What is Teeth Whitening?
Bleaching of teeth to lighten their colour is called teeth whitening. Teeth didn’t look bright white but looked a few shades brighter after treatment. This procedure is not necessary. It is rarely done as teeth whitening is an optional method.
Chemicals used in teeth whitening products include carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. It is legally allowed to only registered dental practitioners to prepare concentrated solutions for teeth whitening.
History of Teeth Whitening
The tradition of teeth-whitening began with the ancient Egyptians about 4,000 years ago, who made a whitening paste using ground pumice stone blended with wine vinegar. White teeth are a beauty symbol, and a token of prosperity.
Officially, common bleaching methods — think peroxide trays — began sometime in the late 1980s. According to Jean Arthur, a restorative and cosmetic dentist in Providence, R.I., dentists came across the procedure somewhat by mistake a couple of decades ago. For years, peroxide has been used as an oral antiseptic gel to cure the gums; dentists found numerous methods to hold the gel on the gums longer. It quickly became apparent that a side effect of that treatment was that the teeth were whitened.
Results from these procedures are perfect for our “instant gratification” culture, with many methods bringing about a difference in two weeks. Discoloration of the tooth-enamel is caused by a range of things. They include aging, superficial stains from coffee, cola and wine drinking, smoking, or taking medicines like tetracycline, diseases, and even genetics.
Four Levels of Teeth Whitening
Stain Removal Toothpastes
Teeth scrubbing due to mild abrasive action of all toothpastes as they help to remove stains of the surface.
Over-the-Counter Bleaching Products
Teeth whitening and bleaching products are available in your local grocery stores as well as on online stores. Such products have less concentration of bleaching agents as used by dentists in the office.
In-Office Bleaching
For in-office bleaching, only one office visit is required that’s why it is called chairside bleaching. To protect your gums, dentists can apply a rubber shield or protective gel to your gums. Then bleach is applied to your teeth.
At-Home Bleaching from Your Dentist
Dentists can prepare a custom-made tray for and provide you for home whitening. Then your dentist will guide you about the bleaching solution and its use.
Benefits of Teeth Whitening
Easiest Anti-Aging Procedure
A study published by an author Manuel C.Voelkle in Psychology and aging that people tend to guess the age of happy persons with that of angry facial expressions. This research found that facial expression plays an enormous role in assessing the accuracy and age-bias.
Confers Confidence and Self-Esteem
A smile is one of the first tools people use to appraise you and your attitude. Professional teeth whitening brightens your smile and helps to remove persistent stains. They save you from embarrassment and boost your confidence with an attractive smile.
You will not feel the need to smile with a closed mouth after whitening, or to hide your teeth behind your hand when you laugh or talk. You can show your smile with confidence. When a professional performs teeth whitening procedure it is safer than any over-the-counter teeth whitening product.
Most Conservative Way
Unlike dental treatments such as crowns or veneer, no tooth preparation is needed for teeth whitening. In preparing the tooth for these treatments, you may lose some tooth structure through the etching process. It must be ensured that the crown or veneer sticks firmly with the tooth. This is the conventional method to get white teeth.
Easy to Maintain
You can also ask to bring maintenance kits for whitening to your home. You can freshen up your white teeth with the custom-made trays and whitening gel when it suits you. In just 30-minute time, your teeth will retain their colour.
If you want best results, then you should avoid staining drinks and foods for the first 24 hours. Acquired pellicle is a protective layer that everyone has. During whitening procedure, surface stains have been removed from this layer. 24 hours are required to this barrier to develop again. You have to avoid certain foods and drinks during this time period including, dark sauces, red wine, soda drinks, tea, coffee, to minimize re-staining.
Anything that a white t-shirt stains will also stain your teeth. Also stop utilizing tobacco products while teeth whitening.
Oral Health Care Is Improved
We can say anecdotally that patients who have whitened their teeth tend to show an improvement in their routine for oral health care. Experiencing the benefits of whiter teeth also causes one to be very vigilant when washing, flossing and having our skilled cleaning dentist.
Since good oral hygiene is known to boost your general health and avoid several diseases, whitening might be the strongest reason you may need to bleach your teeth.
Why Choose Our Practice
Care and Commitment
Our work consists of practitioners from the front desk to the consultation area, who treat the oral health very seriously. We are able to offer top-notch care using state-of-the-art equipment designed with a view to safety and efficiency. As you step into our building, you’ll find everything is tidy, cozy, and sterilized to the complete. Your comfort and safety are our focus.
Comfort
We respect and understand that there’s dental anxiety in many patients. We do everything we can at our office to ensure your experience is as satisfying as possible. We are also able to relieve the dental anxiety by specifically expressing what you should anticipate during your care. We encourage you to bring headphones and music during your treatment, and ask us about options for dental sedation.
Personalized Service
You are not just a patient at our practice. We take care of your oral health requirements. During your tour we hope you can consider a friend as your dental specialist!
Frequently Asked Questions
How Long Do the Teeth Whitening Effects Last?
Teeth whitening is temporary, in a very short time, people who expose their teeth to certain foods and drinks feel that the whiteness of their teeth starts to fade. People who avoid beverages and food that cause stains can wait one year or more for touch-up or whitening treatment.
Do Teeth Whiteners Damage Tooth Enamel?
10% carbamide peroxide is used in teeth whitening products that have no effect on the mineral content and hardness of a tooth enamel surface.
Do Teeth Whiteners Damage A Tooth's Nerve?
Teeth whitening has no effect on the health of a tooth nerve as no such cases have been reported. One research indicated that no adult who undergoes a teeth whitening procedure will require a root canal operation on some whitened teeth at both a 4.5- and 7-year follow-up.
Who Should Use Teeth Whitening?
The skilled teeth whitening program will usually help those with good gums and teeth seeking to brighten up their face. The removal of stains from teeth, including nicotine, coffee, tea, tetracycline, and many other tooth stains, has been shown to be highly efficient. A professional teeth whitening system will have no impact on existing dental work.
How Many Shades Whiter Can I Expect My Teeth to Get?
The whitening tone varies from client to client and no one guarantees or predicts. There are 6 to 12 shades of white colour. You can expect the result from the whitening shades of teeth. It is easy to whiten uniformly darken teeth, surface stains and brown teeth. If you need certain shades or your teeth are heavily stained, then you may need additional whitening.
Does Tooth Whitening Cause Permanent Tooth Sensitivity?
Sensitivity from tooth whitening is temporary. After treatment of teeth whitening sensitivity goes away within one to two days.
What If I Have Restorations In My Teeth, Will These Change Colour?
Whitening will not affect or change original shade, it only removes existing stains during restorations.
How Long Should I Refrain From Coffee and Red Wine After Bleaching?
Your dentist will guide you about eating and drinking before the procedure. In most cases it is recommended not to eat anything before six years. You should drink lots of water after the procedure. You can ask your dentist about the type of food you can consume after the procedure and it depends on procedure and sedation.
Can My Dental Anxiety Be Cured With Sedation Dentistry?
It is advised that this be stopped during whitening and after teeth bleaching for 1 week. However, dentists advise that you should not alter your lifestyle. If you find your teeth have yellowed over time, there is no issue in doing 1-2 bleaching touch-up treatments every 4-6 months as required.
Can I Have My Teeth Whitened Without Ending up With One of Those Fake Hollywood Smiles?
Definitely! Your dentist will discuss all the options that are available to you and assess the level of whitening that is necessary to greatly enhance your smile while still looking natural. When it comes to tooth whitening, you’ll be surprised at how many shades there are available. And whether your teeth move up 3 shades or 12, you’ll be left with a lovely smile that doesn’t have people reaching for their sunglasses.