Cosmetic Dentistry Weblog

If you’re thinking it clear in your smile, the first person you should talk to your dentist is. Your dentist is the person most qualified to be able to tell if teeth whitening really make a difference for you. In other words, not all people benefit equally because not all bleaching is the same.

For example, if the teeth have a yellowish cast, bleaching them will give you a very noticeable improvement in your smile. If your teeth have a darker color, say brown, their results may not be as good. If your smile has a gray tint to it, then the discoloration can not work at all. Do any of your teeth have dental caps or bonds? Bleaching will not do much for the teeth. Worse, you can draw attention only to the specific, in contrast to others and bleach. Instead of bleaching may want to ask your dentist about porcelain veneers.

The next question to consider is whether you want to have your teeth whitened at your dentist’s office or at home. If you have time, “chair-side bleaching” can be for you. Figure on spending 30-60 minutes on each visit. You may also have to make several visits. Each time, your dentist will apply some protection to the gums (either a gel or rubber shield). Then, your dentist will place a teeth whitening solution. Sometimes your dentist will shine a light on the bleach solution to work better. The technology is accepted by the American Dental Association for the qualities of safety and utility.

If you can not (or rather not) make several visits to your dentist’s office, you have some options to whiten your teeth at home. Some have more resources against it and others are purchased through your dentist.

These solutions usually contain a bleaching solution called carbamide peroxide. The solution comes in varying concentrations (between 10% – 22%) and literally bleaches the tooth enamel. You apply this solution in the form of gel to the teeth by placing the gel into a mouth guard and then wearing it. Depending on the system you buy, you can use the mouth guard at night for a couple of weeks. Other systems allow you to use the mouth guard a few times a day during the same period of time. The benefit of buying this type of system your dentist is that the mouth guard can be installed normally. Note that the lower concentration of carbamide peroxide (10%) is the only one approved by the American Dental Association.

Talk to your dentist about any possible discomfort you may experience while whitening teeth. Yours could become sensitive to heat and / or cold for some period of time. Also, you may experience some irritation of the tissues in the mouth, for example, gums and / or mouth. This is usually due to a mouth guard that does not fit or perhaps the whitening gel into contact with the mouth.

Finally, you might want to consider bleaching toothpastes. These contain a relatively mild abrasive rather than bleach.

Conclusion:

If you would like to clarify her smile, be sure to examine all options to talk to your dentist first.