Thursday, March 8, 2012

Teeth Talk | Whitening


*Note: Teeth Talk topics are based on research that I've read and my experiences working as a dental hygienist* 

Being a dental hygienist, I get bombarded with questions about teeth whitening almost on a daily basis. I will try to address the main concerns of all things teeth whitening. If you have any other concerns, please ask away in the comment section ^_^ 


Before whitening your teeth, you may want to consider getting your teeth professionally cleaned and get a dental exam. That way you can make sure all the calculus/tartar is removed before applying any whitening agents AND making sure you are not whitening any tooth that may require some serious attention! 
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Hydrogen Peroxide {HP}| The active ingredient to help whitening your teeth. Carbamide Peroxide {CP}| A diluted form of HP found in over-the-counter whitening products. Basically CP is effective, but not as strong as HP. 

1.  What is the best product to whitening your teeth? Bleaching trays is probably one of the best way to whitening your teeth at home. Impression trays are made at the dental office. Once trays are made, all you need are refills of the whitening agent, which is made up of a HP 2-10% or CP 10-35%. You can buy the refills from your dental office. Cost of Trays:~$200.00-$400.00. Cost of Refills:~$40.00-$60.00 *prices are simply estimations, based on the various offices I've worked in*

2. What type of OTC whitening products are there? at your local drug store, you may find strips, trays, wraps, or paint ons. There is about a 3-10% peroxide found in the active ingredient of these products. I have used the strips and trays, and have not tried the paint ons or the wraps. 

3. What is the #1 problem with teeth whitening? Dentinal hypersensitivity. Keep in mind that the higher percent of bleaching agent, the greater the sensitivity. You should always follow the instructions of any whitening products. If you experience  sensitivity immediately, then you should stop and use a desensitizing toothpaste (i.e Pronamel by Sensodyne).  

4. Is it okay to use my whitening strips even though it expired? Yes, it is okay, but the level of efficacy will be much less. 


5. "I continue to whiten my teeth, but they are still stained." In a situation like this, you need to consider your daily diet intake (liquids and solids). For example: Do you drink coffee/tea/wine? If so, how many cups? Do you eat a lot of berries throughout the day? Based on my experience on patients with moderate to severely stained teeth, advising them to rinse with water in between consumption of liquids and/or potentially stained foods. I have noticed a huge difference in patients CONTROLLING their stains with simply water.*Water plays a major role, not only in controlling the staining,but also in neutralizing the pH level of your mouth. For example, if you were to have a glass of wine, which is high in acid, rinsing with water in between will neutralize your teeth of the acid and slowing the staining process. >> Again, water does not remove the stains, but it controls it. Better than nothing right! 


6. Just to let you know...You cannot bleach those white spots on your teeth, the only way to make it less noticeable is hoping that the surround teeth lightens up to reduce the contrast during whitening. Brown spots responds to whitening most of the time. 

2 comments:

  1. You inspire me to BLOG, Starry-o! :)

    P-diddy.

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  2. I have tried apples and celery to help whitening teeth, as they act like natural stain removers by increasing saliva production. I used this method a bunch of times and it helped a bit. I have also tried Power Swabs, It’s a teeth whitening system that uses naturally derived ingredients. It works pretty well.

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