There is a growing demand for teeth whitening today due to a cosmetically conscious generation and social media influence. Dental cosmetic procedures have gained immense popularity since the early 2000s. Be it, adults or teenagers, the demand for brighter and whiter teeth has led to the introduction of many teeth whitening procedures worldwide.
The market is full of teeth whitening products that claim to brighten and whiten your teeth in minutes. Many options can leave a person seeking whiter teeth confused and overwhelmed from toothpaste or teeth whitening lights.
However, a few of the biggest questions about these over-the-counter teeth whitening kits are safety and efficacy. Do these kits work, or is it just a marketing gimmick? Should you go for professional teeth whitening or use at-home kits. This blog will take a brief look at these two options to help you make the right choice.

Importance Of Whiter Teeth

A smile transcends boundaries and languages. No matter which country you belong to or the language you speak, a smile will always convey warmth and friendliness throughout the world. Research also shows that people with whiter and bright teeth tend to smile much more often than those suffering from discolorations. 

People with bright pearly whites also tend to be much more confident and comfortable in social and professional situations. A bright smile also sends a positive message and conveys that you look after your health and appearance.

 How Does Teeth Whitening Work?

Our teeth consist of three layers. The innermost layer is the dental pulp, which contains blood vessels, nerves, and connective tissue of the teeth. The dental pulp is covered by the more calcified and yellowish-grayish color layer, called the dentine. Dentine is covered by the topmost protective layer, which is the hardest and highly calcified, called the enamel. 

With time and consumption of coffee, tea, sodas, wine, tobacco, and smoking can discolor the tooth. These discolorations over time get embedded into the enamel and cannot be removed by regular brushing. 

Teeth whitening procedures whiten teeth with the help of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. These ingredients form the mainstay of any teeth whitening procedures and are the active ingredients. These active ingredients penetrate the enamel and undergo an oxidation reaction which breaks up the stains and discoloration.

Ways To Achieve Whiter Teeth

 At-home Teeth Whitening

The present market is full of at-home teeth whitening kits making enormous claims regarding their efficiency. Let us take a brief look at some of the most commonly used at-home teeth whitening methods.

Whitening Strips are readily available in the market and are pocket-friendly than their alternatives. The whitening strips are coated with a whitening gel that has to be applied and kept on the teeth for a specific time, usually specified in the instruction manual. This whitening gel is responsible for removing the discolorations. 

Whitening Toothpaste & Powders – A teeth whitening toothpaste typically contain hydrogen peroxide as the primary whitening agent. Whitening toothpastes also contain abrasives that help sand away stains physically. 

Manufacturers have also introduced a charcoal based toothpaste for whitening teeth.  

These products must be used regularly to see results.  

Led Teeth Whitening Hine Kits have recently been introduced in the market and claim to function as efficiently as professional treatments. The kit comes with whitening gels and a LED light. After it has been applied to the teeth, the whitening gel is exposed to the LED light. The addition of LED light helps the gel penetrate deeper into the tooth, thus giving more efficient results. 

In-Office Teeth Whitening

Vital Bleaching is the treatment done for discolored and stained teeth that are alive, which means they still have an active dental pulp. 

Non Vital Bleaching is the whitening treatment done on teeth that are not alive because they have undergone a root canal treatment.

After a thorough oral examination, your dentist will suggest the teeth whitening procedure best for you. The vitality of the tooth, the structure of the enamel, the nature of the stain, and patients’ general health play a crucial role in deciding the appropriate treatment. 

Traditional in-the-office teeth whitening involves applying a whitening gel or solution—the active agent in the gels are either hydrogen peroxide or close a relative carbamide peroxide. Generally, the gels contain 10-30% of these active ingredients. 

During your appointment, our dentist will retract your cheeks to expose all the surfaces on your teeth. Then your gums and other soft tissues of the mouth will be covered, leaving only the teeth exposed. After this, bleaching gel will be applied, and it will be allowed to sit for some time, after which it is removed and washed away. This procedure may be repeated depending on the extent of discoloration. You may need to come in for several appointments to get to the shade you desire. 

Recent advances have introduced a UV light-based system to hasten the process. One such advancement is zoom! teeth whitening. This process involves applying a whitening gel followed by UV light exposure for 15 minutes and is repeated three times. Within 45 minutes, we can give you up to 8 shades of lighter teeth.  

Is Teeth Whitening Safe?

Teeth whitening procedures are safe, but careful professional supervision is necessary to ensure no damage is done to the structure of the teeth. With at-home teeth whitening kits, it is possible to overdo it. Many people with home teeth whitening kits use more products with increased frequency to gain faster results. However, it makes the enamel porous, leading to teeth sensitivity making the teeth susceptible to damage. 

Many home whitening kits have a guard on which the whitening gel is put on, and then it is placed on the teeth. Without dental supervision, it is possible that this guard is not set correctly, and the whitening products come in contact with the soft tissues of the mouth, causing chemical burns to the gums, tongue, and inside of the cheek. 

Moreover, the efficacy of over-the-counter teeth whitening products is highly debatable. Professional teeth whitening procedures are done after a careful oral examination performed by trained staff, contributing to its safety. The active agents used at our dental clinic are managed carefully, guaranteeing better and more long-lasting results. Therefore, it is of the essence that you consult a board-certified dentist before opting for any teeth whitening.