“Whitening is harmful to teeth!” – is often heard from patients as well as from doctors themselves. Is it really true?
Dentist Alla Druzjaka from Dental Art clinic is convinced that whitening is not harmful for healthy teeth, but you must be aware that, for positive and long-lasting results, some planning is necessary.
The teeth whitening procedure in the clinics lasts for about 1-1.5 hours, but planning is necessary because dental hygiene must be done before. It must be done not only because plaque and tartar look bad, but it also promotes uneven action of whitener on the enamel.
It is likely to have a period of time between dental hygiene and whitening procedure. It can be either a few weeks or a month depending on the health of the teeth; this period is determined by the dentist or dental hygienist at your first appointment. Do not be afraid that the effect of whitening won’t last – the effect of whitening performed in Dental Art clinic lasts for up to three years and even longer.
However, to enjoy the effect of whitening so long, you have to significantly reduce or avoid habits and products which could decrease the effect of whitening: smoking, coffee, tea (green tea stains teeth even more than black tea), red wine, etc.
How is teeth whitening performed in dental clinics? The effect is achieved using whitening with light, which nowadays is considered the most effective and healthy method of whitening. During the procedure, whitening gel containing hydrogen peroxide is applied on your teeth, and teeth are enlightened with helio lamp. The light catalyses production of oxygen. It infiltrates in the tooth through enamel and decomposes the dark pigment into colourless particles. As a result, the enamel becomes for 1-2 tones lighter. Changes are observed immediately after the procedure.
“I love it when my clients look at themselves in a mirror right after the procedure and are happy – their smile has really become much brighter!”
You shouldn’t be afraid of gel containing hydrogen peroxide – it is harmless to the teeth and they keep their strength. And gums do not come into contact with gel because they are covered with protective material before the procedure. But it is true that for about two weeks after the procedure teeth are more sensitive than usually.
During this period, use the toothpaste and mouthwash for sensitive teeth. In Dental Art clinic, after procedure, teeth are covered with specific material containing fluoride which decreases the sensitivity.
Whitening with light cannot be performed for persons under 18, pregnant women, breastfeeding women and also for people with severe gum disease or dental decay. For others, the procedure is harmless. It is also possible to perform this procedure at home using custom made teeth whitening mouth guards or trays.
At the first appointment, the dentist makes teeth impressions to make a mouth guard and determine the most suitable whitening gel. To achieve a white smile, the mouth guard must be filled with gel and used for a few hours a day or overnight. Altogether 14 whitening sessions can be performed. As the mouth guards are custom made for each client in Dental Art technical laboratory, they are comfortable and easy to wear.
Significant advance of whitening at home is that you can choose when and how intensively you want to whiten your teeth. It is a mild procedure suitable also for persons with sensitive teeth. But the most suitable method of whitening will be determined by your doctor.
And the plan is simple – visit your dental hygienist, choose the best method together with your doctor and then the whitening itself. And the smile must be dazzling!
