Dr. Sanjay Varma

What is it?
Tooth whitening lightens teeth and helps to remove stains and discoloration. Whitening is among the most popular cosmetic dental procedures because it can greatly improve how your teeth look. Most dentists perform tooth whitening. Whitening is not a one time procedure. It will need to be repeated from time to time if you want to maintain the brighter color.

What it is used for?
The outer layer of the tooth is called the enamel. The color of natural teeth is created by the reflection and scattering of light off the enamel, combined with the color of the dentin under it. Your genes affect the thickness and smoothness of the enamel. Thinner enamel allows more of the color of the dentin to show through. Having smoother or rougher enamel also affects the reflection of light and therefore the color.

Every day, a thin coating (pellicle) forms on the enamel and picks up stains. Tooth enamel also contains pores that can hold stains. The most common reasons for teeth to get yellow or stained are:

• Using tobacco
• Drinking dark colored liquids such as coffee, cola, tea and red wine
• Not taking good care of your teeth

Aging makes teeth less bright as the enamel gets thinner and the dentin becomes darker. It is also possible to have stains inside the tooth. These are called intrinsic stains. For example, intrinsic stains can be caused by exposure to too much fluoride as a child while teeth are developing. Other causes include tetracycline antibiotics. They can stain a child's teeth if taken by a mother during the second half of pregnancy or by a child who is 8 years old or younger. Teeth are still developing during these years. Trauma can also darken a tooth and tooth whitening is the most effective way to treat on surface (extrinsic) stains.

Getting braces is the best thing you can do for your teeth. Yes, the process is painful. And maintenance of braces can get too much, but it is not undoable!

When you have braces on teeth, those teeth need extra attention to protect them from decay, staining and gum disease. You should also take precautions to avoid damaging the braces. For example, activities to avoid include eating chewy or sticky sweets, eating hard or crunchy foods, biting your lip, breathing excessively through your mouth and pushing your tongue against your teeth,

So if you got braces for the first time, here are some helpful tips you can swear by. Read on.

1. Listen to your orthodontist: This is kind of obvious, but seriously, listen to what your orthodontists says. You may wonder if you really need to do this or that, but not paying attention to your doctor’s advice can actually prolong your treatment, and extend the time you need to keep your braces on.

2. Brush every time you eat: Although brushing twice a day is the standard oral care recommendation, when you wear braces, you should brush after every time you eat — even after that mid-afternoon vending machine snack or some late-night munchies. That's because food particles easily become trapped in the braces, and the longer those particles stay trapped, the greater risk you have of developing dental problems. Use a soft toothbrush with round bristles, or an electric toothbrush if you prefer.

3. Rubber Bands: If you have been asked to use rubber bands, it is always recommended to carry rubber bands with you all the time, so if one breaks it can be replaced promptly. Rubber bands wear down and lose their elasticity, so they should be replaced often, definitely after every meal. Wearing the rubber bands all the time will keep the treatment progressing at an optimum pace.

4. Use your back teeth to chew: Don’t bite into that burger with your front teeth like you are accustomed to doing. This actually gets the food to stick on to your braces. So eat food that you can cut into bite size pieces and chew easily with your back teeth.

5. Drink plenty of water: Skip that soda, which will only erode your teeth, and drink water after meals. This not only keeps you healthy, but with water, you can swish it around your mouth to rinse out any big chunks of food.

6. Stay away from crunchy food: Crunchy foods are dangerous, not only do they get stuck in your braces, they also can get quite painful to remove. Plus, crunchy foods can be bad news for the shiny braces you just got for yourself.

7. Speak up: If during an appointment you have any query, no matter how silly, ask your orthodontist. Your doctor is there to help and guide you, so don’t shy away from asking questions and discussing your problems. Or if some part of the brace is hurting mildly, get it checked at once. Air your troubles, that is what your doctor is here for.

After The Braces Are Off-

Whitening products, including whitening toothpaste and mouthwash, should not be used until after braces are removed. After braces come off, some discoloration of the teeth will likely be present, so this is a good time for a child to use whitening strips.