4 Important Factors to Consider for Teeth Whitening

Are you seeking a whiter, brighter smile? There are many tools available for teeth whitening treatment such as whitening toothpaste, floss, gum, strips, and gels. All can be purchased over-the-counter, there is more pressure than before for a pearly white smile. 

You must be careful if while availing of the treatment. 

 

1. Why are You Bothered Regarding Dental Bleaching Products? 

 

Bleaching products may cause multiple side effects like damaging the dental enamel, leading to irritation of the gums, tooth sensitivity, and more. Few of these effects are lasting. As the damage to the dental enamel is indefinite and irreversible. There is also an apparent threat of overuse or abuse while using over-the-counter bleaching products like strips, paint-one, or trays. Presently, with several over-the-counter bleaching alternatives available in California for teeth whitening, people are allured to purchase and self-apply these products without realizing the risks properly. 

You must remember that dental bleaching is not suggested for everyone. First, you should discuss bleaching with your dentist. There could be several reasons why a person’s teeth are discolored or darker so the treatment options and results would also vary.  

 

2. What is the Process of Bleaching Your Teeth? 

 

There is hydrogen peroxide in bleaching products that diffuse through the enamel. It breaks down the compounds that are contributing to the discoloration, called chromogenic compounds, and your teeth become lighter. On the other hand, over-the-counter products such as strips or gels normally contain a lower concentration of hydrogen peroxide compared to bleaching products exclusively applied by dentists. 

Bleaching products utilized by any dentist during in-office therapies may contain higher peroxide concentrations of almost 40 percent. The bleaching mechanism is the same. However, these therapies must be well supervised and should exclusively be applied in the dentist’s office. Whereas, dentists can prescribe supervised at-home bleaching therapies. 

Certain toothpaste and floss claim to whiten teeth and they work differently compared to bleaching products. They have abrasives or tiny particles that function like sandpaper to exfoliate the surface of the tooth and eradicate the stains. This whitening method has a side effect as well. When you apply toothpaste that is too abrasive for a long time, you can get rid of the superficial layers of your enamel. 

 

3. How to Conclude if you’re Overdoing the Bleaching? 

 

There must be a limit to how much you can bleach your teeth. The method will plateau and the peroxide doesn’t lead to any more whitening. Rather, it breaks down the proteins of the enamel and changes its structure. Dentists employ shade guides to check the progress of the bleaching depending on the patient’s initial shade and can ascertain if the bleaching reached the plateau. There has been significant enamel damage linked with over-the-counter bleaching products, most likely due to unassisted over bleaching. 

Tooth sensitivity suggests that patients feel pain if they consume hot or cold drinks or food, which is the most observable side effect of bleaching. It can be due to several factors like peroxide concentration, application time, and the existence of defective restorations and cracks or cavities. It is necessary to highlight that high sensitivity is not a healthy symptom and the pain is the warning signal that something is exceeding the limits. 

 

4. How Regularly Can You Apply Whitening Products? 

 

Bleaching should not be done annually due to the cumulative effects on your enamel. People aspire for whiter teeth for their dating, or special social occasions and end up doing it quite frequently. 

If a patient wants whiter teeth, they have to consider if they intend to mend their habits. Smoking and drinking coffee, tea, and red wine are a few habits causing discoloration. It doesn’t make any sense to bleach your teeth if you are unwilling to mend your habits that leading to discoloration. This just creates more demand for bleach and causes overuse of bleaching products. 

 

Footnote 

 

Remember that young patients like teenagers or young adults are more vulnerable to the marketing for teeth whitening. They want to smile brighter and often lack awareness regarding the side effects. Over-the-counter options are alluring as they are marketed as fast and low-cost alternatives to the public. However, young patients are the most susceptible too, to the side effects of bleaching products as their teeth are more penetrable. 

Always consult with your dentist for a safe and accomplished tooth whitening treatment and learn about the suitable options and expectations for yourself.