Don't Lose Your Dental Health While Trying to Whiten Your Teeth
The color of tooth enamel is one of the primary elements complementing dental aesthetics. Everyone desires sparkling white teeth for a perfect aesthetic smile. However, numerous factors lead to discoloration of teeth. For instance, coloring agents like wine, fruit juice, cigarettes, coffee, tea, and cola cause tooth color to darken over time. Tooth color, much like skin color, carries certain hereditary traits. This means some people's teeth may not naturally be sparkling white from birth. Medications used during childhood can lead to dark stains on the tooth surface. Regardless of the reason for discoloration, thanks to modern aesthetic dentistry practices, everyone can now achieve the white, sparkling, and aesthetic teeth they dream of. However, you should not jeopardize your oral and dental health while attempting to whiten your teeth. Specialist Dentist Emin Serhat Arıkan, who serves patients in Adana, explained what needs to be known about tooth whitening treatments and the potential risks of incorrect tooth whitening applications.
Be Careful When Using Whitening Toothpastes
People experiencing discoloration and yellowing of their teeth due to various reasons, and smokers, use toothpastes sold in the market that promise whitening to whiten their teeth. However, these and similar toothpastes contain numerous abrasive components. This can lead to the erosion and damage of teeth. To protect the health of tooth enamel, it's advisable not to use these and similar whitening toothpastes continuously. The correct method of use is to alternate between toothpastes that promise a whitening effect and regular toothpastes.
Harmful Effects of Tooth Whitening Powders
Powders frequently encountered online and in pharmacies that promise teeth whitening create an abrasive effect on the upper structure of the teeth. In such cases, even if some whiteness is achieved in the first few days, the teeth quickly become dirty afterward and face more serious dangers. Therefore, it is beneficial to prefer fluoride-containing dental care products and to avoid grainy toothpastes and tooth cleaners.
You Can Have White and Sparkling Teeth with Professional Teeth Whitening Treatment
Before clinical teeth whitening treatment, your dentist will conduct a comprehensive evaluation of your oral and dental health. If discoloration, dark stains, and tartar on the teeth need to be cleaned, these procedures are performed first. Additionally, if there are any problems with the teeth and gums, they are detected early and treated.
Teeth whitening treatment, or in other words, bleaching applications, are performed using peroxides and similar agents. This lightens the color of the teeth. The substances your dentist uses during the bleaching process release oxygen, causing the teeth to lighten. Teeth whitening treatment can be applied in two different ways.
In the first method, the dentist applies the treatment directly to the patient. A special gel is applied to the patient's teeth, and the desired whiteness is achieved. After this treatment, which can be completed in an average of one and a half hours, patients can achieve up to five shades of whiteness.
The second teeth whitening method is home-based teeth whitening application. The patient applies whitening gels to their teeth themselves at home using special transparent trays. The patient applies this gel to their teeth for one or two hours during the day, and after an application of six to eight days, the desired whiteness in the teeth is achieved.
Permanent Whiteness Can Be Achieved with Home Teeth Whitening Application After In-Office Teeth Whitening Procedure
During teeth whitening treatment, experiencing sensitivity to hot and cold in the teeth is a normal and probable situation. This is a very normal and temporary process. This sensitivity subsides the day after the treatment.
After in-office teeth whitening treatment, whitening toothpastes can be used to maintain and perpetuate the whiteness achieved. Scientific studies published in this field indicate that whitening gels are a completely safe application. If there is no pregnancy or other health issue that could impede in-office teeth whitening treatment, anyone who wishes can apply for in-office teeth whitening. Subsequently, the results obtained can be preserved and made permanent by applying home-based teeth whitening treatments at regular intervals.
