Answer: Whitening is gentle and safe when supervised by your dentist. In fact, dentist-supervised whitening has been done for nearly a century, but has increased in popularity in recent years as yellowed teeth are becoming less and less acceptable, both socially and professionally.
Question: Who can use tooth whitening?
Answer: Nearly anyone, from the time permanent teeth come in, can be a candidate for tooth bleaching. If you want to obtain a more confident smile by improving the whiteness of your teeth, consult your dentist for guidance.
Question: How does whitening work?
Answer: Hydrogen Peroxide (H202) is a gentle, oxygenating agent that penetrates the enamel and dentin, breaks up deposits lodged in your tooth structure and then carries away the debris.
Question: Is there any discomfort?
Answer: There is little, if any. Less than 10% of patients might feel an increased sensitivity to cold, heat or pressure during the whitening process. Sensitivity ends a day or two after the treatment is completed. Any note of persistent discomfort should be reported to your dentist.
Question: Will whitening damage my teeth?
Answer: Not at all. The whitening process will not effect your enamel, tooth structure, bonding or restorations. Whitening acts only on the molecules that carry the discoloration.
Question: How long will it last?
Answer: Your own long-term results will depend on your habits. This primarily includes foods that you eat, coffee, tea, red wine and whether or not you are a smoker. Based on these variables, some patients may need to do their "touch-ups" at more frequent intervals.
Question: What’s the difference between dentist-supervised and over-the-counter treatments?
Answer: Professional whitening, has critically key advantages starting with speed, safety, and effectiveness. Over-the-counter products work for some people, but it's a matter of cost, time, supervision and compliance.
- Whitening Strips provide limited results and can be cumbersome to handle. If you have crowns or veneers, the strips may create a mismatch of shades. Patients using one-size-fits-all or boil-and-bite trays have a greater chance of swallowing bleaching gel and can have increased sensitivity due to excess material leaving the trays. Trays that hold the material need to be customized by a dentist to accurately fit an individual's mouth.
- Whitening Toothpaste has an active whitening ingredient that can only remove extrinsic stains. It can't be depended upon to make progress on teeth that are already discolored.
Question: How can I get more bleach for my trays when I run out?
Answer: You will need to contact your dental office in order to purchase additional tubes of bleach. It is also encouraged to get your dental cleanings done regularly to stay in control of tartar build-up. This also allows close monitoring of your progress and assurance of your safety.
