Teeth whitening

It is true that the first thing people notice about a person’s appearance is often their smile. That is why teeth whitening is very popular today.

There are many ways to whiten your teeth. Whitening toothpastes, soda wash, aligner whitening or laser treatment are just a few examples. Teeth can be whitened both in a dental office and at home.

Only your own teeth can be whitened, fillings and crowns do not change their color when whitened.

Before whitening, the condition of the teeth is assessed: all cavities must be treated and tartar must be removed. Since the causes of discoloration vary, it is difficult to say exactly before the procedure how much lighter teeth will become with whitening.

Darkening of the color of teeth can be caused by tannins contained in food and drinks (e.g. coffee, tea, blueberries and beetroot), smoking and medications taken. Over the course of life, teeth become darker due to the wear of tooth enamel as the darker dentin underneath becomes more visible.

Some reasons why some people have darker teeth, while others have lighter ones –

1. The specificity of human tooth enamel – some people’s teeth are naturally more yellow, while others are grayer.
2. Dietary habits – certain drinks and foods, especially those containing tannins, darken the shade of teeth. For example, coffee, tea, blueberries, blackcurrants, red wine, etc.
3. Age – when we are young tooth enamel is more transparent and reflects light rays better. As we age, the surface layer of the tooth – the enamel – wears away and the next, darker layer, dentin, becomes visible.
4. Harmful habits – such as constant smoking – make teeth yellower.
5. Medications – for example, the antibiotic tetracycline used in childhood can affect the color of teeth.
6. Too much fluoride in drinking water – excessive exposure to fluoride can also cause tooth discoloration.
7. Dental trauma – if a tooth is broken as a result of a blow, fall, or other trauma, its color may also change.
8. Dead tooth – During root canal therapy, the root canal, where the tooth nerve is located, is cleaned. If the nerve remains in the tooth for a long time or the canal is not cleaned properly, sometimes the tooth can become darker after root canal treatment.
9. Old fillings – nowadays there is a very wide range of filling colors, but if the majority of the tooth consists of fillings, tooth enamel may remain a different shade from the filling.

Over the decades, different whitening technologies have diversified and improved, and speed and safety have become the keywords of the moment. Below we take a closer look at the different methods.

To get a bright white smile, it’s safest to go to a dental office for consultation.

Together with your dentist, you can find out which whitening method is best for your teeth.

1.Dental Air-Flow soda wash and pearl cleaning

These procedures are performed in a dental clinic. During soda wash, granulated soda, air, and water pressure act on the teeth, which cleans the teeth of pigment. Hard-to-reach places, such as tight spaces between teeth, can also be cleaned during a soda wash. Tartar must be removed before cleaning, it is not removed during soda wash. During this procedure, your teeth will become cleaner and brighter.

It is not recommended to eat, drink, or smoke for two hours after soda wash and pearl cleaning, because the soda wash and pearl cleaning process remove the protective layer from the teeth, which is restored within two hours. To maintain the result, it is recommended to perform 1-2 procedures per year.

2. ZOOM-whitening at the dental clinic

In this whitening procedure, the teeth are first cleaned with a cleaning paste. The gums are then covered with a gum protection gel to prevent the whitening gel from flowing from the tooth surface onto the gums. Once the mucous membrane is protected, a whitening gel is applied to the teeth, which is activated by light rays from a special ZOOM lamp. The procedure lasts 15 minutes and can be repeated up to 4 times. At the end of the procedure, the gel and gum protection are removed. The entire procedure takes 1.5-2 hours.

3. Sapphire dental whitening

The Denmat Sapphire Whitening or Lumismile teeth whitening system is effective, fast and safe. The Lumismile whitening system helps to achieve a smile up to 8 shades whiter with minimal time and minimal tooth sensitivity

4. LED teeth whitening BlancOne

Blanc-One is a relatively new whitening system that uses LED lighting with a specially formulated whitening gel. BlancOne Click and Touch whitening gels contain only 5.6% hydrogen peroxide, the use of which in teeth whitening has also been approved by the Estonian Health Board.

In addition to hydrogen peroxide, the whitening gel contains two other ingredients that make BlancOne gels significantly more effective and safer than whitening gels used to date.

5. Teeth whitening with trays at home

To do this, impressions are taken of the patient’s teeth, based on which trays are made in the dental laboratory. The tray is an individual mold made of soft plastic, into which whitening gel is applied and which is then placed on the teeth. The gel tray is applied at night (the gel is active for 8-10 hours).

One method of whitening with trays is, for example, the HealthySmile whitening kit, which can be conveniently used at home. First, you need to register for an appointment with a dentist, who will take impressions of your dental arch in the office. Individual trays are then manufactured in the laboratory. The kit includes trays and a special whitening gel. Using the HealthySmile kit is very easy and convenient for everyone!

Whitening of a single tooth

If a single tooth in a row has changed color, the above whitening methods will not work on it. In this case, a small hole is drilled on the palate or tongue side surface of the tooth, the old filling is removed, and a special whitening gel is placed in the tooth. The hole created in the tooth is temporarily closed with a filling, and the procedure is repeated every 3-5 days until the desired result is achieved.

A tooth can change color for several reasons:

• After a trauma, e.g. from a fall or a blow to the tooth
• After orthodontic treatment, if too strong orthodontic forces have been applied to the tooth
• After root canal therapy

In the first and second cases, the dental nerve has been damaged as a result of a fall, impact, or strong force. Over time, the tooth changes its color, becoming bluish-gray. When the tooth nerve is dead, blood circulation inside the tooth is interrupted and blood proteins cause discoloration of the tooth’s interior. In this case, root canal therapy must first be performed and then the tooth is whitened internally (and externally if necessary) to restore the tooth’s color.

In the third case, the tooth has already undergone root canal therapy, but some of the nerve tissue in the root canal has not been removed. In this case, the old root canal therapy must first be reevaluated. If necessary, a new root canal therapy must be performed, and only after this has been successful can the tooth be whitened internally. It is also possible to give a final finish to a darkened tooth with a suitable light-curing filling, laminate or crown.

What to know before teeth whitening?

Before teeth whitening, tartar, major plaque, and pigment must be removed from the teeth. If necessary, caries should be treated. A broken tooth may start to hurt when exposed to the whitening gel.

It is worth knowing that any whitening processes only work for tooth enamel, but not for the filling or the crown. Therefore, if you have large fillings in your front teeth, it is worth considering the installation of laminates – whitening may not be the most suitable solution, as in this case, the fillings will likely need to be replaced after teeth whitening.

The result of teeth whitening also depends on the condition of the teeth: yellower teeth lighten the best, followed by brownish teeth, and grayish teeth whiten the worst.

The durability of whitening depends on hygiene, harmful habits (smoking) and dietary habits (the less coffee, tea, blueberries, etc. you consume, the better the result will last).

If the problem is only superficial, you should try whitening toothpaste, for more serious problems, such as large fillings or if tooth enamel has darkened to the point that even the whitening process is ineffective, it is worth considering installing laminates.

Whitening is definitely not a substitute for proper oral hygiene.

What to keep in mind after whitening?

After teeth whitening, it is recommended to use gentle toothpastes that help restore tooth enamel. You should definitely not use whitening toothpastes after the whitening procedure. Since whitening damages the protective layer of the teeth to some extent (which recovers over time), it is advisable not to eat strongly pigmenting foods or, for example, smoke for a week.

When is teeth whitening not recommended?

Laser whitening is not recommended:

• for pregnant women;
• for breastfeeding mothers;
• for patients under 18 years of age;
• for teeth with large fillings;
• in case of allergy or hypersensitivity to any of the components used in whitening gels.

Laser or ZOOM lamp whitening is also not suitable for people with photosensitivity or those receiving other photochemotherapy, or melanoma patients.

Patients who have difficulty breathing or a strong swallowing reflex are unable to complete the entire procedure, as the mouth must be open for a quarter of an hour at a time, three or four times in a row. Not recommended for more serious chronic diseases.

However, a dentist can best assess the need for whitening and provide the best advice. Therefore, it would be best to consult a dentist in advance, who will assess the condition of your teeth with a specialist’s eye and recommend the teeth whitening method that is best suited for you.

Teeth whitening at home or in a clinic?

Teeth whitening at home has gained great popularity in recent years, so the methods for doing it have also diversified. Home whitening methods include: whitening toothpastes, whitening patches and teeth whitening with trays.

1. Whitening toothpastes – toothpastes with whitening effects mostly clean tooth enamel from plaque. These pastes contain abrasives and an active gel. This may make the tooth enamel a little whiter, but the brightening/cleansing effect is more based on removing dental plaque, dirt and pigment.

NB! Whitening toothpastes with abrasives are not recommended for long-term use, as prolonged use of whitening toothpaste can cause tooth enamel to wear down and teeth may become sensitive to cold and heat. After using whitening toothpaste for a month, you should take a break, use a gentler toothpaste, and let your tooth enamel recover.

2. Teeth whitening patches – also known as teeth whitening strips. This home teeth whitening method originates from the USA. Whitening gel patches are stuck to the teeth for a few dozen minutes a day (10 days in a row), the active ingredients in the gel penetrate the teeth and make them brighter. NB! Not intended for continuous use!

3. Teeth whitening trays – the dentist takes an impression of the patient’s teeth (both the upper and lower dental arches). The laboratory makes transparent trays into which the patient applies the whitening carbamide peroxide gel at home. Whitening gels come in different concentrations: 10, 15 and 30 percent. A 10 or 15 percent concentration is recommended; too strong a concentration can make teeth tender. The trays with the gel are kept in the mouth overnight, and when you wake up in the morning, you remove the tray and brush your teeth. NB! You could use the tray two or three times a week so that the effect on your teeth is not too strong.

After two to three weeks of use, you should take a break, but if you wish, you can whiten your teeth again later.

Negative features may include sensitivity of the teeth or, if the tray does not fit well in the mouth, its edge may press on the gums and cause gum irritation. If you put too much gel in the tray and it starts to leak out, the gel can irritate the tongue, throat, and if swallowed, the stomach.

However, a positive feature is that the patient can dose the whitening gel themselves. If the patient feels that their teeth are becoming sensitive to hot or cold, they can take a break for a few days or weeks. It is not recommended to eat for a few hours after whitening, as tooth enamel is more susceptible to all kinds of pigmenting nutrients.

Although teeth whitening with home remedies has become increasingly available, it is still recommended to consult a dental hygienist or dentist before the procedure to ensure the best results. Before teeth whitening, tartar and excess plaque should be removed and, if necessary, teeth damaged by caries should be treated, as the whitening gel can cause pain in damaged teeth.