Smoking, drinking coffee, and tea can change the color of your teeth to yellowish. To get a lighter or more even shade of your teeth, you may try a dental bleaching procedure. What are the benefits and possible side effects of dental bleaching procedures? Here is the review.
What is dental bleaching?
Dental bleaching is a method of lightening the color of teeth by applying chemicals to whiten them. Dental bleaching procedures can be performed using active ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide in a dental clinic.
Dental bleaching techniques are generally considered to be safe and efficient for achieving an even shade of teeth. However, the effectiveness of these procedures may vary depending on the specific type of stains that cause teeth discolouration. The color of teeth bleaching results can generally last from 6 months to 1 year, depending on the type of bleaching material used and daily lifestyle.
Dental bleaching procedure
Teeth bleaching procedures are generally performed at a dentist's clinic, but you can also do it at home using special toothpaste. In general, teeth bleaching procedures can be divided into the following:
Bleaching at a dental clinic
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- Before the bleaching process, the dentist will scrape off the plaque and dirt on the teeth.
- Then the dentist will place a retractor so that the lips do not get bleached.
- The dentist applies a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide gel and then irradiates it with a laser to activate the peroxide.
- The coating will be left on for 30–60 minutes and then reapplied occasionally.
- When finished, the retractor is removed and the teeth are rinsed to remove any remaining bleach.
- The dentist will apply fluoride to reduce the side effects of bleaching.
Home dental bleaching
There is a teeth-whitening set that you can buy to whiten your teeth at home. This tool usually comes with a cream that is put on the teeth with a toothbrush or other tools. This method is basically identical to the teeth-whitening procedure commonly performed at the dental clinic.
First, use a refractor to make it easier to apply the whitening agent to the teeth. Then apply the whitening agent to the teeth and attach the mouthguard. Some products have UV light in the mouthguard for the whitening agent to work optimally.
Whitening your teeth at home is simple, but the concentration of the agents is typically less than what a dentist can provide. Therefore, you may need to do it 2-3 times until you get the desired results.
Benefits and side effects of dental bleaching
Dental bleaching procedures result in more brilliantly white teeth that make you more confident. Dental whitening can also remove stains on the teeth and reduce the growth of bacteria, so that the oral cavity becomes healthier.
To get maximum results, you should have dental bleaching done at a trusted dental clinic. After bleaching, the dentist will perform additional examinations or treatments to make the results last longer.
Dental bleaching is a safe procedure to perform, but it can cause a number of side effects, such as the following:
- Tooth sensitivity
Your teeth may become more sensitive after bleaching. Over time, the soreness of the teeth will decrease. Your dentist may suggest using products containing potassium nitrate and sodium fluoride gel to relieve tooth sensitivity. - Gingival irritation
You may also experience gingival irritation. This is usually caused by contact between the gums and the whitening product. This side effect will disappear after the treatment is completed.
Dental bleaching is a technique to get brighter, whiter teeth. In order for the bleaching results to last, you should reduce smoking and drink coffee or tea. If you have questions about the dental bleaching procedures, If you need medical advice or consultation, you can either visit a doctor or make use of the consultation features that are available in the Ai Care application by downloading the Ai Care application from the App Store or Play Store.
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- dr. Monica Salim
NHS. Teeth Whitening. Available from: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/teeth-whitening/
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Watson, K. (2022). How Does Teeth Whitening Work?. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/how-does-teeth-whitening-work
Cleveland Clinic. (2019). Is Teeth Whitening Safe?. https://health.clevelandclinic.org/is-teeth-whitening-safe/
Silver, N. (2018). Teeth Whitening Options and Safety. Available from: https://www.healthline.com/health/is-teeth-whitening-safe