Teeth Whitening
What is Teeth Whitening?
The natural colour of teeth generally falls somewhere between light grey and yellow shades. Over time, teeth naturally darken. This process can be sped up by consuming food and drink with deep pigmentation (coffee, curry, red wine) or using tobacco products. Generally speaking, if a substance can stain a white shirt, it can likely stain your teeth too.
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic treatment designed to brighten the colour of teeth. Changing the colour of teeth is often done using two methods:
- Surface whiteners use abrasives to scrub away surface stains. These are generally toothpastes or chewing gum products.
- Beaches alter the tooth's colour, using a peroxide-based formula to lighten the shades of the teeth.
Types of Tooth Stains
Two types of stains impact teeth. Due to the nature of these types of stains, extrinsic stains respond to teeth whitening, whereas intrinsic stains do not.
Extrinsic Stains
Extrinsic stains occur on the outside of your tooth. These stains happen due to external factors like drinking coffee or wine or smoking. These stains affect the enamel layer of your teeth, making them easier to treat.
Intrinsic Stains
Intrinsic stains occur inside your tooth enamel. These stains may even occur before your teeth erupt from your gums when you are a child. The causes of these stains are antibiotic use, high fluoride exposure, genetics, thinning tooth enamel, and more.
As teeth whitening only targets the exterior surface of teeth, those with intrinsic stains need another type of treatment to change the appearance of their teeth, such as veneers.
Benefits of Teeth Whitening Treatment
Though a teeth whitening front the dentist does not impact the health of your teeth, it does have other advantages, including:
- Increased confidence
- Visible results in a short period
- Safe and professional whitening products
- Improved perception about you from others
- Affordable cosmetic treatment with potentially life-changing benefits
Whiten Your Teeth from the Comfort of Your Home
Choosing a dentist to assist you with teeth whitening is the best way to do it safely. Teeth whitening gels should only be applied to healthy teeth and gums, which we check before proceeding with teeth whitening treatment at our practice.
Currently, The Bay Dental offers at-home teeth whitening kits with trays made specifically for you.
We use our intraoral scanner to make an impression of your teeth. The dental laboratory technicians use this digital rendering of your teeth to create whitening trays purpose-built for you. Once your trays are ready, we prepare your whitening kit with whitening gel and instructions to help you reach your desired shade.
The dentist will show you how to use the bleaching gel properly and advise you on how much to use in the tray. Put the trays into your mouth daily as directed, and the custom-fit ensures the gel coats your teeth properly. Treatment usually takes a couple of weeks to obtain the desired shade.
The Advantages of Getting a Whitening Kit from the Dentist
Getting your whitening kit from a dentist rather than over the counter is better. There are a few reasons this statement is true:
- A dentist can ensure you whiten your teeth safely and you are not damaging your teeth in the process.
- Dentists create your custom whitening tray, ensuring that it is more comfortable and properly covers your teeth rather than a generic whitening tray.
- Over-the-counter products tend to either be too weak to bleach the teeth effectively or too strong that they are dangerous to ingest.
How Long Does Teeth Whitening Last?
Teeth whitening is never permanent, as teeth naturally become discoloured over time. The effects of teeth whitening can last anywhere from a couple of months to a few years. To keep the results looking whiter longer, take care of your teeth — brush them as recommended, avoid sugary foods, avoid smoking and drinking high-staining items (like coffee, tea, and wine), and visit your dentist regularly.
It’s important to note that certain teeth will not whiten like artificial teeth (dentures, crowns, bridges, and veneers), as teeth whitening products only work on natural teeth. You can talk to your dentist about your concerns.
Are There Side Effects of Whitening?
Under a dentist’s supervision, teeth whitening has very few side effects. However, there are some symptoms to be aware of, including:
- Sensitivity to cold during treatment
- Gum discomfort
- Sore throat
- White patches on the gum line
- Mouth and gum irritation
All of these symptoms are temporary and should go away after treatment. If these problems continue, please let us know; one of our dentists can help alleviate your discomfort.
Enhance Your Smile
Teeth whitening can be transformative. This treatment can be done gradually until you receive the results you want. Contact us to learn how our teeth-whitening kits can brighten your smile.
