Whiter teeth can help boost confidence and enhance your smile’s appearance. However, it’s important to follow good oral hygiene practices to maintain your results. In-office teeth whitening typically uses relatively high concentrations of peroxide to significantly lighten tooth color in a short period of time. Your dentist will isolate your gums and cheeks using a rubber dam to protect your oral tissues from the bleaching agent, which is applied to your teeth. Then, the dentist may use a curing light to accelerate the disintegration of the hydrogen peroxide and/or carbamide peroxide on the surface of your teeth.
Many dental offices use whitening products that contain hydrogen peroxide, which penetrates the teeth to change their color from beneath the surface. They also use a curing light to speed up the bleaching process and enhance results.
Tooth Stains
Depending on the type of tooth discoloration you have, your dentist may recommend a variety of treatments for brighter and whiter teeth. For example, he or she may advise you to try brushing your teeth more frequently, visit the dental office for professional tooth cleanings or to consider using at-home whitening products.
Extrinsic staining discolors the outer layers of your teeth (enamel), usually caused by consuming dark foods and drinks like coffee, tea, red wine, berries or smoking. These stains are typically easy to eliminate through regular brushing and professional tooth cleanings.
Intrinsic stains, on the other hand, are more ingrained and often appear as you age. They occur when your enamel thins and reveals the yellowish dentin underneath. These stains can also result from medication like tetracycline or dental trauma. Fortunately, your dentist can help you address these types of discoloration with cosmetic dentistry procedures like microabrasion, bonding, veneers and internal whitening. Often, these treatments can be combined with preventative oral hygiene practices to safeguard your smile for years to come.
Tooth Bleaching
Many bleaching products are available to the public, but the ADA warns that these may damage tooth enamel with excessive use. These over-the-counter bleaching products can contain abrasives and/or whitening chemicals that are too strong and can cause tooth surface roughening, tooth and gum sensitivity and unacceptable discoloration of dental restorations.
Most people start with bright white teeth, but over time, they become yellow or gray as a result of stains and tooth wear. Bleaching can help restore the original appearance of the teeth.
The bleach of choice for in-office whitening is slow-acting carbamide peroxide that breaks down into hydrogen peroxide. A specialized curing light is used to activate the whitening chemical. A halogen curing lamp, Plasma arc lamp or Diode laser can be used to achieve the best results. It is important to have soft tissue isolated with a resin-based, light-curing barrier and an adequate seal of the restoration before bleaching. Otherwise, irritation can occur.
Tooth Whitening Products
Some whitening products, particularly those containing high concentrations of hydrogen peroxide, may damage enamel and cause tooth sensitivity. Using a whitening product under professional supervision or following manufacturer’s instructions helps minimize this risk and maintain the integrity of teeth.
Whitening toothpastes work by using mild abrasives like hydrated silica to mechanically polish and remove extrinsic stains from the surface of teeth, resulting in whiter, brighter teeth. In addition, they typically contain low levels of whitening bleaching ingredients such as hydroxide and carbamide peroxide to lighten intrinsic stains.
Regardless of which whitening product is used, it’s important to remember that a healthy oral care routine, including daily brushing with fluoride toothpaste and flossing, can help support the whitening process and protect against permanent enamel damage. Visiting a dentist regularly for professional cleanings also helps maintain the health of your teeth and gums. This is especially important when undergoing any type of whitening treatment.
Tooth Whitening Procedures
After a bleaching treatment, your teeth will be lighter than they were before — up to three shades lighter in some cases. The difference will be most pronounced with extrinsic staining (cigarette, coffee, wine, food) but even mild intrinsic staining can be dramatically improved with professional treatments.
Staining and discoloration are complex issues, and maintaining a bright smile is not always an easy task. There are many factors that can influence the outcome of a tooth-whitening procedure, and it is important to discuss your goals and expectations with your dentist.