Teeth Whitening
Personal appearance is very important in today's society. Dentists help patients who wish to enhance their smiles. The effect of a smile can be so significant. By enhancing their appearance, people can change their impression on others.
The patients now seek the quickest most effective way to whiten their teeth, by use of products which are easy to use, and have the fewest side effects.
REASONS FOR STAINING
Teeth get stained due to various reasons. Whitening success depends largely on the type of staining present in a dentition.
Intrinsic staining is stain that was incorporated into a tooth, either while the tooth was developing or after it has erupted. Treatment for this includes 1. Chemical tooth bleaching procedures. 2. Restorative procedures such as crowns, veneers, or composite restorations.
Extrinsic staining - After eruption stains often occur on teeth. Extrinsic stains attach to the tooth surface and in the biofilm on the surface of the tooth. Extrinsic staining is far more common than intrinsic staining.
MECHANISM OF ACTION
The mechanism of action of bleaching is unclear. Bleaching is an oxidation reaction. The enamel to be bleacheddonates electrons to the bleaching agent1. Ten per cent carbamide peroxide breaks down to 3% hydrogen peroxide and 7% urea. The hydrogen peroxide metabolizes into water and free radicals of oxygen. These free radicals combine with the chromagens to decolourize or solubize them2.
OVER THE COUNTER PRODUCTS -
Whitening toothpastes - These can be quite abrasive. They may contain ingredients like baking soda and silica that wear down tooth enamel.
Whitening Mouthwashes - These aren't very effective. While most of these mouth rinses contain varying percentages of hydrogen peroxide, they are simply not strong enough to produce any noticeable results.
Whitening Strips - These mare not going to get the results you are looking. Because you are not getting good results, you may be tempted to use whitening strips more often than recommended. The result of frequent use is often pain and sensitivity.
Over-the-Counter Whitening Trays - These typically result in gum irritation and jaw pain due to their poor fit. The solutions or gels offered with these trays will typically not whiten your teeth as effectively as a professional whitening treatment.
Professional Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening can be done by different techniques -
1. In - office teeth whitening
2. At home teeth whitening
Tooth whitening options are typically categorized based upon where the procedure takes place. “In office” bleaching is typically a 1 hour procedure using anywhere from 20% to 40% Hydrogen Peroxide.
At home whitening is still the most popular whitening procedure performed. This procedure utilizes custom fabricated trays to deliver the whitening component (in this case typically 10%-20% carbamide peroxide) to the teeth. This technique is time tested and known to be very safe and effective.
For some people who have reached the maximum whiteness obtainable through dental bleaching products, other cosmetic procedures including dental crowns and veneers, which can make the teeth extremely white while still looking natural.
SIDE EFFECTS
The most common side effect, by far, of any whitening procedure is tooth sensitivity, but the sensitivity is not permanent and does go away a few days after you stop whitening. Some products cause more sensitivity than others but none of the products damage your teeth otherwise we would not recommend doing teeth whitening. Teeth whitening does not damage enamel.
References
1. Goldstein, R.E.: Esthetic dentistry — a health service. JDent Res 3: pp. 641–642, 1993
2. Nathoo, S.A.: The chemistry and mechanisms of extrinsicand intrinsic discoloration. JADA 128: pp. 6S–9S, 1997
