Teeth Whitening – St. Augustine, FL
Brighter Smiles Start Here
Are coffee, tea, or age leaving your teeth looking dull or discolored? At Total Dental Care: Tony Lee, DMD, we offer professional whitening treatments that safely and effectively restore your smile’s brilliant shine. Whether you want a quick in-office boost or a convenient take-home option, our treatments are customized to meet your needs. With our guidance, you can achieve a brighter, more confident smile without guesswork or ineffective over-the-counter kits.
Why Choose Total Dental Care: Tony Lee, DMD For Teeth Whitening?
- Experienced and Friendly Cosmetic Dentist
- Powerful ZOOM! Teeth Whitening
- CareCredit Financing Available
Who Is a Good Candidate for Teeth Whitening?
Professional whitening is ideal for patients whose teeth have been stained by food, drinks, tobacco or vape, and even natural aging. If you have healthy gums, no untreated cavities, and want a noticeable boost in your smile’s brightness, you’re likely a great fit.
Patients with dental restorations (like crowns or veneers) or deep intrinsic stains may need alternative solutions. But if that’s you—don't worry. We’ll review your goals and oral health during your consultation to recommend the best path forward, no matter your needs.
How Does Teeth Whitening Work?
Professional whitening uses peroxide-based gels that penetrate tooth enamel and break apart stain molecules. In-office treatments combine concentrated gel with special light activation to accelerate results, while take-home options use lower-strength formulas for gradual whitening.
Both methods are safe and supervised. So, not only will you feel less sensitivity afterward, but you’ll get more dramatic results than store-bought products.
Take-Home Teeth Whitening
Our Colgate whitening pens offer a convenient, at-home way to brighten your smile. With a quick-dry formula and peroxide-based gel, they’re great for touch-ups or gradual whitening with no trays or lights required. While not as powerful as in-office treatments, they’re a great option for mild stains or maintenance between visits.
In-Office Teeth Whitening
Our ZOOM! whitening system can whiten your teeth by several shades in just one appointment. During your visit, we’ll apply a professional-strength gel and activate it with a special UV light. This breaks down stains quickly and effectively, revealing the dazzling enamel underneath years of discoloration. If you’re looking for a way to “WOW” in under an hour, this is the treatment for you.
Tips for Maintaining Your Brighter Smile
Once your smile is brightened, you’ll need to form some good habits to keep it looking its best, such as:
- Brushing and floss daily to prevent new stains from forming.
- Limiting food and drinks that cause discoloration, like coffee, tea, wine, and soda.
- Rinsing or brushing after consuming stain-causing beverages.
- Avoiding tobacco and vape products, which can cause stubborn yellow or brown stains.
- Scheduling regular checkups and cleanings every six months.
- Using one of our Colgate whitening pens for touch-ups.
Teeth Whitening FAQs
How Can I Make Teeth Whitening More Affordable?
It’s pretty rare for dental insurance providers to cover the cost of teeth whitening. The good news is that there is another way you can make the price more affordable: flexible financing! We’re proud to accept payment plans with CareCredit so you don’t have to pay for the entire cost in one lump sum. Instead, you can break it up into smaller, more manageable chunks that don’t break the bank.
Is Teeth Whitening Permanent?
Sadly, teeth whitening is not permanent. With that said, you can make the results last for 6+ months! The key is incorporating the right habits into your routine. That starts with brushing your teeth for two full minutes each morning and extends to eating foods that are healthy and smile-friendly, like bananas, cottage cheese, and oatmeal.
Important reminder: You also need to quit smoking and other stain-causing habits if you want to maintain the bright, vibrant appearance of your smile.
Can I Drink Coffee After Whitening My Teeth?
We don’t recommend drinking coffee immediately after your teeth whitening treatment. Of course, this is just a temporary measure to help prevent noticeable, yellow stains from resurfacing on your teeth. Even after you get the green light to incorporate it back into your routine, you need to take certain precautions, like using a straw and rinsing your mouth with water when you’re done.
How Long Does Teeth Whitening Take?
If you have a graduation, a wedding, or another important event coming up, you might wonder when you should schedule your appointment. The answer is “the sooner, the better!” After all, we may need more than one teeth whitening treatment to achieve the results you desire. Not only that, but if we find tooth decay, gum disease, or another common oral health problem during your initial exam, then we will need time to provide the restorative care that you need. All that to say, if you are considering teeth whitening in St. Augustine, you shouldn’t wait until the last minute to reach out to our cosmetic dentist, Dr. Tony Lee.
Is There Anything I Shouldn’t Eat After Whitening My Teeth?
We mentioned above the foods that you should eat (i.e., bananas, cottage cheese, oatmeal), but is there anything you shouldn’t eat? The short answer is “yes.” To maintain the vibrancy of your smile, we recommend steering clear of blackberries, beets, dark chocolate, and other foods that can stain your teeth. Additionally, you should avoid pigmented condiments, like ketchup and BBQ sauce.