Tooth Whitening - The Facts

By Erin Song


What exactly is tooth whitening?

Tooth whitening is a process that "bleaches" the teeth, removing it of stains on the enamel and dentin to achieve a lightening of any discoloration present. In a common tooth whitening procedure, carbamide peroxide is used and it is poured over a custom mouth-guard worn over the teeth.

What Is Tooth Discoloration? When defining tooth discoloration, it is important to distinguish between external and internal stain and it also depends upon its many causes.

External stains consist of tobacco, tea, coffee and juices like grape and apple, and coffee.

For internal stains, there are excessive fluoride (during teeth formation), aging, trauma, nerve degeneration, tetracycline (while teeth are forming).

Only professional whitening procedures such as the custom tray bleaching can remove both internal and external stains. The only things toothpastes and other over-the-counter tooth whitening products can remove are external stains.

Why You Should Undergo Tooth Whitening

Anybody can benefit from a tooth whitening procedure. But for some people, a certain procedure may be less effective. Patients may experience difficulty in achieving the desired whiteness if their teeth are stained by tetracycline. People with veneers, crowns or fillings may also experience uneven whiteness because these dental fixtures do not whiten along with the rest of the teeth.

For a Pregnant or Nursing Woman, can They Bleach Their Teeth as Well?

A pregnant woman and nursing mother should avoid any teeth whitening procedure and dentists agree to this sort of recommendation. The reason for this is there's no clinical studies done yet to find out the effects of the bleaching agents to a woman's health if she's pregnant or nursing.

Reasons Why There are Teeth That Do Not Whiten Evenly With The Rest

The sides of your teeth and the biting edges whiten more quickly than the rest. This is so because of the thicker enamel in these areas. Responding faster to the bleaching agent are teeth with thicker enamel unlike those with thinner enamel. If you continue with your whitening procedure, then the whiteness will eventually even out.

Is Tooth Whitening Considered Safe?

The tooth whitening procedure that is most preferred would be the custom-fit tray bleaching that uses carbamide peroxide. This procedure, when done under the supervision of an oral healthcare professional or a dentist, is safe. The bleaching agent will therefore not harm your teeth or your gums. Also, it does not damage the enamel nor does it cause any tooth weakening. Tooth sensitivity is the only short term side-effect and it will quickly go away when the process is stopped.

If your have any more questions that concern you but are not discussed in this article, consult your dentist. If you know more about tooth whitening, then chances are you will be more confident of any procedure you will choose.




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