Regain Your Dazzling Smile With Teeth Whitening!

Teeth-whitening is a procedure in the field of cosmetic dentistry that helps in getting rid of the yellowness or stains on the teeth. Our teeth generally tend to lose their brightness due to innumerable reasons like diet, age, medical conditions, etc. The outer covering of the teeth called enamel (the hardest substance in the body) is affected due to this. 

Teeth-whitening targets the enamel and whitens teeth externally. In simple words, it whitens the teeth and paves the way for a perfectly brilliant smile. 

However, there are various doubts that may sprout up in your mind when thinking about getting teeth whitening. Don’t worry, Dr. Harmanpreet Kaur of Dental Designer, (North Plainfield, New Jersey) has written this blog to explain the process and everything related to it. 

There are multiple reasons why your dentist may have recommended teeth whitening to you. In this section, we will breakdown the causes that lead to a loss of tooth enamel. This loss makes the teeth appear dull and yellow. In such scenarios teeth whitening is recommended. 

1. Diet

Our teeth go through a lot daily. They have to face tremendous amounts of changes in the intake of food ranging from sugary sweets to alcoholic beverages. Our diet is one of the major factors that affect the appearance of the teeth. Generally, foodstuffs containing caffeine like tea and coffee have an adverse effect upon the teeth thus staining them. 
 
2. Ageing  

Age is also a major factor that contributes towards the yellowing teeth. As a person ages, the layer of enamel upon the teeth slowly decreases and this affects the brightness of the teeth. Having other dental issues like cavities, plaque build-up, tartar accumulation, etc. which may come naturally with ageing also directly or indirectly affect how our teeth look. 

Any adult whose teeth show signs of dullness and yellowing can undergo the teeth whitening procedure in a good dentist’s clinic. 

However, it is often advisable for kids under the age of sixteen to avoid the process altogether as it might increase the amount of tooth sensitivity. 

Teeth whitening can be performed either at home or at the dentist’s clinic. There is a variety of teeth whitening strips, gels, OTC tubes of toothpaste available that are used for at-home teeth whitening. Your dentist may also prescribe a process that can be carried out in the comfort of your home. Teeth –whitening products often involve one of the following bleaches: hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These bleaches work on the outer enamel thus clearing it of any dullness or stains. 

Even though teeth whitening products are easily available in the market, they are not as effective as a teeth whitening session at your dentist’s clinic. Also, teeth-whitening can generally be performed by a dentist in a single session whereas at-home products need to be used daily or alternately as instructed on the packaging. The quantities of the bleaches vary from product to product thus changing the methods of application. 

In case you decide to opt for at-home whitening solutions, then please ensure that you double-check the ingredients, application and expiry date before using them.

After all, nobody would want to end up like Ross from F.R.I.E.N.D.S.! Or worst, in an emergency room. Hence, caution first. 

When a dentist performs teeth- whitening at the clinic the amount of bleach in the product is higher as compared to that of other products that need to be used more frequently. Teeth whitening procedure needs only one session at the clinic. A good dentist can assure absolute safety and proper care due to their expertise. This type of teeth-whitening lasts longer and appears more natural. It definitely gives you a brilliant smile!  

All medical procedures come with a certain degree of risk. But teeth whitening is one of the safest and most proven ways to regain your brilliant smile. The risks associated with this procedure are minimal and not severe. 

Teeth whitening commonly leads to –

1. Increase in tooth sensitivity (for a short period of time)
2. Mild gingival irritation (for a couple of days after the process)

In rare cases, it may cause – 
1. tooth erosion, 
2. tooth mineral degradation, 
3. increased susceptibility to demineralization, and 
4. pulpal damage

Teeth whitening has a direct impact on the patient’s oral health and hygiene. Hence, it is essential for a patient to consult a dentist before the teeth whitening process. 

Let us now assume that a patient has veneers, dental crowns, bridges or dental implants after undergoing through certain dental treatments. 

Would the whitening work here then? The answer would be no. Teeth-whitening is a process that can be carried only on natural teeth. Thus, people who already have undergone dental treatments like root canal cannot benefit from teeth-whitening for those artificial teeth.