By Arthur Kezian
Do you know what makes a smile more gorgeous? Two words – BRIGHT and WHITE, it fits perfectly for the word smile. Having a bright smile emits beauty, a healthy impression and also increases one’s significance with proper oral health care which allows a person to gain self confidence and pride.
Teeth discoloration has been part of our lives. No matter how cautious we are when it comes to taking care of our teeth and maintain proper oral hygiene, everyone of us will develop stains as a result of the food that we eat, medications we take and our lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking.
What are the causes of tooth discoloration?
When you pay a visit to my clinic and would have this type of concern – teeth discoloration, to successfully whiten your teeth by dental bleaching, we have to properly diagnose first what is the cause of your tooth discoloration. There are two reasons why a tooth gets stained; it is what we call extrinsic stains and intrinsic stains. Having extrinsic stains is because of the prolonged exposure from foods such as drinking tea, red wine, coffee, consuming cigarettes, and colored foods such as those rich in soy sauce, etc. This kind of stain can be easily and thoroughly removed with professional cleaning or oral prophylaxis. The second one, which is the extrinsic stain, is associated with systemic problems which usually arise when you were still young and starting tooth formation. Conditions such as being born premature, having low birth weight, and developing measles and mumps at an early age can affect your teeth. Also, the use of drugs when you were still inside the womb such as tetracycline is one factor for this type of stain.
How does teeth whitening work?
The application of dental bleaching products consists of 2 agents – either Carbamide Peroxide or Hydrogen Peroxide. These two agents have been used by your dentist for the past twenty years and by far have the most promising results. There are two choices given to you when you choose to have a teeth whitening kit. These are at-home bleaching and the in-office bleaching which are the most common among the bleaching treatment.
Do you know what makes a smile more gorgeous? Two words – BRIGHT and WHITE, it fits perfectly for the word smile. Having a bright smile emits beauty, a healthy impression and also increases one’s significance with proper oral health care which allows a person to gain self confidence and pride.
Teeth discoloration has been part of our lives. No matter how cautious we are when it comes to taking care of our teeth and maintain proper oral hygiene, everyone of us will develop stains as a result of the food that we eat, medications we take and our lifestyle habits like smoking and drinking.
What are the causes of tooth discoloration?
When you pay a visit to my clinic and would have this type of concern – teeth discoloration, to successfully whiten your teeth by dental bleaching, we have to properly diagnose first what is the cause of your tooth discoloration. There are two reasons why a tooth gets stained; it is what we call extrinsic stains and intrinsic stains. Having extrinsic stains is because of the prolonged exposure from foods such as drinking tea, red wine, coffee, consuming cigarettes, and colored foods such as those rich in soy sauce, etc. This kind of stain can be easily and thoroughly removed with professional cleaning or oral prophylaxis. The second one, which is the extrinsic stain, is associated with systemic problems which usually arise when you were still young and starting tooth formation. Conditions such as being born premature, having low birth weight, and developing measles and mumps at an early age can affect your teeth. Also, the use of drugs when you were still inside the womb such as tetracycline is one factor for this type of stain.
How does teeth whitening work?
The application of dental bleaching products consists of 2 agents – either Carbamide Peroxide or Hydrogen Peroxide. These two agents have been used by your dentist for the past twenty years and by far have the most promising results. There are two choices given to you when you choose to have a teeth whitening kit. These are at-home bleaching and the in-office bleaching which are the most common among the bleaching treatment.
1. For Home teeth whitening – This type of teeth whitening treatment allows you to bleach your teeth at the comfort of your own home with a whitening kit. Your dentist will tailor a clear tray for your mouth. Then, you will apply the bleaching agent usually 10% Carbamide Peroxide and wear it depending on the directions given in the kit. Some for a few hours and some overnight. Then you have to repeat these steps for a few days depending on your dentist’s and manufacturer’s instructions.
This type of bleaching is easy to use and the bleaching agent which is Carbamide Peroxide usually has a lower concentration than Hydrogen Peroxide which is allowed to remain in ones teeth for an hour or even longer. There is significant effectiveness when using this type of bleaching product and it can be seen after two to six weeks.
2. For In-Office Bleaching – One disadvantage of the at home dental bleaching is that you have to wait for a much longer time usually for weeks before you see the final result. For this option, you will immediately see the result after about 60-90 minutes. The entire treatment is done in the dental office and completed in about an hour. A much higher concentration of the bleaching agent is used for this treatment. Usually 35% of Hydrogen Peroxide is applied to your teeth to have that whitened effect. In addition to that, a light source such as laser or a blue light is used for speeding up the bleaching process.
Of course, my patients are concerned about the side effects of whitening but let me tell you that scientific studies have not proved any evidence that dental bleaching is detrimental to one’s teeth. The only most common complications after undergoing this procedure are teeth sensitivity and gum irritation. But I tell you, it is just temporary which usually is felt for only a few days and can be avoided if safely executed.
-N.S.
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