What Is There to Know About Teeth Whitening?
Have you ever wanted to try teeth whitening? Are you feeling ashamed of your yellow teeth? The truth is that no matter how often and how long we brush our teeth, they are going to change their perfect white color and there is nothing that we can do about it, well, at least not until we discovered the teeth whitening process. In today’s article, we will answer all of your questions about teeth whitening and share useful information about this popular method that you can use to help you better prepare for your very first visit to a dentist for a teeth whitening procedure.
Why do teeth change color?
Our teeth are covered by an outer layer that is known as enamel. This layer provides protection for your teeth, but is also prone to becoming stained and presenting a yellowish color. Enamel contains small pores that are invisible to the naked eye. These pores can absorb a number of different chemicals and substances. Your daily routine, including what you eat and drink, can cause certain substances to be absorbed by the enamel. In turn, this leads to the nasty yellow stains that people often complain about.
There are quite a large variety of factors that can contribute to a change in teeth color. As mentioned previously, what you eat and drink has quite a significant role to play in the overall appearance of your teeth. Drinking a lot of red wine, tea, and coffee and cause you to experience a noticeable change in teeth color, causing your teeth to go from sparkling white to a dull and confidence-breaking yellow color. People who smoke cigarettes are also more prone to experiencing yellowing teeth due to the stains caused by the smoke.
In addition to teeth changing color due to smoking, food, and beverages, it is important for patients to note that there are certain types of medication that can also cause teeth to become stained and change its color from white to yellow. Some of the medications and pharmaceutical drugs that are currently known to contribute to teeth becoming yellow include:
- Antihistamines
- High blood pressure drugs
- Antipsychotics
What is teeth whitening?
Teeth whitening is a method that is being used to remove any stains and discoloration [i]of the teeth. The teeth whitening process gives back the shiny, white color to your teeth so that you can once again have a nice-looking, bright smile that you can be proud of. Teeth whitening can be performed at your dentist’s office or at home, using teeth whitening products that are nowadays found in any near market and drugstore. However, we kindly recommend you getting your teeth whitened at your dentist’s [ii]office so that this process can be done professionally. Most commonly, hydrogen peroxide[iii] is being used to achieve an effective teeth whitening. Teeth whitening only works on your real teeth, so do not expect any crowns, veneers, bridges, and fillings to change their color that has been originally made matching with one of your teeth. It usually takes around 30 to 90 minutes for one session of teeth whitening to be completed. In most cases, it can take anywhere from 1 to 3 sessions to achieve best results. Teeth whitening is not a one-time process, you will have to repeat this process from time to time to make sure that your teeth are not losing their white color once again.
Keeping your teeth white after the procedure
Once you have opted for a teeth whitening procedure, you obviously want to maintain your new sparkling white teeth. This is important as you spent a significant amount of money on the procedure and you do not want to wake up the next day, only to find that your teeth have been stained all over again.
The best way to ensure your teeth can stay white, shiny and sparkly after you undergo teeth whitening at a dentist is to take better care of your tooth, through the implementation of a proper daily oral routine. Brush your teeth regularly, floss, and use a high-quality mouthwash.
There are certain lifestyle factors that can be adjusted to also provide support for keeping your teeth white. In particular, if you smoke, then it might be a good idea to consider quitting smoking after your teeth whitening procedure. If you drink a lot of coffee, red wine and tea, then consider cutting back. Water is an excellent alternative and is also very healthy for you. There is no need to cut these things out of your life completely, but limiting your intake of them can be very helpful in maintaining your white teeth and preventing you from having to undergo such a procedure very often.
Is teeth whitening safe?
There are different types of teeth whitening procedures that can be utilized. Some of these procedures can be performed at home, while others need to be performed by a dentist in their office. Teeth whitening options provided by a professional dentist are usually more expensive than the kits that can be purchased to do this procedure at home, but usually tend to provide a safer method for getting stains removed from your teeth and improving the overall color of your teeth. At-home teeth whitening kits are also usually very safe, but it depends on the type of procedure and the specific products that are involved in the process.
It is generally recommended that people rather opt for the procedures that are offered by professional dentists instead of going out to buy a kit that allows them to do the procedure at home. Dentists are trained in executing the procedure in the safest and most effective way possible. This comes especially into play for people who have gums that are sensitive and perhaps even inflamed. These conditions can become much worse when invasive at-home procedures are performed by an inexperienced individual.
The teeth whitening packages offered by dentists also usually take advantage of more effective procedures and techniques than those that are offered by teeth whitening kits you can buy on Amazon or at another retailer. Additionally, it should also be noted that a dentist will be able to provide you with a thorough examination of your oral health and advise if teeth whitening is a safe option for you. Should problem exist, the dentist will be able to advise on particular treatments that should ideally be performed on your teeth before you opt for a teeth whitening procedure. This will further reduce your risks and enhance the overall benefits you can obtain from opting for such a procedure.
Conclusion
Teeth whitening is the perfect treatment that allows you to get rid of any present teeth discoloration and stains and get a bright and shining smile in return. This simple process that can be even performed at home is a safe, non-invasive procedure that everyone can get the benefit from. And it only takes around half an hour to finish it! Go ahead, schedule to get your teeth whiten and get ready to be amazed by the wonderful results in no time!
References
[i] Thosre D, Mulay S, (2009), Smile enhancement the conservative way: Tooth whitening procedures, Journal of Conservative Dentistry 12(4): 164–168
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2879730/
[ii] Sarret DC, (2002), Tooth whitening today, Journal of American Dental Association 133(11):1535-8; quiz 1541
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12462698
[iii] Heymann HO, (2005), Tooth whitening: facts and fallacies, British Dental Journal 198(8):514
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15849600