Your Dentist Can Help with Your Holiday Family Photo

It’s that time of year again. There’s a crispness to the air, a little smell of wood smoke in the evening; Autumn has come to New England again. And with it, time to think about planning your holiday photo of the family. Will you wear matching fuzzy sweaters at the Northville Fire Department Christmas tree sale? Pose on the tank on the Green, kids in reindeer costumes, dad as Santa Claus? Blue and white turtlenecks at Steep Rock? New Milford is a great place to pose and rejoice in the joy of a snap for the memories. 

What do people notice first? Well, I hate to admit it, but studies have shown it’s the hair! The number one characteristic noticed first is the coiffure. You will have to call Sharoan’s, Len’s Barbershop, or Tina’s Hair Salon about that. I can’t help you there. But coming in at a close second is the teeth. A big grin with those pearly whites is the (second) most important personal characteristic noticed by others when evaluating photos.

Generally, the first step towards a great cosmetic dental outcome (after establishing ideal gum and teeth health via proper cleaning and addressing all decay, of course) is brightening of the smile with dental whitening. What is the least expensive way to brighten the smile? There are many over-the-counter whitening products that are safe to use, including bleaching pens, films, and gels. It is best to use an over-the-counter product with the American Dental Association (ADA) seal, which verifies that it is safe to use. I generally recommend to my patients that they use bleaching films, gels, or pens rather than whitening toothpastes, as whitening toothpastes generally include abrasive grit particles, which can remove small amounts of tooth enamel over a prolonged period. This has not been shown to occur with bleaching material in a gel form. 

At this time, it is not recommended to use many popular “home remedies” endorsed by social media, such as oil pulling (swishing with coconut oil) or brushing with charcoal paste. At this time, no study has confirmed that these methods are efficacious, but they have been shown to have unwanted side effects (charcoal paste is abrasive and removes tooth enamel, creating concavities in the enamel over time, and oil pulling has not been shown to be an effective whitener, but it does lead to gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and stomach irritation, and in rare cases, lipoid pneumonia). 

If you are not satisfied with the outcome from the over-the-counter products, or if you prefer to “do it right the first time”, talk to your dentist about whitening options. Most will recommend fabricating custom bleaching trays at their office. An impression or scan is made of your teeth, and a rubbery type of plastic is used to create a custom bleaching tray for your teeth. Your dentist will provide you with prescription gel, either carbamide or hydrogen peroxide, which have both been shown to help with extrinsic (e.g. staining from coffee, tea, and tobacco products) and intrinsic (less common, staining from within, e.g. due to congenital enamel issues or from use of antibiotics in infancy) stain. Prescription bleach comes in several concentrations; your dentist will generally begin with the lowest concentration of bleach, as it is less likely to lead to tooth sensitivity (temporary tooth sensitivity is a common side effect of bleaching). Should you wish to increase the brightness of your outcome, bleach with a higher concentration of peroxide can be used, but this increases your risk of sensitivity.

It is not possible to bleach existing dental work, such as crowns or cosmetic bonding, but it is a very good idea to bleach before you begin any new dental treatment, since new fillings and crowns will be matched to the shade of the adjacent natural teeth and cannot be changed later.

Cosmetic bleaching is safe and effective and leads to an attractive improvement with little downside beyond two appointments with the dentist. The bleaching trays can be kept for several years; many patients like to purchase a tube or two of replacement gel from their dentist to “touch up” their smile once a year or so. Any local dentist can help you with this procedure; you are welcome to call my office if you would like to be referred to a local New Milford dental practice.