Many people frequently ask their dentists questions about teeth whitening, so if you’re considering it too, you’re certainly not alone. Tooth enamel can become stained or discoloured with time, and teeth whitening has gained popularity as a solution to get white teeth.
Your teeth can get discoloured due to various factors. If you want to get your teeth whitened, you should contact your dentist to understand the process, know what you’re getting into, and check if you can get it done. Your dentist will also tell you the best method to go about your teeth whitening process.
Read on to know more.
What Causes Tooth Discoloration?
Your teeth may change in colour as time goes by. Various factors lead to tooth discolouration:
Food and Beverages
Your tooth enamel can get stained by regular tea, red wine, and coffee consumption. That’s because these drinks have concentrated colour pigments known as chromogens. These chromogens stick to the tooth enamel and cause staining or discolouration.
Tobacco Consumption
Tobacco contains nicotine and tar. These chemicals can easily stain your teeth. When mixed with oxygen, nicotine becomes a yellow-coloured substance which can stain your teeth while smoking. Similarly, tar can also leave tough stains due to its dark colour.
Age
Dentin is a soft yellow layer present under your tooth enamel. As you grow older, the tooth enamel starts getting thinner. This leads to dentin’s appearance, which can make your teeth appear yellow.
Trauma
Inadequate blood flow makes for another reason why your tooth may appear yellow. Trauma through any type of mouth injury can lead to a lack of blood flow in your mouth and lead to your teeth changing yellow in colour. In this case, your teeth will either heal or die. If you have a mouth injury, it would be best for you to visit a dentist to get recommended the best treatment.
Medications
Various medicines, including antipsychotics and antihistamines, can change your tooth’s colour. Antibiotics can also cause discolouration. Neck radiation and chemotherapy can also be the reason behind dark or yellow teeth.
Teeth Whitening: How Does the Process Work?
The teeth whitening process is not challenging. The steps of the teeth whitening process vary depending upon whether you do it at home or get it done professionally and the products you choose to use. Most products used for teeth whitening with bleaches like:
- Carbamide peroxide
- Hydrogen peroxide
These bleaches break down the stains on your teeth and reduce the colour concentration. Thus, these products help you brighten your teeth.
Does Teeth Whitening Always Work?
No, the teeth whitening process may not always work. That’s why it is essential for you to contact your dentist before you start your teeth whitening process. Your dentist will examine your teeth to understand the root cause and help you know which whitening products will work the best.
It is easy to bleach yellow teeth. However, bleach has a limited effect on brown teeth and no effect on grey teeth. Additionally, the tooth whitening process doesn’t work on fillings, caps, crowns, or veneers. Lastly, bleaching doesn’t affect discolouration caused due to trauma or medication as well.
At-Home Tooth Whitening
The following are the products you can use for whitening your teeth at home:
OTC Tooth Whiteners
Over-the-counter tooth whitening products are readily available in the market. However, as these don’t require a prescription, the OTC tooth whitening products don’t contain carbamide peroxide at all or contain it in a significantly less quantity. Thus, if you have intense discolouration, OTC whiteners may not work effectively or take longer to show results.
Tooth Whitening Toothpaste
A tooth whitening toothpaste doesn’t contain carbamide peroxide. These tubes of toothpaste get rid of the stains and discolouration with the use of various substances like blue covarine and other abrasives. Whitening toothpaste containing blue covarine is more effective and will show faster results.
Tooth Whitening Strips
Over-the-counter tooth whitening strips are another product that can be used by you. These strips include small amounts of hydrogen peroxide. You can follow the directions provided on these strips and apply them accordingly for the best results. Several tooth whitening strips are available, and each of them varies in the bleaching agent concentration.
Using Activated charcoal
If you want to whiten your teeth at home using homemade methods you should try using activated charcoal. However, using activated charcoal isn’t a scientifically proven method; therefore, you should discuss it with your dentist before you give it a try.
Trying various tooth whitening methods without consulting a dentist may harm your teeth. Instead, you can contact Perfect Smile’s highly skilled and experienced dentists for the best advice on tooth whitening.
Does Teeth Whitening Have any Side Effects?
Teeth whitening is a safe process, but you may face side effects, including:
- Your teeth can become highly sensitive teeth after a whitening treatment. It would help if you discussed it with your dentist, as they’ll recommend using products containing sodium fluoride gel and potassium nitrate to eliminate sensitivity.
- Your gums may also get irritated as a result of coming in contact with the chemicals found in tooth whitening products. However, your gums shouldn’t feel irritated once the treatment is over.
Maintenance
Once you’re done with your tooth whitening process, it is important to ensure that you maintain your teeth well. How long the impact of the teeth whitening process will last will depend upon your oral hygiene, drinking, and eating habits.
You should note that consuming staining foods or beverages will still impact your teeth after the whitening procedure.
It would be best if you brushed your teeth or rinse your mouth soon after consuming such food or drinks to ensure their staining or discolouring agents don’t settle on your teeth.
The Bottom Line
While the at-home teeth whitening process is cost-effective, it is also time-consuming and may not last long. Therefore, you should discuss everything with your dentist before choosing the right method for yourself and ensure teeth whitening is safe for you.
Lastly, you should use the method that is appropriate for you and strictly follow the product instructions for the best results—looking for the best dentists? Then, contact Perfect Smile right away to discuss your concerns with the best dentists.