A radiant smile catches the eye and paves the road for successful communication with others. The smile elements involve well-aligned white teeth framed by healthy gingiva and lips. If you dream of having a Hollywood smile, you are not alone. Teeth whitening has attracted much attention; hence, multiple OTC products are currently available together with professional teeth whitening. All you have to do is to seek a suitable whitening technique. Here is how to illuminate your smile with proven whitening solutions.
How Does Teeth Staining Occur?
Teeth comprise a resilient, yellowish dentine layer covered by a translucent, brittle enamel layer. With daily consumption of dark foods, beverages, and smoking, a layer of stains forms on the surfaces of the teeth. The daily oral hygiene measures cannot remove this layer entirely, leading to teeth staining over time. This type is called external stains.
Internal stains may occur when the stain becomes incorporated into the tooth structure due to certain medications such as tetracycline or excessive fluoride consumption.
Teeth Whitening: Concept and Materials
The whitening process acts through an oxidation reaction that breaks down the stain particles.
Hydrogen and carbamide peroxide are the most common chemical compounds used as bleaching agents. During activation of the carbamide peroxide, it breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and urea.
When hydrogen peroxide comes in contact with the enamel surface, it produces free radicals of oxygen molecules. These free radicals break down the bond inside the stain particles to make the stain molecules less complex and can reflect light, which makes the tooth appear lighter.
Aside from the chemical reaction, physical abrasion is also available in whitening toothpaste, where abrasive particles are incorporated to polish the tooth surface.
Professional Whitening vs. Over-the-Counter Whitening Kits
Professional teeth whitening takes place in the dental office under supervision. It involves using a higher concentration of bleaching agents than the over-the-counter kits.
In-office bleaching agents may contain 15-35% hydrogen peroxide concentration vs 10-20% carbamide peroxide concentration available in the home bleaching kits.
Professional whitening is more effective, costlier, and achieves faster results but can elicit more tooth sensitivity.
At-home whitening gained popularity because they are easy, affordable, and available. They can achieve similar to professional whitening but take a longer time.
Some cases can achieve the targeted results through a combination of both techniques.
Proven Whitening Solutions to Illuminate your Smile
In-office Whitening
It must be handled under professional supervision because of the powerful bleaching agents used. Your dentist will use these bleaching agents to remove the stains and brighten your teeth by two shades. This is the most effective teeth whitening solution but also the most expensive and can cause tooth sensitivity.
Whitening Trays
It involves using a tray that contains bleaching materials in contact with the teeth for a specific amount of time. The tray can be custom-made by your emergency dentist or ready-made, as provided in over-the-counter whitening kits.
The custom-made trays are more effective because they are tailored precisely to your teeth, ensuring a proper and comfortable fit. Ready-made trays may not provide a homogenous whitening if you have misaligned teeth because the bleaching agent will not be distributed evenly.
Whitening Toothpaste
They represent the most affordable and readily available teeth whitening solution. They adopt the concept of mechanically removing stains using abrasive particles. They may also contain chemical materials such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to break down stains. Some newly introduced toothpaste contains natural ingredients well-known for their whitening abilities, such as charcoal and baking soda.
Whitening Strips
They are constructed from flexible plastic strips soaked in a whitening agent. It is applied to the tooth surface for about 30 minutes twice daily. Most types of whitening strips recommend avoiding brushing your teeth before application. They are affordable, effective, and easily applied; however, keeping them in place for the recommended duration can be hard.
Whitening Pen
These are small pens that contain bleaching agents. After brushing your teeth, you can squeeze the pen and apply a thin layer of bleaching agent over your teeth. It can produce significant whitening results for surface-level teeth stains. Although manageable, it may be challenging to cover all tooth surfaces.
Is Tooth Whitening Safe?
Teeth whitening is considered a safe procedure. But like any other procedure, there are some minor side effects. These include tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. You should know the natural and affordable teeth whitening tips that will give you a brighter smile.
Tooth sensitivity is the most common side effect of tooth whitening because of dentin exposure. It is temporary, and you are more prone to tooth sensitivity during in-office whitening. Over-the-counter bleaching kits rarely cause tooth sensitivity, mainly due to improper use. The sensitivity is mild and lasts for a few days. Avoid hot or cold drinks in the first few days.
Gum irritation occurs when the bleaching agents come in contact with the delicate gingival tissue, causing mild inflammation. During professional bleaching, the dental professional protects the gingival tissue. Whitening trays and strips can commonly cause gum irritation if they do not fit well. Trim the tray margins to prevent gingival inflammation.
Aside from enhancing aesthetics, a white smile can boost self-esteem, influence first impressions, and improve social interactions. It reflects your dynamic lifestyle and adds a touch of confidence to all your daily activities. Multiple proven whitening solutions are available to brighten your smile. Consult your dentist to select the most effective and suitable whitening technique and prevent any potential side effects.
