Professional teeth whitening
The professional tooth whitening is the best solution for stained or yellow teeth. It is a matter of going to a dental clinic for a dentist to assess the problem, study the type of enamel of the patient, its resistance, permeability and sensitivity, to resort to the most appropriate technique to whiten the teeth, without damaging the pieces dental or gums.
Nowadays, it is normal to find a wide variety of bleaching products in large areas and on the Internet, such as dental whitening kits at home. But these methods can be counterproductive to oral health, because it uses abrasive substances that, if used excessively and for a long time, can cause irreversible damage to the gums and teeth.
In addition to this, the procedures for whitening the teeth carried out by specialists in a clinic always yield more satisfactory and lasting results. In some cases, the dentist may recommend some type of additional treatment to help keep the tone of enamel obtained with professional teeth whitening longer. Thus, for example, some toothpastes or mouthwashes help eliminate superficial spots and keep white teeth.
External professional whitening
First of all, we must refer to external tooth whitening, since it is the most common technique. In order to carry out this procedure, the dentist designs customized splints for the patient to spread a whitening gel, composed of hydrogen peroxide or, where appropriate, car amide peroxide. Before this, the gums are protected by a rubber sleeve, to prevent them from burning with the gel. To improve the results, a powerful light is applied on the teeth.
Depending on the particular circumstances and the needs of the patient, the dentist will advise to continue with the treatment at home, to improve the results, or will prefer to complete the treatment in the clinic with successive sessions.
If you opt for the first, then it would be a mixed dental whitening, consisting of using splints at home with whitening gel. If you opt for this method, it is very important that the person follow the instructions of the dentist, both in relation to the procedure, such as the amounts of peroxide that is applied, the time of exposure or the duration of the treatment.
Thus, it is possible that the whitening product must be applied several times a day or only once; and the time may vary between 30 minutes or overnight. The effects are usually perceived after the first week, progressively.
Internal teeth whitening
On the other hand, there is internal tooth whitening with whitening the tooth from inside. Unlike the external one (which can also be done at home) internal whitening can only be applied by a professional.
This technique consists of applying a whitening agent inside the tooth (in the pulp chamber) and, normally, it is completed with an external whitening so that the effects are better. Patients who need to bleach non-vital teeth, that is, parts that have been previously restored by some kind of root canal treatment in which the nerves and blood vessels have been replaced by a filling, are recommended.
Given this situation, to practice internal tooth whitening the specialist drills the tooth to introduce the bleaching product. Then, seal the hole with a temporary filling, leaving the compound inside to act. After about a week, the patient will be cited again in the consultation to extract the product and finally seal the hole.
Preparation
Before performing any type of professional whitening, it is necessary for the dentist to examine the condition of the patient’s mouth and teeth, in order to rule out the existence of any problem or oral disease that may affect the success of the bleaching treatment, or that may harm the gums, soft tissues or enamel.
For example, if there are cavities, it is necessary to treat them earlier because the bleaching agent can pass through cavities and reach the internal areas of the tooth, aggravating the problem. Also, if the person has the gums retracted, leaving the roots slightly exposed with a yellow or discolored tone, it is possible that the whitening does not have very positive aesthetic results, it may even increase the tooth sensitivity.
It is also advisable to do a dental cleaning prior to professional teeth whitening, to eliminate bacteria and plaque. The best whitening product for the enamel tone of the patient will also be determined and how much should be applied.
How to preserve a professional tooth whitening?
Doing a professional tooth whitening does not mean that the teeth will be kept white forever, especially if you continue to have habits that harm and darken the enamel, such as smoking, not brushing your teeth daily or drinking a lot of coffee, tea, red wine or soft drinks. It is necessary to understand that the enamel is not a smooth surface, but porous, and that there are foods that penetrate it and that are difficult to eliminate.
Even so, there are some tricks that can help keep the good results of a teeth whitening performed by a professional for longer. It is about taking a proper oral hygiene and avoiding products that darken the enamel, while taking those that clean it naturally.
For example, there are some fruits and vegetables that generate a protective film on the enamel, preventing staining and, therefore, being useful to preserve white teeth. We could talk about the apple, the pear, the carrot, the cucumber or the lettuce.
On the other hand, also the fats and proteins contained in the cheese serves to neutralize the acids of certain foods that stain the teeth, while calcium and phosphorus stimulates the creation of saliva that helps the enamel to regenerate. There are also natural remedies that help improve the results of professional teeth whitening.