Question About Teeth Whitening!
A white smile is everyone’s dream! Of some; Either his teeth are yellow or his teeth do not look white because of his frequent consumption of habits during the day. Although teeth are brushed regularly, yellowing cannot be prevented in most cases. What should be done in the face of this situation that deeply affects our self-confidence? Istanbul Okan University Dental Hospital Restorative Dentistry Department, Dr. Lecturer Hakan Yasin Send, a member, talked about what was curious about teeth whitening.
Although some teeth have internal discoloration due to congenital or subsequent antibiotics, factors that cause external coloration of the teeth such as daily consumption of food and beverages (tea, coffee, fruit juice, wine) or smoking, shadow the natural whiteness of our teeth.
“It Is Actually Not Hard To Have Ideal Teeth Whitening”
It is not difficult to have the ideal tooth whiteness. Staining of teeth can be removed by tooth whitening and you can have whiter teeth. The tooth whitening process is quite different from the polishing process after the tartar cleaning process. In the tooth whitening process, the color of the tooth can be opened up to 2-3 tons. Teeth whitening can be applied as home bleaching, which the patient will apply at home, with gels containing lower bleaching agents, thanks to office-type whitening applied by the physician in the office environment and a transparent plaque given to the patient with the measurements taken from the patient.
It is not difficult to have the ideal tooth whiteness. Staining of teeth can be removed by tooth whitening and you can have whiter teeth. The tooth whitening process is quite different from the polishing process after the tartar cleaning process. In the tooth whitening process, the color of the tooth can be opened up to 2-3 tons. Tooth whitening can be applied as home-type whitening, which the patient himself will apply at home, with gels containing lower-rate bleaching agents, thanks to office-type bleaching applied by the physician in the office environment and a transparent plate given to the patient with the measurements taken from the patient. In addition, what we call over the counter, which is not under the control of a physician and can be obtained from pharmacies by patients; There are products such as whitening toothpaste, mouthwash.However, the effect of these products is very low compared to the physician-controlled bleaching process, it would be a better choice to use with a physician’s advice after bleaching under physician control.
So what is the teeth whitening process?
- Office Type Bleaching
Office type whitening is the most effective method among all whitening systems. Since the peroxide ratios of the bleaching agents used in the bleaching process performed during the examination are higher, bleaching becomes faster and its permanence is longer. Before applying teeth whitening; To get a more effective result, the patient should be cleaned before bleaching. Before and after the sessions, photographs are taken from the patient and color is determined. The number of sessions to be applied is usually 2 or 3 and varies according to the coloration of the tooth. Since we do not want the gums to be damaged before the procedure, they are covered with a protective barrier and then whitening gel is applied to the teeth. Whitening gel is applied to the teeth for 2 or 3 periods with a period of approximately 15 minutes. Between the sessions, the patient is asked to stay away from coloring foods (tea, coffee, wine, etc.) and to minimize smoking. Sensitivities can be seen between bleaching sessions, but; These sensitivities are eliminated with the use of desensitizing toothpastes.
- Home Bleaching
In the bleaching system we call home-type, a transparent plaque suitable for the patient is produced thanks to the color determined and the measurement taken from the patient before the treatment. Whitening agents containing a lower percentage of “Carbamide Peroxide” are used in home-type teeth whitening. The prepared transparent plaque and tubes containing whitening agent are given to the patient and how to apply it to the teeth is explained by the physician. The patient applies the drug in accordance with the dentist’s recommendations, twice a day for 2 weeks or only for 1-2 weeks while sleeping at night. With weekly controls, the necessary changes are made by monitoring the progress of the treatment. The dentist and the patient should decide together which method will be applied to the patient.
What is the success rate in bleaching?
Studies have shown that the satisfaction rate of patients is quite high, especially in tea, coffee, smoking and age-related coloration. But; Very good results cannot be obtained in colorations called “fluorosis” due to drugs or excess fluoride.
How long does tooth whitening last?
Although it varies depending on the factors that vary from person to person, the whiteness of the teeth continues between 3 months and 3-4 years. While the life of the acquired whiteness is shorter in individuals with high tea, coffee and cigarette use, it can be much longer in other individuals. Regular checks are provided every 6 months before the teeth return to their old colors, and if necessary, repeating the bleaching process every 6 months or a year ensures a longer life of the whiteness and the shortening of the second bleaching period and economically advantageous.