If you haven’t had good results with other treatments to brighten your smile, you may consider laser whitening for your teeth. In a laser whitening treatment, a dentist will first protect your guns from damage by placing a rubber dam over your teeth, and then apply a whitening product to your teeth. Following these preparatory steps, the dentist will use a laser to cause a reaction with the chemical on your teeth. The laser heightens the effect of the chemical bleaching product, which allows the whitening process to occur more quickly.

Before you can have a laser whitening treatment, your dentist must first determine that your teeth can handle the procedure. The entire process usually takes only an hour or so.

Everyone’s teeth react differently to laser whitening treatments, but in general the effects can last for at least a year. But anything you do that creates stains on your teeth, such as smoking or eating and drinking certain substances, will diminish the whitening effect. Your teeth may become especially sensitive to cold during or following a laser whitening treatment. Symptoms of sensitivity most often go away within days of the treatment.

Laser whitening is just one of the ways to remove stains on your teeth; there are many products available now. After you’ve had a whitening treatment, you can use a whitening paste to maintain the effect.

And any foods or drinks that stain or discolor your teeth should be avoided. And stop smoking, as it is a leading cause of tooth discoloration. It’s also important to brush your teeth three times a day.