True Risks With Teeth Whitening
The internal parts of teeth darken over time. The surface of teeth can also darken due to drinking wine, coffee, and tea. Use of tobacco can stain teeth. Whitening methods exist which can improve the appearance of stained teeth.
Differences Between Teeth Whitening and Bleaching
Whitening or bleaching of teeth is now widely practiced, and there are a number of Seattle teeth whitening products and procedures available. Tooth whitening is successful in about 90 percent of patients. Bleaching refers to whitening teeth to lighter than their natural color, using some bleaching agent such as hydrogen peroxide. Whitening refers to restoring a tooth's natural color by removing debris and dirt. There are millions of microscopic cracks in tooth enamel where the debris accumulates. Whitening is accomplished with special toothpastes. In practice, "whitening" is used to refer to either bleaching or whitening. Generally speaking, whitening procedures work well for yellowish teeth, but not brown-colored teeth. Gray-stained teeth usually are not improved very much.
Whitening Procedures in Dental Offices
Whitening procedures (bleaching) may be performed by dentists in the dental office. The bleach used by the dentist typically contains 25% to 40% hydrogen peroxide, and may be used with a laser, which is supposed to accelerate the bleaching process. The dentist will try to protect the gums during the bleaching process with a rubber dam or a gel.
At-Home Whitening Kits
Alternatively to procedures in dental offices, dentists may give patients whitening kits for home use, or patients may purchase them over-the-counter. The American Dental Association has given the ADA Seal of Acceptance to those kits which contain 10 percent carbamide peroxide. The ADA recommends that you should only use a home bleaching product in consultation with a dentist.
Bleaching Risks
While teeth whitening can improve a person's appearance, there are some risks in bleaching procedures.
* Gum Irritation
More than 50% of persons who use peroxide whiteners get irritated gums, either from the chemical or from the trays used to apply the whitener to their teeth. The irritation can last several days after bleaching has ended. Irreversible tooth damage has occurred in rare instances. It is possible for whiteners to damage the roots of teeth. Patients should be aware that unsupervised long-term and/or repeated use of bleaching products is not recommended.
* Multiple-Colored Teeth
Besides natural teeth, most people have restored teeth with dental crowns, bonding, and porcelain veneers in their mouth. These will have been matched to the color of the surrounding teeth when the restoration took place. The restoration surfaces are not affected by the peroxide and remain the same color after the whitening procedure, whereas adjacent natural teeth will be whitened. The result, multiple tooth shades, has been called "technicolor teeth."
* Sensitivity
People who have gum recession, cracks in their teeth, or leakage into their teeth due to improper tooth restorations can experience sensitivity to whitening procedures, especially those done in a dentist's office, where higher concentrations of bleach are used. In the worse cases, this may result in sudden shooting pains in the middle of the patient's front teeth. Sensitivity from whitening procedures may last anywhere from a few days to a month. Incidentally, it has been observed that redheaded people seem to be at higher risk for sensitivity.
Differences Between Teeth Whitening and Bleaching
Whitening or bleaching of teeth is now widely practiced, and there are a number of Seattle teeth whitening products and procedures available. Tooth whitening is successful in about 90 percent of patients. Bleaching refers to whitening teeth to lighter than their natural color, using some bleaching agent such as hydrogen peroxide. Whitening refers to restoring a tooth's natural color by removing debris and dirt. There are millions of microscopic cracks in tooth enamel where the debris accumulates. Whitening is accomplished with special toothpastes. In practice, "whitening" is used to refer to either bleaching or whitening. Generally speaking, whitening procedures work well for yellowish teeth, but not brown-colored teeth. Gray-stained teeth usually are not improved very much.
Whitening Procedures in Dental Offices
Whitening procedures (bleaching) may be performed by dentists in the dental office. The bleach used by the dentist typically contains 25% to 40% hydrogen peroxide, and may be used with a laser, which is supposed to accelerate the bleaching process. The dentist will try to protect the gums during the bleaching process with a rubber dam or a gel.
At-Home Whitening Kits
Alternatively to procedures in dental offices, dentists may give patients whitening kits for home use, or patients may purchase them over-the-counter. The American Dental Association has given the ADA Seal of Acceptance to those kits which contain 10 percent carbamide peroxide. The ADA recommends that you should only use a home bleaching product in consultation with a dentist.
Bleaching Risks
While teeth whitening can improve a person's appearance, there are some risks in bleaching procedures.
* Gum Irritation
More than 50% of persons who use peroxide whiteners get irritated gums, either from the chemical or from the trays used to apply the whitener to their teeth. The irritation can last several days after bleaching has ended. Irreversible tooth damage has occurred in rare instances. It is possible for whiteners to damage the roots of teeth. Patients should be aware that unsupervised long-term and/or repeated use of bleaching products is not recommended.
* Multiple-Colored Teeth
Besides natural teeth, most people have restored teeth with dental crowns, bonding, and porcelain veneers in their mouth. These will have been matched to the color of the surrounding teeth when the restoration took place. The restoration surfaces are not affected by the peroxide and remain the same color after the whitening procedure, whereas adjacent natural teeth will be whitened. The result, multiple tooth shades, has been called "technicolor teeth."
* Sensitivity
People who have gum recession, cracks in their teeth, or leakage into their teeth due to improper tooth restorations can experience sensitivity to whitening procedures, especially those done in a dentist's office, where higher concentrations of bleach are used. In the worse cases, this may result in sudden shooting pains in the middle of the patient's front teeth. Sensitivity from whitening procedures may last anywhere from a few days to a month. Incidentally, it has been observed that redheaded people seem to be at higher risk for sensitivity.
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