Teeth Cleaning and Whitening in Germantown, MD

Rosewood Dental provides teeth cleaning and whitening services in Germantown, MD. Call 301-515-2466 to learn more or schedule your appointment.

Professional teeth cleaning is a vital tool in the quest to keep your mouth healthy. While brushing and flossing are the first line of defense, twice-annual cleaning appointments provide a deeper clean. We will remove bacteria, plaque, and tartar that home care can leave behind.

For some people, though, regular teeth cleaning is not enough to create a brilliant white smile. Certain medications, dietary choices, aging, and even simple genetics can cause staining or yellowing that cannot be removed by cleaning. In this case, we may recommend teeth whitening, also known as bleaching. At Rosewood Dental, we offer both in-office and at-home teeth whitening.

In-Office Whitening: Did you know that just a single hour-long appointment can whiten your teeth by 3 to 4 shades? First, we will protect your gums with a gel or a rubber shield to avoid damaging the soft tissues. Then, we will apply a bleaching agent containing carbamide peroxide to your teeth and use a special laser light to boost the whitening action. If you want even whiter teeth, we can prescribe an at-home kit to enhance the effects.

At-Home Whitening: If you prefer to whiten your teeth at home, we will take dental impressions and create a customized mouth tray. You will add carbamide peroxide-based whitening gel to the tray and wear it at night according to our directions. The process could take several nights or weeks, depending on how many shades you want to lighten your teeth.

Keep in mind that teeth whitening is a temporary solution that must be repeated regularly to maintain the brightness. Dental veneers are the only solution that ensures a consistently white smile for years. However, you can take proactive steps to extend the time between whitening appointments.

The first step is to maintain a scrupulous oral hygiene routine, including professional cleanings twice a year. After consuming coffee, tea, soda, red wine, dark berries, or other tooth-stainers, immediately rinse your mouth with clear water. The less total exposure your teeth have to these items, the less they will dim your smile.

Certain lipsticks can make your teeth look whiter. Choose a lip-plumping formulation with cinnamon or mint oil, in a shade with blue or pink undertones.

You can also use any over the counter whitening kit for touch ups. These products are not as good as professional whitening, but they can help boost a smile that is starting to fade.

Please note that dental restorations such as crowns and veneers do not respond to whitening, nor do they darken like natural teeth. If you have your teeth whitened before adding a restoration, you will need to bleach them regularly to maintain the color match. If your restoration was matched to darker teeth, whitening your teeth will make the restoration look dull.

Call 301-515-2466 to schedule your appointment.