Dr. Long wants to know: could you be a teeth whitening addict?

Dr. Michael Long knows people want to look and feel great, and at a time when a set of sparkling teeth might mean the difference between getting a job, more and more folks are complaining about irritation and bleeding gums, excessive teeth sensitivity and translucent teeth.

At Michael G. Long DDS, we are proud of offer the latest in in-office whitening. The process takes just about an hour in our office. During chair-side bleaching, Dr. Long will apply either a protective gel to your gums or a rubber shield to protect the oral soft tissues. A bleaching agent is then applied to the teeth and a special light may be used to enhance the action of the agent.

We also have in-home whitening treatments, including teeth whitening trays, teeth-whitening strips, paint-on teeth whitening and whitening toothpaste. While all toothpastes help remove surface stain from your teeth through the action of mild abrasives. "Whitening" toothpastes in the ADA Seal of Acceptance program have special chemical or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Unlike bleaches, these ADA Accepted products do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.

Lastly, our friends at WebMD have written a helpful article on teeth whitening addiction, and we encourage you to give it a read if you suspect you may have a teeth whitening addiction.