Tag Archives: white teeth

Brighten Your Smile at Home | Indianapolis Dentist

Cosmetic Dentistry, general dentistry, General Health, Oral Care, Oral Health, Smile Makeover, Teeth Whitening, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
teeth whitening

The more brilliant your teeth, the better your smile looks. The problem with white teeth really lies in the degree you take your oral hygiene. You can brush & floss every day, but your teeth may not keep its natural sheen. Teeth whitening sessions, but that can get pricey. Over-the-counter versions is another route, but what if there was a way to do it without going the chemical route? Here are six easy ways to DIY your smile back to the pearly white scene you’re used to:

First, there is old reliable – hydrogen peroxide and baking soda. Just drop a few drops of hydrogen peroxide into a little bit of baking soda makes a paste. Apply it as you would regular toothpaste.

These next couple take natural to a whole new level – fruit. Grab a couple strawberries, add about a teaspoon of baking soda & rub the paste on your teeth for 5-7 minutes. Or peel a ripe banana and rub a piece along the inside of your teeth for two minutes.

If you have some apple cider vinegar in your pantry, dilute it with some water (3 parts water, 1 part vinegar) and mix it with an all-natural toothpaste, you’ve made yourself a pretty efficient tooth whitening solution. If you have coconut oil, swish it around in your mouth for 20 minutes.

Lastly, there’s activated charcoal. The porous nature of the charcoal turns out that it can also be fantastic at binding to bacteria before it can leave stains on teeth. Mix with a little bit of water, gently apply it to your teeth, leave to set in your mouth for two minutes, then rinse.

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.

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

Dental Health, general dentistry, General Health, Oral Care, Oral Health, Teeth Whitening, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

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.

Ways to Brighten Your Smile | Indianapolis Dentist

Cosmetic Dentistry, Dental Health, general dentistry, General Health, Oral Care, Oral Health, Restorative Dentistry, Smile Makeover, Teeth Whitening, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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.

Why Are My Teeth Turning Yellow? | Indianapolis Dentist

Cosmetic Dentistry, general dentistry, Oral Care, Teeth, Teeth Whitening, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

teeth whiteningYou have all the tools you need to keep your smile bright and shiny, but for some reason the brilliant white in your teeth has begun to fade. How is this happening? Isn’t brushing the main reason our teeth stay white? The answer is yes…and no. Yes, daily dental hygiene is the way you need to keep your dental health intact. But your teeth can also begin to change because of other factors, like your diet. When you keep a certain diet regularly, the outer layers of your teeth get stained over the years. When these outside sources of staining are left to sit on the teeth until your next brushing, the dentin on your teeth becomes yellowish or darkened. Contributing factors to yellowing, stained teeth:

  • Tetracycline based antibiotics used before the age of 8 years old
  • Excessive exposure to fluoride as a child
  • Internal bleeding due to trauma
  • Discoloration due to a health condition
  • Natural aging- as time goes by enamel gets thinner and thinner and will get a yellowish hue
  • Soda
  • Wine
  • Smoking
  • Caffeine

So, now that we know what causes our teeth to become dingy looking, how do we prevent this from happening? The best way to help your stained discolored teeth is professional tooth whitening. But in between these treatments, keeping your daily dental hygiene up by brushing with a toothpaste with whitening agents at least twice a day. If a toothbrush isn’t available at the time, rinse your mouth with water several times a day with water. Sound too easy? It really is.

Visit Dr. Kirtley today and schedule an appointment to find out what kind of treatment your teeth needs to be healthier and to look better.  Call 317-841-1111 or www.smilesbygeorge.com.

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