% of all the candy made in the United States
  12. Over the course of your lifetime, you are likely to spend about 38 days brushing your teeth.
  13. Snails have about 25 teeth in the weirdest place: on their tongue.
  14. The most common childhood disease is one your dentist knows too well: tooth decay.
  15. You can reduce your chance of tooth decay by 25% by brushing daily.
  16. About 80% of dental injuries sustained by children in the United States happen to their front teeth.
  17. A tooth that gets knocked out has to be treated fast: it will start to die within 15 minutes.
  18. Your tongue prints are unique! No two are alike.
  19. People used to use charcoal ashes, lemon juice, chalk, and other odd stuff to brush their teeth.
  20. So-called “milk teeth” start to form while the baby is still in the womb, but they don’t actually show up until a child is six months to a year old.
  21. Modern toothpaste is a fairly new thing: it has only been around for about 100 years.
  22. George Washington only had one real tooth at the time of his inauguration!
  23. About 25% of kids won’t have seen a dentist near Manahawkin before they reach kindergarten. Parents, do something about that!
  24. Your teeth – or at the least the parts you can see – are only part of your dental health concerns, because about one third of your teeth are actually located underneath your gums.
  25. If you added up all the people on Earth right now, it wouldn’t tally up to the number of bacteria in your mouth RIGHT NOW!

Pretty amazing stuff, huh? It’s easy to see why your pearly whites are so fascinating. They are far more interesting than people realize!

Think About These Things When Choosing A Toothpaste

Posted on: October 24th, 2018 by admin No Comments

Toothpaste is one of the most important tools in your oral health arsenal!  But keep in mind that your Ocean County dentist will tell you that you have to choose the right type of toothpaste if you want your brushing to be as effective as it can be.

Wait, there can be a right and wrong kind of toothpaste? Actually, yes! You really can use the wrong type of toothpaste!

The fact is, not all toothpastes are made to work the same. They can be designed to address many different dental needs, depending on whatever the folks at your Manahawkin dental office tell you you should address first. An essential part of making good decisions about your oral care is knowing which toothpastes are the right choices for your family.

Experts in Manahawkin dentistry will suggest you follow these five tips when making a choice:

1) Fluoride!

Don’t make the mistake of thinking every toothpaste contains fluoride. They don’t! Some “natural” toothpaste brands are free of fluoride. These are good for very young children under the age of six – fluoride can actually discolor teeth in young children – but once they are older, follow the recommendation of your Manahawkin dental office and use a toothpaste with fluoride. It’s one of the most vital ways in which brushing can help you battle cavities.

pexels-photo-312492

2) Whitening!

Whitening toothpastes are bigger than ever and easily available. But do you need one? They are fine options that might help slow down staining, but don’t expect dramatic results. They might be able to lighten your teeth by up to a shade, though even that would be a great result. The truth is, if you have sensitive teeth you should not use whitening toothpastes because they have chemicals that can make your teeth more sensitive.

3) Who’s Using It?

Remember that there are toothpastes made specifically for adults, and there are toothpastes made specifically for children. Always read labels carefully so you understand who the intended user is. For further advice, an a dentist in Ocean County for their input. Remember that a brand of toothpaste may not be suitable for the whole family!

4) ADA Approval!

Look for the American Dental Association seal of acceptance on your toothpaste. Any brand that is proven to be safe and effective will have that logo. It doesn’t matter the style you choose – whitening, all natural, baking soda, and others – if it doesn’t have the seal of approval by the ADA, take a pass. Your Manahawkin dentist will give you the same advice.

5) Chronic Dental Problems?

Be sure to inform your Manahawkin dentist if you have chronic tooth problems that you are feeling on a regular basis. Pain, temperature sensitivity, and other chronic maladies are a sign there may be an underlying issue that needs to be addressed. You may be surprised to learn that your dentist may even be able to suggest a new type of toothpaste to help with your symptoms, such as desensitizing toothpaste.

Ready to start brushing? They get in the bathroom and do it, then visit your Manahawkin dental office for a check up to see how well your teeth are doing.

25 Cool Facts About Teeth

Posted on: September 5th, 2018 by admin No Comments

You might think they’re just your chompers, but your teeth are some of the most fascinating parts of the human body. We’re not saying that just because we’re dentists, either. If you don’t believe us, just take a look at these amazing facts:

  1. The plague our dental hygienists near Forked River remove from your teeth can be home to up to 300 different types of bacteria!
  1. Gold crowns on teeth are nothing new. The ancient Romans used them to restore teeth decayed by cavities, too.
  1. Women smile on average 62 times each day. By contrast, men smile only 8 times a day.
  2. The most common disease in the United States is the common cold. Tooth decay is a close number 2, so be sure to visit your dentist near Lacey so you don’t end up on the list!
  1. Your dentist recommends brushing your teeth for two minutes to get the best results. Most people don’t follow that advice. The average person does it for just 48 seconds.
  2. The ancient Romans used toothpaste just like we do, but it was a little different. It was made from honey and crushed eggshells.
  1. It’s best not to put a cap on your toothbrush. Why is that? It’s because that can help promote even more bacterial growth on the brush than usual. Keep it in the open air!
  1. When you eat is just as important as what you eat. Eating sugary foods after a meal, for example, actually reduces the risk of cavities!
  1. A prison inmate in West Virginia once used dental floss to scale a wall and escape from jail.
  1. Elephant teeth are HUGE. They can measure nearly a foot across and weight up to six pounds.
  1. The hardest substance in your body is not your skull, it’s your tooth enamel!
  1. A knocked out tooth will start to die in just 15 minutes. The best way to help it last a little longer is to put it in milk or hold it in your mouth.
  2. A single can of soda can contain a whopping 12 teaspoons of sugar. That’s as much sugar as six to twelve cups of coffee!
  3. The first bristled toothbrush was made in China all the way back in the late 1400s. The brush was made of hog, horse and badger hair, which sounds gross but was probably very effective.
  1. Crocodiles have it easy when it comes to taking care of their teeth. A species of bird called the crocodile bird acts as their personal dentist. This bird flies into the open mouths of crocs and cleans their teeth for them!
  2. Roughly 3 out of 4 Americans have Periodontal gum disease, sometimes minor, sometimes more severe.
  1. Dentists in Manahawkin want you to floss because if you skip flossing, you miss cleaning about 40% of your teeth surface!
  1. You’ll spend just over 38 days brushing your teeth over the course of your lifespan.
  1. The lowly toothpick is the biggest choking hazard in the U.S. More people choke on toothpicks every year than they do food.
  1. Your dental records are important. Much like your fingerprints, your teeth totally unique to you and can help identify you (as you probably know if you watch police shows and murder movies).
  2. Egyptian mummies have been found that had dental fillings!
  1. George Washington did NOT have wooden dentures. That is a myth. His dentures were actually made from ivory, metals, and animal teeth.
  1. A snail’s mouth contains over 25,000 teeth!
  1. Giraffes  do not have upper teeth, they only have bottom teeth!
  1. Sports injuries account for upwards of 5 million teeth getting knocked out each year!

Pretty fun stuff, right? We’ll be sure to share more with you in future blog posts, so check back and enjoy! In the meantime, follow us on Facebook!

What You Need To Know About Teeth Whitening

Posted on: June 13th, 2018 by admin No Comments

If it seems like you are hearing more and more about teeth whitening, you are probably right. Improvements in cosmetic dentistry have made it easier than ever to whiten and brighten your smile. You might even be thinking about a visit to your dentist so you can enjoy an affordable teeth whitening treatment.

With that in mind, here’s everything you need to know about modern teeth whitening:

How It Works

These days, tooth whitening treatments use a peroxide-based bleaching technique that assists with bleaching out staining and discoloration. Remember that the treatments will have no impact on porcelain crowns or composite tooth-colored bondings.

At-Home Options

Not every dentist near Manahawkin dentist will tell you this, but it’s good information to have: there are at-home whitening treatments available, and some of them are available over the counter. The price can range from extremely low to about equal to an in-office visit. It usually takes much longer to get results, and the results are usually not as dramatic as a professional treatment.

If you are considering at-home whitening, your choices include:

  • Strips & Gels – Apply these twice a day for up to two weeks. When you use this cost-effective solution, expect modest results
  • Bleaching Trays – A tray not unlike a mouth guard is filled with gel or a solution. This tray is worn in the mouth for several hours a day. Treatment can last up to four weeks. The results can be good, but the cost is generally similar to professional treatments.
  • Whitening Toothpastes – You won’t see dramatic results from a whitening toothpaste. At best, they can brighten your teeth by about one shade. By contrast, you can get up to eight shades of brightness from professional treatments. However, one benefit is that whitening toothpastes are easy to incorporate into your life.

In-Office Treatments

A visit to your dental office near Manahawkin is going to end up giving you better whitening results than anything you can do at home, and you’ll get those results much faster. Dentists are able to use much stronger solutions than you can purchase over the counter, and the methods they use with in-office treatments can get results quicker. Some important things to know include:

  • Stronger – In-office whitening treatments can be up to 10 times more effective than over the counter treatments!
  • Faster – At-home whitening usually takes anywhere from two to four weeks and may result in a few shades of whiteness. In-office treatments usually take less than an hour per session, and only a few sessions are needed for up to eight shades of improvement.
  • Better Results – As mentioned, at most at-home treatments can increase your tooth whiteness by a few shades. In-office treatments can get you up to eight shades of improvement.

When you sum it all up, you have many treatment options available to you from your Southern Ocean County dentist. Before deciding on one, it’s a good idea to consult with your dentist to be sure the treatment is right for you. Not all mouths are made the same, after all!