Teeth Whitening Vs. Teeth Polishing: Understand the Differences! 

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The residents of Grand Rapids who brush and floss daily don’t take chances with their dental issues and pay a visit to the clinic almost regularly if they observe any teeth discoloration over a longer time. Two major orthodontic processes to fix the issue that can potentially aid you in resolving the problem are teeth whitening and teeth polishing. 

Grand Rapids dentists consider both of these procedures promising in assisting you in retrieving your smile. But how do you know which is the best? Although their objectives differ, the fundamental goal of teeth polishing is to eliminate tartar and plaque accumulation from teeth’s surface to impede gum disease and tooth decay. On the other hand, the elemental objective of teeth whitening is to eliminate stains for cosmetic motives. So, what are the differences among them? Let’s discuss it! 

Teeth Polishing: Overview

Professional teeth cleanings are usually conducted by doctors who are specially qualified to clean and polish teeth. They typically recommend a professional and thorough tooth cleaning every 6 months. However, some patients might need cleanings more frequently if they are susceptible to a history of gum disease or decay. Some of the leading signs that you need a dental scaling process are the following:

  • Your gums are swollen, red, and sore.
  • Your teeth have started to feel saggy around your jaw.
  • You have acute lousy breath that doesn’t go away after flossing, brushing, or using mouthwash. 
  • Your gum starts bleeding whenever you floss or brush. 

Teeth Whitening: Overview

It’s a group of processes that can be conducted to obtain brighter and whiter teeth. Professional dentists eliminate stains caused by red wine, coffee, smoking, or everyday exposure to food and plaque throughout the years. These processes don’t have particular health amenities; they are conducted for cosmetic reasons. 

Stained teeth are healthy if they are kept free from tartar and plaque. If you go for daily dental cleaning appointments, you might not need a teeth whitening treatment to bolster your teeth’s health. If you’re disgruntled with the recent shade of your teeth, you must not look further than teeth whitening processes.

Differences Between Teeth Whitening and Dental Polishing

Dental professionals conduct both these processes, tooth polishing and whitening, to maintain oral health, appearance, and hygiene. The primary purpose of tooth whitening is to bolster your teeth’ appearance by maximizing their color. Most dental professionals and medications promise a transformation of approximately 8 shades or colors compared to their recent appearance. Teeth whitening treatments can cure profound stains either genetically inherited or obtained. Such whitening treatments bleach the teeth’ enamel, giving them a whiter shade. Not being a part of day-to-day dental checkups, teeth whitening can aid in preventing the development of dental diseases.   

Dental polishing, on the other hand, polishes and de-scales teeth and is conducted as part of the daily trips to the dental professional. The standard strategy of teeth polishing utilizes concentrated and tiny blasts of air to clean the tartar and plaque that accumulate on teeth gradually. It’s the most vital strategy for deep cleaning of teeth. The process benefits the teeth’ color as it eliminates topical stains. 

Conclusion

Teeth whitening and polishing are two significant strategies proposed by dental professionals to bolster your oral health, aesthetics, and hygiene. The first focuses on boosting your teeth’ color, lightening it by up to 8 hues, and targets deeply rooted stains, which may be acquired through genetic or lifestyle practices. Teeth polishing, on the other hand, cleans and smooths the teeth’ surface, contributing to overall dental appearance and hygiene. It may not usually added to the frequent dental checkups, but tooth whitening may also contribute to handling dental diseases by supporting healthier and hygienic teeth.