Tooth Whitening
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In this segment, Dr. Daniel Nichols discusses the tooth whitening systems
that are available to get a more beautiful smile.
Tooth whitening systems have been available for about the past 15 years.
There are two types of stains that make our teeth darker. Extrinsic stains are
the surface stains that are caused by coffee, tea, cigarettes, red wine, colas
etc. These stains are removed by toothpastes that are abrasive and help to rub
the stains off of the teeth. Intrinsic stains are those caused during
development of the tooth, such as tetracycline staining. In addition, with age
there is a gradual darkening of the shade of the teeth.
There are a variety of products that can be purchased in a drug store over
the counter to help improve the color of the teeth. There are a variety of
abrasive toothpastes, which help remove the surface stains, such as those from
coffee. They are safe to use, but with time can cause increased sensitivity.
There are also many types of bleaching kits, with low strengths of hydrogen
peroxide gel. They come with a tray for the gel, which you wear for several
hours to help whiten the teeth. Because it is not a custom fit tray, they can be
somewhat uncomfortable, and a lot of the gel can leak out of the tray. Also,
because they are a low strength gel, it may take a lot of time to get the result
you want.
Crest has whitening strips, which are an adhesive strip with hydrogen
peroxide, which you apply directly to the teeth. This is a much easier system,
but it also takes a fair amount of time to see results.
At your dentist you can get a custom fit tray system for a stronger (15-25%)
hydrogen or carbamide peroxide gel. The custom fit tray will be more
comfortable, and you will get less leakage of the gel around the tray. The
higher strength gels work much more quickly to whiten the teeth, but may also
cause more sensitivity.
In the dentist’s office you can get a laser whitening. This usually involves
a 35% peroxide gel which is applied and then activated with laser light for
30-60 minutes. You can then do future touch ups with a tray system at home.
One of the main factors with tooth whitening is compliance. Many people do
not do the recommended number of treatments, sometimes because of tooth
sensitivity, so they never get as white as they would like. The final result
will also depend on the starting shade of the teeth. And some intrinsic stains,
such as those from tetracycline staining, may not lighten much at all. Although
there are no studies showing that bleaching actually damages the teeth, too much
bleaching can give a bluish cast to the teeth.
Many mall kiosks, spas, and cruise ships now offer tooth whitening. What you
will be treated with is a system similar in strength to the at home versions you
can buy yourself at the drug store. So save you money and do it at home!