Tag Archives: tooth whitening indianapolis

Tips to Drinking Red Wine Without Staining Your Teeth | Indianapolis Dentist

If you’re a red wine drinker, you know that a purple-tinged smile is a real thing. Because of its dark pigments, it is easy to seep into the porous material that makes up our teeth. This is why our teeth begin to tinge after a while if our dental hygiene isn’t very good. Coffee is the same thing – in fact, any dark foods or beverages will eventually begin to dye our smiles. But it doesn’t need to be a permanent situation. There are plenty of whitening treatment options available, both over-the-counter and in-office variations, like ZOOM! whitening.

While no home remedies are as effective as professional whitening, these tips, along with keeping up with your regular dental checkups and cleaning, can help you reduce keep your smile as bright as possible in between professional cleanings.

Before you drink that wine, brush your teeth. If your teeth are free from plaque and tartar, it is more difficult for stains to adhere to your teeth. By using an enamel-strengthening toothpaste and mouthwash, you begin to build up stain resistance.

If you notice that your lips and teeth are beginning to get that red wine hue, wipe your teeth with a cloth napkin. The sooner you wipe, the less time the wine has to set into your teeth. Another trick is a quick rinse with water after each glass. Ultimately, a good brushing with provide the best results.

Something that goes hand in hand with wine is cheese. Thankfully, cheese is a great way to stave off tooth stains. Cheese contains calcium, which strengthens your teeth and closes those tiny micro-pores that makes staining so easy.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

Which Cosmetic Dental Procedure Will Improve Your Smile? | Indianapolis Dentist

teeth whitening

When the time comes for a new smile, there are loads of procedures available to repair whatever condition your smile is in. All you need to get started is a dental appointment. Once you’re there, you can discuss the various dental procedures available to you depending on your particular case. Here are the common cosmetic procedures and how they can improve your smile.

Teeth whitening. Everyone’s teeth get discolored or stained from time to time. Teeth whitening, or bleaching, can be done in a dentist’s office or at home with a system dispensed by the dentist.

Bonding. Life is full of accidental mishaps, sometimes those mishaps mess up our teeth. Bonding can improve the appearance of teeth that are chipped, broken, cracked, stained, or gapped by bonding tooth-colored materials to the tooth surface, making them nearly impossible to distinguish.

Veneers. Another variation of the bonding technique are veneers. These are thin, custom-made porcelain shells that cover the front of the teeth to disguise discoloration or imperfections.

Tooth reshaping. This procedure changes the actual look of your teeth by modifying or removing enamel, completely changing the look of your tooth. Tooth reshaping (also known as dental contouring) is often combined with bonding.

Crown lengthening. Sometimes it isn’t the teeth that are the issue, it’s the gums. This “gummy” smile or an uneven gum line can be fixed by removing excess gum tissue, exposing more of the tooth’s crown to give the appearance of longer teeth.

Smile makeovers. Deciding your smile needs an entire makeover involves a comprehensive assessment of the overall appearance of the teeth and smile. Typically, several cosmetic dentistry procedures are required to overhaul the look of a patient’s smile, but the results will be staggering.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

When Eating Ice Cream Begins to Hurt Your Teeth | Indianapolis Dentist

If you’ve ever experienced a sharp and annoying pain in your teeth whenever you indulge in the wonderful frozen treats this summery weather can provide? No one wants to hear that they can’t have ice cream or iced tea because their teeth are too sensitive. So, what causes this cruel summertime malady?

Loss of tooth enamel, which leaves the dentin exposed, is the main reason why tooth sensitivity occurs. This may happen if you’ve been using a hard-bristled toothbrush instead of a soft one, as it may wear away as the abrasion can wear away the tooth enamel. However, it can also be the result of frequent consumption of acidic foods or gum recession.

It is important to take note, however, that the sharp pain when exposed to hot and cold food and beverages is not always caused by tooth sensitivity. Sometimes, it may be because of the following:

  • A cracked, chipped or fractured tooth
  • Dental caries
  • Constant grinding or clenching of the teeth, or a condition known as bruxism
  • A broken restoration that’s been leaking
  • A side effect of certain teeth whitening procedures, namely tooth bleaching

In order to find out if your teeth are indeed sensitive, talk to your dentist. Be sure to describe your symptoms in detail, like when the pain first started or anything you’ve done for the pain. Using your descriptions, the dentist will try to find out the possible cause of your sensitivity, and once finished, the dentist will then treat the underlying cause. The treatment will usually vary, depending on the case.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

Ways to Brighten Your Smile | Indianapolis Dentist

teeth whitening

As we prepare to embark on another year, it is important to try to start it off on the right foot. For some of us, it is a brighter smile. And while we do our best to keep up with our dental hygiene, over time our teeth will begin to develop a yellowish tinge. It’s time for a teeth whitening treatment. But which to choose? Here is a quick breakdown to help you as you decide which option to choose.

Zoom! Plus teeth whitening

Teeth whitening can help you achieve a beautifully white smile by bleaching your teeth and removing any deep stains that cannot be removed by brushing or hygiene appointments. Here at our Indianapolis teeth whitening office, we use the latest Zoom! Plus, in-office laser tooth whitening system as seen on hit TV shows such as Extreme Makeover. The Zoom! system delivers great results and in about 1 hour we can brighten your teeth by several shades.

Home bleaching

In addition to in-office power whitening, we also offer professional home bleaching kits. We custom fabricate whitening trays to fit over your teeth and then supply you with a professional-grade tooth whitening solution to carry out the whitening procedure in the comfort of your own home. The home bleaching delivers results over a longer time period. Many of our patients choose combination treatment with in-office whitening followed by the home bleaching. This enables you to maintain your beautiful white smile and top it up whenever you want.

There is no reason we have to start the year with a less than perfect smile. It’s time to schedule an appointment to get the smile you’ve always wanted.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to maintain a healthy smile.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves Indianapolis and all surrounding areas.

The Terrible Ten Smile Saboteurs | Indianapolis Dentist

Beautiful smile with withe teethThere are lots of reasons our teeth may not be the brightest at all times. We go to the dentist for regular cleanings, but in the end, they always seem to go back to the way they were. But why? What are we doing to make our smile dingy or flawed? A lot of times, it isn’t how well we clean our chompers. In many cases, discolored or damaged teeth are the result of our own bad habits, says Indianapolis dentist George Kirtley; other problems are caused by chemicals that entered teeth during childhood. The way we eat,what we put into our mouths, even habits you don’t realize you’ve picked up, like biting your pencil, can all do small damages to our teeth. The biggest offenders he sees in Indianapolis:

  • Drinking tea. Hot or cold, tea stains teeth more than any other kind of drink.
  • Smoking, because tobacco yellows teeth.
  • Drinking coffee; it stains the teeth.
  • Drinking red wine; it stains the teeth.
  • Consuming too many soft drinks, which leave sugars on teeth that can create cavities.
  • Eating highly acidic foods, including starchy snacks such as potato chips and tortilla chips. They can drive enamel-busting acids deep into teeth, breaking the teeth down.
  • Ingesting too much fluoride during childhood, which can actually damage teeth.
  • Treating childhood diseases with antibiotics, such as Tetracycline, that can discolor teeth.
  • Chewing ice or your nails; it cracks teeth.
  • Grinding teeth; habitual grinding damages teeth.

For more information on habits that can cause damage to your smile and/or to make an appointment, call Dr. Kirtley at 317-841-1111 or visit his website smilesbygeorge.com.

Dr. George Kirtley proudly serves patients from Indianapolis, Spring Hill, Beech Grove, Wynnedale, Speedway, Rocky Ripple, Warren Park and all surrounding areas.