What's the deal with teeth whitening?

Sparkling white teeth are becoming ever more popular as celebrities like Angelina Jolie and Keira Knightley flaunt their pearly whites. Even hip hop artists like Bruno Mars are taking up the look of glowingly white teeth. This growing desire for white teeth has advanced dentistry and vastly improved teeth whitening procedures. 

Everybody enjoys shiny white teeth in adolescence. As one ages, the mineral structure of teeth are altered as the tooth enamel becomes less porous, which allows stains to develop.  Habitual activities like smoking and drinking coffee or dark tea make teeth darker. With teeth whitening, people can return to their youthful looking teeth and rid of the stains from age. 

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dentistry procedure that brightens the pigmentation of the teeth. Most whitening solutions contain peroxide, which bleaches the tooth enamel to make the teeth white. The term ‘teeth whitening’ is all-encompassing; a number of techniques can be used to make the teeth whiter. Some procedures apply the whitening solution to the teeth directly while others use a fitted tray or plastic strip. 

Custom Fit Tray Bleaching

Custom fit tray bleaching can take place in dental clinics or in the patient’s home with a self-application kit prescribed from a dentist. In this procedure, the whitening solution is applied using a customized tray specially molded to the patient’s mouth. The customized tray enables the solution to apply evenly all over the teeth. Patients may purchase a one-size-fits-all tray from pharmacies, but note that they are not as effective as the customized trays. 

Bleaching Gel

Dentists use a bleaching gel for in-office whitening procedures that usually take about one hour. This highly concentrated peroxide gel is applied to the teeth several times for 15 to 20-minute periods. The number of times the gel is applied depends on the level of staining on the teeth. Severe stains will require more treatment than other areas of the teeth. 

Laser Tooth Whitening

Laser tooth whitening is a highly popular teeth whitening procedure. Prior to treatment, dentists will thoroughly clean the teeth to remove plaque or bacteria. A peroxide gel is then applied to the teeth. The laser light activates the gel by exciting the peroxide molecules within. Laser tooth whitening is the newest teeth whitening procedure and also the most effective. Results are immediate. 

Whitening Strips

Many people prefer self-applied whitening strips because of their lower cost and convenience. Patients apply a thin strip to the upper and lower teeth once a day for at least one to two weeks. Whitening strips are generally worn between a half-hour and one hour. This method of teeth whitening is significantly cheaper than in-office procedures; however, the results do not last as long and the treatment is not nearly as powerful.

Learn more about Teeth Whitening.