Tooth Whitening: What We Now Know?

If your tooth has a slight yellowish hue due to any reason and you want tooth whitening, then this article is for you. Social media platforms like Instagram and Tiktok have made everyone beauty conscious. Most teenagers search for the best dentist near me for a whitening procedure. This article will provide you with all the details about bleaching that is the process used for teeth whitening.

You can also check the cost of treatment of all dental procedures near your location.

What are the causes of tooth discoloration?

There are two types of causes of discoloration

Intrinsic staining

It is also called internal staining and occurs because of old age, high fluoride intake, continuous use of antibiotics, and development disorder.

Extrinsic staining

This staining occurs because of environmental factors like smoking, high intake of cold drinks and tea, antibiotics, and amalgam restoration.

The Mechanism of action of bleaching

Tooth whitening is the process used to lighten the tooth color. It can be done through physical or chemical methods. Most whitening products consist of Hydrogen peroxide as the active ingredient. A chemical compound called carbamide peroxide release hydrogen peroxide when react with water.

Staining of the tooth is due to chromogen that can accumulate on the inside or outside of the tooth. Mostly these chromogens have double bonds. The bleaching process with hydrogen peroxide will disintegrate and oxidize the double of chromagen, and chromagen will become light colored compound.

Types of tooth whitening systems

Here are some of the whitening system dentist are using for whitening purposes

Whitening toothpaste

These kinds of toothpaste are mostly made up of abrasive material and contain carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide to lighten the tooth.

Over the counter Whitening gels and strips

These strips consist of peroxide in a gel form that can be easily placed on the buccal surface of the tooth. You have to apply this strip two times a day for 14 days for 30 minutes.

You can apply whitening gel directly to the tooth surface with the help of a small brush. You have to this gel twice a day for fourteen days.

Tray-based tooth bleaching

Tray-based whitening is a fitted tray that patients have to wear overnight or for 2 to 4 hours.

In office bleaching

This is the most recommended teeth whitening procedure that can give immediate results after 30 minutes to one hour of treatment. Your doctor protects the underlying gingival tissue before applying the product. Some dentists use lasers for the tooth whitening process, but the US food authority has made use of the lasers off-label.

Risks associated with tooth bleaching

Three risk factors associated with teeth whitening or bleaching are

· Increased sensitivity of the tooth

· Increased Enamel and dentin roughness

· Increased chances of demineralization of enamel and dentin

· Gingival irritation

· Pulp damage

· Tooth erosion

Wrapping Up

Tooth whitening with hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide is safe and effective when used according to the manufacturer's instructions. You can consult the different online apps to know the answer of a dentist near me with fees for the bleaching process. The teeth whitening or bleaching process should be tailored to the needs of each individual patient, based on the type and extent of staining, previous restorations, diet as well as other intraoral conditions.