Whitening

Should I have my teeth whitened?

•  Many people believe that teeth whitening can make them look younger and more attractive. It is for you to decide if you wish to have whiter teeth.
• Unattractive stains on teeth can be removed by whitening.

What are the available methods for tooth whitening?

•  Professional whitening
 : Peroxide is the whitening agent that the dentist will use. A “curing light” is sometimes used with the peroxide to accelerate the bleaching process. Most bleaching techniques include the use of mouth trays. These fit firmly over the teeth, but do not reach the gums
• The trays are filled with a paste or gel containing bleach.
• The dentist will provide these trays for use in the surgery and for you to take home.
• The dentist will tell you how to use the trays at home, how often to use them, and for how long to keep them in the mouth.
• You will stop repeating the treatment when you are satisfied with the colour of your teeth Additional treatments may be needed to maintain the lighter colour.

Teeth Whitening

Tooth Whitening Trays:

These come as the one-size-fits all whitening trays or custom fitted trays for the patient. The custom fitted trays are preferable since they tend to be more effective and easier to work with. This method requires wearing of the trays with whitening gel in the mouth for a fixed period and number of times each day. They have been shown to be reasonably effective in many cases although the one-size-fits-all has been often shown to be ineffective due to the improper contact of whitening gel and teeth.

In-Office Tooth Whitening:

This is the most sought after cosmetic treatment for whitening teeth and also the most effective. In-office tooth whitening is carried out by professional dentists and includes popular procedures such as Zoom Whitening System and Britesmile. The dentist cleans the mouth and applies a protective gel around your mouth. A special gel containing peroxide is then applied on your teeth. A special light is used to activate this gel and it penetrates enamel and bleaches it turning your teeth white and hence this is also known as laser teeth whitening. There might be initial side effects which subside in a few days.

10 Random Facts about Tooth Whitening

• Tooth Whitening only affects your natural teeth by bleaching them white. It does not work for any artificial supports or enhancements like crowns, veneers, implants etc.
• The best results are seen for yellow teeth, medium results for brownish discoloration and least affective against gray teeth.
• Pregnant and lactating mothers should not undergo teeth whitening.
• People with gum diseases, untreated cavities should not undergo Tooth bleaching.
• Excessive and repeated tooth whitening by powerful bleaching products produces irreparable damage to your teeth.
• There can be extreme Teeth sensitivity, irritation and pain to people who are sensitive to tooth whitening.
• Home teeth whitening remedies such as lemons, ash or baking for whitening teeth damages the teeth in the long run.
• Tooth Whitening toothpastes are just as effective as normal tooth pastes.
• Brushing using desensitizing toothpaste just before you go for the procedure reduces the sensitivity to pain.

Newly bleached teeth get colored by food easily for few weeks.