Tooth Whitening Basics
A white smile is something that every person wants. People will spend vast amounts of money to achieve what they think is a perfect smile. The two most popular options for teeth whitening are over-the-counter kits and whitening trays from the your dental office.
The two key chemicals that are used to whiten teeth include hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. There is a difference in potency and power of chemicals when they are applied to teeth. Dentists use a potent hydrogen peroxide gel under closely monitored conditions. For whitening at-home the dentist will provide the patient a kit containing a lower potency carbamide gel product.
Why do teeth lose their whiteness? Many people don’t engaged in the most harmful habits - drinking tea or coffee, smoking, or grinding their teeth - but still experience discoloration of their teeth as they grow old. All human beings are born with a different inner tooth color which appears as the tooth’s enamel coating wears away during the aging process, upon overexposure to fluoride, or trauma. This type of staining is known as "intrinsic staining". "Extrinsic staining" is staining created by the ingestion of dark-colored drinks such as tea or coffee, smoking, eating habits, genetic influences and habitual teeth grinding.
The amount of yellowing in the teeth of a patient determines the quality of end results . A patient will talk with their dentist beforehand to determine which discoloration and yellowing can be eliminated.
To have the process carried out by a trained professional takes fifteen to twenty minutes. First, a rubber dam is applied on the gum area after the patient inserts a mouth guard. The peroxide gel will next be applied to the teeth and allowed to sit for a short time. Stubborn teeth stains can be pursued additionally with an at-home kit given out by the dentist. Smoking, drinking dark drinks, and drinking though straws should be avoided for the next few days, allowing the teeth to set.
The gel that comes in an at-home kit is not as strong as the professional gel, but it is still an option to consider.
Over-the-counter whitening packages produce great results but involve a longer span of time to actually see the full results. Your dentist can remove the deep stains in your teeth if the over-the-counter kit doesn’t fulfill your preferred results.