Teeth whitening

Teeth whitening has been around for over a century, using various substances over time. About half of them used agents that oxidized the “colored” organic substances in the teeth, while some contained corrosive or even toxic ingredients like potassium cyanide.

Today, teeth whitening is generally harmless under normal conditions. It is essential to entrust this service to professionally trained healthcare workers in dental offices, preferably dentists.

The teeth whitening process is usually painless. In some cases, people may experience slight sensitivity, but this is temporary and usually subsides quickly.

The teeth whitening process typically takes about one to two hours, depending on the chosen whitening method and the individual needs of the client.

Interestingly, most of us start with healthy and white teeth, but various factors affect them over time. The care we provide is crucial (except in cases of injury). The basis for lasting beauty is oral hygiene, and certain procedures, such as whitening, can add the finishing touch. This trend, which enhances our appearance, is becoming increasingly popular.

Despite diligent hygiene, everyday use of our teeth eventually leads to wear and staining from various sources. Consuming colored foods and drinks and smoking gradually darken the natural color of our teeth, and aging also contributes. It’s important to note that there are individual differences in natural tooth color, as some people naturally have lighter teeth than others.

Teeth that are yellowed due to aging, smoking, and/or coffee consumption usually whiten easily.

External whitening is mostly done with hydrogen peroxide. It penetrates the enamel and dentin and decolors the pigments (organic molecules) that have accumulated over time. We apply it as a whitening gel on the teeth, protect the gums beforehand, and let it work for 15 minutes when activated by light (which increases the gel’s effectiveness by raising the temperature). During one dental visit, we can repeat these 15-minute sessions up to four times.

Certain conditions must be met for external whitening. Teeth and gums must be healthy and teeth must be professionally cleaned thoroughly before whitening, which includes scaling and blasting. Due to the higher concentration of peroxide used in professional external teeth whitening, we must ensure precise protection of the gums to prevent chemical burns during the process.

Whitening can also be done at home so-called whitening trays. These are clear trays made based on an impression of your teeth, fitting them precisely. You apply whitening gel inside the trays and wear them while sleeping. The procedure is repeated 7-10 times, achieving the same effect as in-office whitening with a lower concentration and longer exposure time.

Immediately after whitening, teeth may be sensitive to cold, but this issue typically resolves within a week of stopping the whitening. During the whitening process, it is not recommended to consume highly pigmented foods (such as beets, pumpkin oil, etc.).

The teeth whitening procedure can be divided into whitening healthy teeth (those with nerves) and whitening darkened, non-vital teeth (those already treated and without nerves). The latter are whitened from the inside, where the nerve used to be, as the cause of the discoloration is in that space. We insert a hydrogen peroxide-based whitening gel into the darkened tooth and replace this insert at one-week intervals. After up to three replacements of the whitening insert, we usually achieve the desired tooth brightness.

Healthy teeth are whitened externally, usually focusing on those visible when smiling. They can be internally and/or externally stained. External staining of healthy teeth is typically due to stained dental plaque (dental calculuc) from food or smoking. We simply remove the stained plaque from the teeth with special tools and sandblasting.

Internal staining, which results from aging and the mentioned pigments, as well as some medications or medical conditions, requires whitening. In this case, the enamel and underlying dentin are stained.

There are numerous commercial products in the form of gels, pastes, solutions, and chewing gums claiming to whiten teeth. Most of these products contain peroxide as the active ingredient. The higher the concentration and the longer it works, the whiter the teeth.