Professional teeth whitening at a dental clinic is a highly common cosmetic dental treatment. Since in-office whitening treatments are guided by dentists, they utilize bleaching gel concentrations that are markedly stronger than those that are available for home use. People who get professional whitening treatments often observe instant whitening effects. Not only can these treatments make the teeth appear whiter and more brilliant overall, but they can also help do away with pesky and persistent staining. Many people prefer in-office whitening treatments over their home-use counterparts because they tend to produce more reliable and consistent effects. In-office whitening is also generally extremely safe. People typically do not experience any side effects of professional whitening procedures. When they do experience side effects, they're usually very subtle.

People who are frustrated by tooth discoloration generally make good candidates for teeth whitening procedures. Discoloration is possible even in individuals who routinely go to the dentist and who floss and brush their teeth properly. Dental discoloration is also frequently just an effect of time going by, plain and simple. Note that not everyone is necessarily suitable for receiving teeth whitening procedures, however. Some examples of the types of people that may not be good candidates for these treatments include those who have dental bonding, dental crowns and porcelain veneers, those who have white spots or gray discoloration, those who have temporomandibular joint disorder or bruxism and those who have worn out enamel or severe sensitivity of the teeth. If any of those things describe you, let your dentist know and he or she will indeed determine whether or not cosmetic teeth whitening is for you.

Teeth whitening treatments performed at the dentist's office can be particularly effective for the elimination of specific stains. They can generally successfully do away with organic stains, for example. They can also generally do away with stains that are caused by tobacco use, diet and aging. If you eat or drink soda, red wine, coffee or some fruits and vegetables that are dark in color, in-office whitening procedures may be able to help get rid of stains caused by those things. In-office teeth whitening treatments can also often help remove teeth stains that are caused by the natural aging process. As people get older, their teeth tend to get darker with gray, green, brown or yellow tones. These color changes are sometimes triggered by food patterns and genetics, too. If your teeth have yellow discoloration, then in-office treatments may be particularly effective at getting rid of it.

In-office whitening treatments can't help all types of teeth stains. If your teeth have discoloration due to excessive contact with fluoride, they may not be that successful at helping the problem. If your teeth have discoloration due to injury, in-office whitening may not be able to help the problem much, either.

If the idea of professional teeth whitening sounds appealing to you, take your time to find a seasoned and knowledgeable cosmetic dentist who can help you. The right dentist will be able to decide whether or not the treatment is a smart option for your teeth.