Dental Bleaching Health Feed

How do your teeth become stained?
Teeth discoloration is generally caused by stain causing beverages. These include coffee, red wine, tea and some other hard drinks. Use of tobacco, excessive fluoride and dark colored berries may also cause staining of teeth.

Why do you need dental bleaching?
Our tooth is the hardest calcified substance, which mechanically helps us to break food particles into minute ones so that they are easily digestible by the body. They aid in our appearance. Hence, having white stain free teeth is a joy.

The concept of dental bleaching or teeth whitening
Dental bleaching or teeth whitening is a process of removing the stains from our teeth and to reveal them as milky white. There are 2 types of teeth whitening, whiten and non-whiten. Dental plaque, betel chewing, tobacco tar, drinking dark color liquids like coffee, tea are some reasons why our teeth get stained. The mineral structure of the tooth becomes phosphate deficient. The enamel layer gradually thins and gets perforated. Hence tooth whitening is required. 

The dentist removes the eccentric stains as well as intrinsic stains using hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide is available as bleaching strips, bleaching pen and as bleaching gel for tooth whitening. Laser tooth whitening technology is also used for this purpose. Increases in the sensitivity of the teeth, irritation in the gums are some of the side effects in teeth whitening process. This procedure of teeth whitening must be essentially done under medical supervision. This is not a one time job and may require more sittings with the doctor depending on the amount of stain in the teeth as well as the whiteners required.

Bleaching or teeth whitening is not recommended for the following people:

1. Children below the age of 16 should not undergo this procedure.
2. Individuals with sensitive gums and teeth should consult a dentist prior to using teeth whitening.

Whitening Procedures

1. Vital Whitening: It is performed on teeth that have live nerves. Here the gel is applied directly on the tooth surface.
2. Non Vital Whitening: This procedure is applied if the patient has undergone root canal treatment.

Is dental bleaching a requirement or just a craze?
Dental bleaching should not become a craze or mania because unhealthy obsession for extremely white teeth will lead to body dysmorphic disorder. This is a mental disorder in which a person cannot stop thinking about one or more perceived defects in his or her appearance.

Teeth whitening should be done only when necessary. People who have unrealistic expectations with:

1. dental bleaching should not opt for this procedure.
2. Also, bleaching or teeth whitening is not recommended for the following people:
3. Children below the age of 16 should not undergo this procedure.
4. Individuals with sensitive gums and teeth should consult a dentist prior to using teeth whitening.

How do your teeth become stained?

Teeth discoloration is generally caused by stain-causing beverages. These include coffee, red wine, tea and some other hard drinks. Use of tobacco, excessive fluoride and dark-colored berries may also cause staining of teeth.

Why do you need dental bleaching?

Our tooth is the hardest calcified substance which mechanically helps us to break food particles into minute ones so that they are easily digestible by the body. They aid in our appearance. Hence, having white stain-free teeth is a joy.

The concept of dental bleaching or teeth whitening

Dental bleaching or teeth whitening is a process of removing the stains from our teeth and to reveal them as milky white. There are 2 types of teeth whitening, whiten and non-whiten. Dental plaque, betel chewing, tobacco tar, drinking dark color liquids like coffee, tea are some reasons why our teeth get stained. The mineral structure of the tooth becomes phosphate deficient. The enamel layer gradually thins and gets perforated. Hence tooth whitening is required. The dentist removes the eccentric stains as well as intrinsic stains using hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide is available as bleaching strips, bleaching pen and as bleaching gel for tooth whitening. Laser tooth whitening technology is also used for this purpose. Increases in the sensitivity of the teeth, irritation in the gums are some of the side effects in teeth whitening process. This procedure of teeth whitening must be essentially done under medical supervision. This is not a one time job and may require more sittings with the doctor depending on the amount of stain in the teeth as well as the whiteners required.

Bleaching or teeth whitening is not recommended for the following people:

1. Children below the age of 16 should not undergo this procedure.
2. Individuals with sensitive gums and teeth should consult a dentist prior to using teeth whitening.

Whitening Procedures:

1. Vital Whitening- It is performed on teeth that have live nerves. Here the gel is applied directly on the tooth surface.
2. Non Vital Whitening: This procedure is applied if the patient has undergone root canal treatment.

Is dental bleaching a requirement or just a craze?

Dental bleaching should not become a craze/mania because unhealthy obsession for the extremely white teeth will lead to body dysmorphic disorder. This is a mental disorder in which a person cannot stop thinking about one or more perceived defects in his or her appearance.

Teeth whitening should be done only when necessary. People who have unrealistic expectations with:

1. Dental bleaching should not opt for this procedure.
2. Also, bleaching or teeth whitening is not recommended for the following people:
3. Children below the age of 16 should not undergo this procedure.
4. Individuals with sensitive gums and teeth should consult a dentist prior to using teeth whitening.

Everybody wants that perfect smile showing off pearly white teeth, but not many have it. There is a constant try to improve the smile by making the teeth whiter and brighter. Teeth can be discolored intrinsically or extrinsically. They acquire different shades and sometimes even different colors like brown and black, making them stand out as extremely odd. Teeth change color either due to intrinsic or extrinsic reasons. Intrinsic is when minerals like fluoride get incorporated into the tooth, giving it white irregular spots. Aging also causes intrinsic staining, turning them to a pale yellow shade. This is more difficult to remove than the extrinsic coloring. Also, teeth change color due to extrinsic causes like food substances, smoking, medications, tobacco usage, poor oral hygiene, etc.

The introduction of tooth bleaching came as boon to those who were unhappy with their teeth color. Whitening can also be done in the dentist's office or at home by the patients themselves. Though over-the-counter bleaching agents are available, it is always advised to consult a dentist and then choose the appropriate material. The time of each application and the duration of the entire treatment are best decided by the dentist. The product provided by the dentist would be stronger and will produce quicker results than the ones available in the market.

At Home Bleaching: The dentist will take impressions of upper the lower jaws and fabricate customized trays. The right material is then chosen, which is applied on these trays and left in place for the desired amount of time. This needs to be repeated for a time decided by the dentist depending on how much whitening is desired. The desired color is usually achieved in about 4 weeks' time.

In-House Bleaching: This will require multiple visits to the dentist, usually about 1 to 3, of about 30 to 90 minutes each. The gums are first protected and then the bleaching agent is applied. It could require laser for activation in some cases. If the desired color is not achieved, it could be followed by a couple of applications at home. In some cases, there could be minor complications including gum irritation and increased tooth sensitivity. This is caused by the hydrogen peroxide, which is the standard component in all bleaching agents. The whitening process can be repeated at desired intervals to add that extra sparkle. Once the trays are fabricated, the bleaching agent can be used multiple times.

Teeth Whitening: Why You Should Talk to Your Dentist:

1. Tooth bleaching can make teeth temporarily sensitive or be uncomfortable for people who already have sensitive teeth. When used incorrectly, home kits can also lead to burned and even temporarily bleached gums.
2. Tooth whitening works best for people with yellow teeth and is less effective for people with brown teeth. If your teeth are gray or purple, tooth bleaching probably won't work at all.
3. To be sure of tooth whitening is worth your time and money, talk to your dentist before you use an over-the-counter tooth whitening kit.

If you are not happy with the color of your teeth, talk to your dentist about what is the best method to change their color. The results could leave you surprised with a white, bright smile.