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Teeth Whitening: Options, Risks, and Care

Teeth Whitening: Options, Risks, and Care

May 1, 2021

Teeth whitening is the most preferred cosmetic dentistry treatment today. It is used to remove stains from the tooth surface and restore the natural color of your teeth. It is a quick and affordable way to enhance your smile.

Teeth whitening is a very effective way to lighten the natural color of your teeth without removing any of the teeth’ surface. Professional teeth whitening at Arlington Dental will give you a noticeably whiter smile. It will boost your confidence and help you face the world with pride.

What Causes Teeth to Look Yellow?

Many factors cause your teeth to become dull and yellow. It includes:

  • Consuming tea or coffee.
  • Smoking and chewing tobacco
  • Aging also contributes to the discoloration of the teeth.
  • High intake of fluoride.
  • Injury or trauma to the teeth.
  • Certain medications.

What are the Different Teeth Whitening Options?

There are a variety of tooth whitening options available as mentioned below.

Custom Fit Tray Bleaching

Custom-fit bleaching is one of the most reliable methods for tooth whitening. For teeth bleaching, dentists will fit the trays with whitening products to the teeth for a while. These trays help to whiten your teeth within a small amount of time.

Whitening Toothpaste

Whitening toothpaste helps make the teeth brighter by removing the stains on the teeth. But it does not give immediate results.

Zoom Teeth Whitening

Zoom teeth whitening has become one of the most popular treatments. Its results are immediate and long-lasting. The Zoom tooth whitening procedure uses the advanced power chairside lamp which accelerates the whitening process.

Hydrogen peroxide whitening solution is used on the tooth surface. As the hydrogen peroxide is broken down, oxygen particles whiten the strained particles. This helps you to achieve an instant tooth whitening solution.

Laser Teeth Whitening

In laser teeth whitening, the dental expert applies bleach to each tooth and generates heat via a laser. It is done to boost its effectiveness while speeding up the process. This cosmetic dental procedure uses a strong bleaching gel that when activated by laser gives quick, dramatic results.

Teeth Whitening Procedure

The dentist will first examine the teeth and gums. In case of any tooth decay, firstly, the decayed teeth have to be treated. The next step is to clean all the teeth. After that, the dentist will start the procedure of teeth whitening as mentioned below:

  • The dentist will use a plastic guard to hold your mouth open.
  • Then, the teeth bleaching dentist will apply a barrier on your gums to protect them from the whitening gel.
  • The dental expert will apply whitening gel on the front surface of teeth with the help of a syringe.
  • In the case of laser treatment, the dentist now uses the laser to activate the compound.
  • When all the teeth are whitened by the laser, the gel is left for few minutes and then cleaned. This process is repeated three times.
  • At last, the dental professional thoroughly rinses the mouth and removes the barrier.

To know which teeth whitening option is best for you, consult the reputed dentist for teeth whitening near you.

Are There Any Risks of Teeth Bleaching?

Teeth whitening treatments are considered to be safe when done by a dental expert. But still, there are some risks associated with tooth whitening such as:

Sensitivity

Bleaching can cause a temporary increase in sensitivity to pressure and temperature especially when you are suffering from gum recession or cracks in your teeth. Sensitivity lasts no longer than one or two days. But in some cases, it may persist up to a month.

Gum Irritation

Those who use peroxide whiteners experience gum irritation resulting from bleach concentration. Such irritation typically lasts up to several days.

Technicolor

Bleaching does not work on restorations like bonding, veneers, or dental crowns. Therefore, they maintain their default color while the rest of the teeth are whitened.

Post Treatment Guidelines

Things to take care of after the teeth whitening treatment:

  • Do not smoke for a few days as it will stain your teeth.
  • Do not drink tea, coffee, red wine, or any other acidic beverages.
  • Use the toothpaste recommended by your dentist.
  • Avoid dark-colored foods for at least a week after whitening.

With all the advancements made in general dentistry to enhance the appearance of the teeth, the teeth whitening process is the easiest and effective. Because of this, more and more people are doing tooth whitening. Consult today to confirm that are you a suitable candidate for teeth whitening in Toronto, ON or not.