It’s important to note that teeth whitening isn’t necessary — teeth naturally darken with age and accumulate surface stains. If you use tobacco products or consume specific food and drinks, this is bound to happen.

Teeth aren’t meant to be pearly white. In fact, we wouldn’t recommend going that far, but it’s natural to want to lift some of the stains and change the colour by a few shades. In response to the desire for a brighter smile, there are tons of whitening products available to consumers. These products fall into two categories: surface whiteners or bleaches.

Surface whiteners are things like whitening toothpaste or chewing gum. The special abrasives in these products are unlikely to cause excessive wear on your teeth, but they aren’t very useful for long-term whitening since the impact is limited to surface stains. Also, if you continue to consume staining beverages or use tobacco products, the discolouration will return quickly.

Many bleaching products are peroxide-based and can actually change the colour of your teeth. Not all teeth respond to bleaching treatments. It all depends on the cause of your discolouration. That is why it’s so important to see your dentist and talk to them about which whitening option is best for you.

As much as the drug store options can be appealing because of price, the best option in all cases is professional teeth whitening. It’s the safest way to go several shades whiter without damaging your enamel because it’s customized to your needs. Our techniques and training allow us to protect your soft tissues better than drug store methods and the result is long term.  

You may need a brief touch up once or twice per year with the home kit we provide but most people don't need to Zoom! again. Both DITC clinics offer Zoom! Whitening dentistry. We believe in Zoom! Whitening so much, our clinics even offer a promotional discount of $299 on your first session.

Ask your DITC dentist about it next time you come in, or book an appointment at one of our Winnipeg dentist offices for a consultation.