Achieving Healthy Smile with Professional Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening

Regular daily brushing and routine scaling and polishing help to remove plaque and calculus like discoloration such as stains on teeth surfaces. However, professional Teeth Whitening penetrates teeth from within, where age and medication - related discoloration occurs to cause a significant color change to white.

This  post will cover what you need to know before you get your teeth professionally whitened:

What to Expect

Side Effects

Maintenance

Risks

 

What to Expect.

1.     Scaling and Polishing to be done first to remove plaque and Calculus.

2.     Your mouth is prepared by having gums and lips covered.

3.     The shade of the teeth is noted.

4.     A professional-grade bleaching gel is applied to the teeth within each session.

5.     A special light is focused on the teeth for some minutes depending on manufacturer instructions to help activate the bleaching gel.

6.     The bleaching gel application and light treatment may be repeated two more times, for up to an hour total treatment time depending on manufacturer instructions.

7.     You can expect your teeth to whiten by as much as two to eight shades brighter, but the actual new color will appear a few days after treatment.

Depending on whether you have achieved your desired color or not, you may be advised to come back for an additional session or opt for a supplemental at-home treatment.

 

Side Effects

Although teeth whitening is a relatively safe procedure, there are certain side effects that you should be aware of:

 

Sensitivity:- Bleaching can cause temporary sensitivity to temperature, pressure, and touch, and sometimes even shooting pains. The pain usually lasts one or two days, but may be present up to a month.

Gum Irritation:- This often happens when the whitening solution gets on the gums.

Technicolor Teeth:- If you had dental work done such as veneers, fillings, crowns, etc, it is important to note that dental material used during these procedures is not affected by bleaching agents. It will remain the same color when the surrounding teeth are whitened. Thus, it is recommended to get professional teeth whitening prior to dental work.

 

Maintenance

Teeth whitening results won’t last forever as teeth continually get stained by coffee and other drinks, and yellowing is part of the aging process. In general, results from professional teeth whitening can last anywhere from one to five years. The best way to sustain your results is to follow a good dental care routine at home with regular brushing, flossing, and mouthwash rinsing, and to minimize the consumption of staining foods, drinks, and tobacco.

 

Risks

Whitening may not be for you if you fall within one or more of the following categories:

You have generalised sensitive teeth

You have pronounced receding gums

You have dental cavities on your teeth.

You have visible fillings, crowns, veneers, implants, bridges, inlays, onlays

You are under 18 years of age

You are pregnant or breastfeeding.

If you are interested in a whiter smile, schedule a consultation with us today to see  if teeth whitening will be effective for you.