Teeth Whitening Methods

Tooth whitening (or dental bleaching) is a popular cosmetic dental procedure. It is used to restore the natural color of discolored teeth to improve the smile and overall appearance of the face.

In humans, milk teeth are whiter that permanent teeth. With age, teeth become discolored and the enamel also becomes less porous. Bacterial infections, certain foods like tea, coffee and wine and smoking can also cause teeth discoloration. Certain medicines are also known to cause teeth to lose their luster and become darker in color.

Overall, teeth discoloration is a very common problem that affects the majority of people. However, modern dentistry has made available many options to restore the normal color and bring back the impressive smile.

There are several dental bleaching techniques available today. The popular methods include bleaching strips, bleaching pens, gels and laser bleaching.

Teeth whitening can also be done without the help of a dentist. Several at-home whitening products are available in the market these days. These commonly contain bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide which oxidize pigments and make the teeth whiter. Stains are trapped in the pores of the enamel. These oxidizing agents penetrate the pores and oxidize the trapped stains.

At-home whitening products contain lower concentrations of oxidizing agents. For this reason, they do not have immediate results. Better results can be achieved by undergoing the procedure at a dental clinic.

Dentists use high-concentrations of oxidizers to whiten the teeth. High concentration whitening has more noticeable results. The oxidizer is applied to the teeth by using trays which are placed in the mouth for 15 to 20 minutes. Bleaching gels used by dentists usually contain 10% to 44% carbamide peroxide.

Laser bleaching is a relatively new technique that is becoming quite popular. Laser teeth whitening is also known as “Power bleaching” because it is much more efficient when compared to conventional techniques. It makes use of Lasers to make the bleaching process faster.

Teeth whitening has visible results which last for a few months. How long the results will last will depend on the patient’s lifestyle and food habits. Smoking and consuming foods such as tea or coffee can make the teeth dull and lusterless very soon.