Everything you Need to Know About Teeth Whitening

teeth whitening

Is Teeth Whitening Good for my Smile?

If you hate looking in the mirror and seeing coffee, tea, or tobacco stains affecting your smile, professional teeth whitening is an excellent option to regain your self-confidence. It’s a safe and effective cosmetic procedure performed by dentists worldwide.

So read on, because today I’ll tell you everything you need to know about teeth whitening.

Picture of Dr. Debbie Luis

Dr. Debbie Luis

Mother - General Dentist - Blogger

What is Teeth Whitening?

In simple words, it’s a procedure that lightens the teeth and helps remove surface stains. Making your smile and face shine again! In professional teeth whitening, they use a potent yet safe bleaching agent to remove stains from your teeth and improve your overall facial aesthetics.

Why Do Teeth Become Stained?

Our teeth can get stained due to various reasons:

  • Age-related Dental Changes: You may think teeth whitening is a magic solution to make your mouth shine, but remember color is created by the reflection of the light that hits the outer surface of the teeth, which is the protective outer layer of our teeth, commonly known as the dental enamel. (fun fact: The enamel is the hardest substance in the human body). 
 

The color of our teeth is also affected by the underlying dentine, but to a lesser extent. With age, the enamel becomes thin, and the color of the dentine (which is darker) shows through, making our teeth appear dull or brownish.

  • Food Stains: Drinking too much tea, coffee, and or using tobacco products are common causes of tooth staining. Also, strong-colored foods and drinks like curries and red wine can also stain the teeth. In this specific case, teeth whitening is a great option.
 
  • Poor Oral Hygiene: Properly brushing and flossing is vital to oral health. Skipping these means that food particles remain adhering to the tooth and over time, this layer of food debris called the dental plaque, hardens and becomes calculus.
 

Plaque and calculus on the teeth can also result in tooth staining as well as swollen gums and tooth loss. Teeth whitening only works when you keep a good oral hygiene.

  • Genetics: Sometimes is just the way you were made, In some people, the enamel is genetically weak so it wears off pretty easily and exposes the underlying dentine causing those awful stains.
 
There are many factors that lead to teeth staining, sometimes is a combination of two or more things, but one thing is for sure, whitening your teeth might be costly, so the best way to save money is by keeping a healthy mouth.
 

to keep a healthy mouth you need a good dental plan. SHD Insurance offers great options for individualsfamilies and seniors. Call us now at (866) 664-0276 to get a free Quote!

Who Can Benefit from Teeth Whitening?

Professional teeth whitening is effective in removing virtually all types of teeth stains, and I recommend it to my patients if they have any of the following problems:

  • Darkening of the teeth with age
  • Coffee or tea stains
  • Tobacco stains
  • Teeth stains caused by the intake of fizzy drinks or red wine
  • Teeth stains caused by strong-colored foods.

Is Professional Teeth Whitening Effective for All Kinds of Teeth Stains?

There are certain cases where teeth whitening may not prove very effective. For example, if someone has teeth stains caused by tetracycline use during childhood, the stains are permanent.

For this type of teeth stains it is managed cosmetically by placing porcelain veneers over the teeth.

Furthermore, tooth stains caused by internal bleeding within the tooth due to an injury cannot be removed through a conventional whitening procedure. Instead, your dentist may opt by performing internal teeth whitening. 

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How Is Teeth Whitening Performed?

  • It’s really a simple procedure, routine for most dentists, and each sitting can be completed in under an hour. Here are the steps involved in the whitening process:
  • Fabricating the Custom Whitening Trays: During the first appointment, your dentist will make impressions of your teeth. This is necessary to prepare custom-made trays that will contain the bleaching agent for whitening your teeth.
 
  • Removing Old Restorations: Bleaching agents cannot remove stains from tooth-colored fillings or restorations, Therefore, before performing teeth whitening, your dentist will remove old composite fillings, veneers, or crowns.
 

After whitening your natural teeth, they will replace these fillings and restorations and match their shade with the new color of your natural teeth.

  • Soft-tissue Protection: On the day of your appointment, your dentist will first apply a protective agent, usually cacao butter or vaseline, over your gums, cheeks, and lips to prevent accidental bleaching and discomfort. 
 
  • The Bleaching Procedure: Your dentist will fill your custom-made whitening trays with the bleaching agent and ask you to wear them over your teeth. Afterward, they will use a special light to activate the effect and initiate the teeth whitening process.
 

This agent quickly breaks down into hydrogen peroxide when exposed to light. This is an excellent bleaching agent which penetrates beneath the enamel and dissolves the teeth stains.

The agents used by dental professionals are much more potent (yet still safer) than those used in commercial teeth whitening formulas. That is why you will experience a considerable lightening of your teeth shade in just one sitting.

A single appointment is sufficient for removing mild to moderate teeth stains. However, for severe tooth staining, multiple whitening sittings may be required.

Will Teeth Whitening Make My Teeth Sensitive?

Teeth whitening performed by an experienced and qualified dental professional does not make the teeth permanently sensitive. However, it is not uncommon to have slight tooth sensitivity or discomfort immediately after the whitening procedure. 

This is because the bleaching agent removes the teeth stains and exposes a fresh enamel surface. However, there is no need to worry as this sensitivity is only transient and should go away within a week.

Do The Effects of Teeth Whitening Last Permanently?

The effects of teeth whitening aren’t permanent and be sure the stains will come back, especially if you don’t keep good oral hygiene through brushing or flossing. 

However, you can extend the results by cutting down your coffee, tea, or tobacco intake and once again, (I know, I know, I already sound like a broken record) keeping good oral hygiene.

Conclusion

Teeth whitening is an excellent procedure to get rid of unaesthetic stains. However, it’s not meant to replace regular oral care. In fact, if you maintain optimal oral hygiene, you won’t have to worry about teeth stains in the first place!

I always recommend my patients to get a dental plan that helps you cover the cost of maintaining a healthy smile.

If you are struggling to find a good dental plan that you can rely on when needed; SHD offers great options for individualsfamilies and seniors. Call us now at (866) 664-0276 to get a free Quote!

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