08 May 2014
Will whitening damage my teeth?
Whitening or bleaching, if done by or under guidance of a dental professional, will normally not cause any damage on the teeth. It is a fairly common dental procedure with little risk of any unwanted bad side effects. While done largely for cosmetic purposes, teeth whitening is nonetheless a dental procedure. Thus, it should only be carried out by a duly licensed dentist or by a dental hygienist or other regulated dental professional acting on a prescription issued by a registered dentist.
To ensure that there will be no risk of damage to the teeth or gums, a dentist will always make a preliminary examination of the patient’s condition before proceeding with the actual teeth whitening treatment. Tests will likely be carried out to determine possible sensitivity to the whitening agents that will be used in the process. There will also be a consultation wherein the patient will be told what to expect during and following the teeth whitening procedure. A chart will be shown indicating the current shade of the patient’s teeth and the likely shade that will be achieved after the end of the treatment. The patient will be advised about how long the whitening will usually last before another treatment may be necessary.
Professional dental teeth whitening treatment may be done in one of two ways. One way is in-office bleaching. Here the treatment will start with a thorough dental cleaning to rid the teeth and gums of decay-causing plaque and tartar. After the cleaning, a light-cured protective solution will be applied on the gums and between the teeth to minimise risk of chemical irritation of the soft tissues. Retractors will be arranged inside the mouth to keep the inside of the cheeks, the tongue and the lips away from the whitening solution. Then the bleaching agents, usually a peroxide-based gel, will be carefully painted on each tooth. After 15 minutes, laser or halogen curing light will be used to activate the peroxide. The teeth will then be coated again with the bleaching solution, following which it will again be cured with light. The process will be repeated until the desired shade of white is reached. Finally, fluoride will be applied on the teeth for added protection. The entire in-office procedure will usually take an hour to complete.
The other way of professional dental teeth whitening treatment is through at-home dentist-supervised bleaching. Here during the initial consultation, the dentist will take an impression of your teeth which he will use as mold for making your customised mouth trays. Once ready, you can take home the mouth trays along with the whitening gel and your dentist’s detailed written instructions. Once at home, you will put a small amount of gel into the tray which you will wear for about two hours a day. At-home teeth whitening treatment can take up to four to six weeks of daily use of the mouth trays before you get the desired shade of white. The bleaching solution in the at-home treatment is much less concentrated than the one used in in-office treatment and thus generally safe to use so long as the dentist’s instructions are strictly followed.
Teeth whitening done in salons and spas is unauthorised. There is no guarantee that they will not do damage to your teeth and overall dental health. For over-the-counter do-it-yourself bleaching kits, there is risk that the mouth trays may not properly fit with your teeth. When this happens, the whitening agents may leak into your gums and mouth and cause blisters and other complications.
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