Teeth Whitening
Dental
bleaching is commonly known as teeth whitening. This procedure is very
common in cosmetic dentistry where the appearance of the teeth is most
important. The teeth of a child is whiter compared to the teeth of an
adult. As we age, the adult teeth change its color from a whiter shade
to a darker shade. The change in color is due to the changes in the
chemical composition of the teeth. Our teeth can be stained by the
pigments coming from bacteria, foods, beverages and tobacco. Prolonged
use of antibiotics is another cause of tooth staining. Tetracycline is
an example of an antibiotic that could stain the teeth. There are
numerous ways and materials to whiten the teeth, you can use bleaching
strips, teeth whitening gel, laser teeth whitening and there are also
natural ways to whiten the teeth. At-home teeth whitening kits is done
by putting a small amount of whitening gel on trays that resemble a
mouth guard. Chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide
peroxide are usually used to lighten the color of the tooth. These
oxidizing agents penetrate the minute holes in the crystal structure of
the enamel. The stains that reside on the enamel are the chemical
oxidized or bleached in the process. The use of oxidizer on the teeth
over a period of time also oxidizes the dentin layer of the teeth which
is just under the enamel. Laser teeth whitening uses the energy of
light to catalyze or accelerate the process of teeth whitening. The
effects of teeth whitening or teeth bleaching can last of to several months;
it all depends on the lifestyle of the patient. Smoking will severely
decrease the whiteness of the teeth. Ingestion of dark liquids with
natural dyes or food color will also discolor the teeth. Some examples
of beverages to avoid are coffee, tea and soda.
Internal
staining or staining on the dentine causes the teeth to discolor from
the inside out. Bleaching or the use of peroxides can remedy this but
if it fails to whiten the teeth, Bonding is usually used. Bonding is a
method where a thin coating of a composite material is pasted on the
front of the teeth. The composite material has a lighter shade and will
mask the discolored tooth. Veneers can also mask tooth discoloration
Teeth Whiteners and teeth whitening products
Various
chemical compounds and physical agents are used to whiten the teeth. The
common toothpaste contains small amounts of silica, calcium carbonate,
aluminum oxide, and calcium phosphate that can grind the stains
adsorbing on the teeth. Toothpaste that are
classified as whitening toothpaste does not alter the intrinsic or
natural color of the teeth. Bleaching solutions are made up of
peroxides. Peroxides bleaches the tooth enamel
which changes its color.
Home teeth whitening
Over
the counter teeth whitening products contain 10% to 35% carbamide peroxide in liquid or gel form. These
bleaching solutions are safely applied on the teeth surface by the use
of a plastic strip that holds the peroxide. Mouthguards
with bleaching gel on the insides are also used in some products. The
low peroxide concentration on over the counter teeth whiteners makes it
only effective after several weeks of use.
home teeth whitening is a very popular
method of whitening the teeth. The dentist makes an impression of the
teeth and he makes a tray which fits perfectly on your teeth. This tray
is then filled with teeth whitening gel, you
then wear the tray for up to two hours per day for a period of 5 to 14
days. Most whitening kits given by dentists contain at least 10-15% carbamide peroxide solution. At home teeth whitening is very effective if it is properly
supervised by your dentist.
Teeth
whitening strips are less effective because these strips doe not
perfectly fit your teeth. Most of the time, the area near the gum line
does not get bleached.
In-office whitening
This
procedure is less used and more expensive. In office teeth whitening
takes 30 minutes to one hour for every visit. It also takes several
visits to achieve the desired whiteness of the teeth. This procedure is
more effective compared to at-home teeth whitening because it uses high
concentrations of peroxide. The teeth whitening gel typically use
between 10-30% carbamide peroxide (15% is
recommended) this is roughly equivalent to a 3-10% hydrogen peroxide solution.
A protective gel is also applied on the gums to protect them from
irritation due to the high concentration of peroxides used in this
procedure. Sometimes, light us
used for every 5 minutes to activate the whitening agent.
Teeth Whitening Risks
Teeth whitening is considered to be safe when proper
procedures are followed. There are certain amounts of risk during any
teeth whitening procedure. Teeth sensitivity is a very common side
effect during teeth bleaching or teeth whitening. The higher the
concentration of the teeth whitening agent used, the higher is the risk
of tooth sensitivity. People with gum recession and cracks in their
teeth have higher risk of teeth sensitivity.
Gum
irritation is usually associated with teeth whitening, more than half
of the patients who use peroxide whiteners experience some gum
irritation. Gum irritation may persist up to several days; it
dissipates after you stop bleaching or if you lower the peroxide
concentration.
Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth whitening vs. Carbamide Peroxide Teeth whitening
The
bleaching agent that is preferred for in-office whitening is the powerful
and fast acting hydrogen peroxide. Hydrogen peroxide is preferred because
in-office whitening is time limited. The typical concentration of
hydrogen peroxide used during in-office treatment is from 9 to 40 %.
For
at home teeth whitening, Carbamide Peroxide
is preferred. Carbamide peroxide is slow
acting and has about 1/3 the strength of hydrogen peroxide. This is
slower acting and less powerful compared to hydrogen peroxide but is
considered safer for home use.
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