Who doesn’t wish for a shiny smile? Most of us, at some point or other, have found ourselves yearning for that perfect Hollywood-esque smile. Worry not !! It is not an impossible feat now, as you can get it too!! With advanced protocols, teeth whitening is now as easy as one, two, three..!
What is Teeth Whitening?
Your teeth may become discolored or dull due to various reasons, which could be -drinking excessive tea, coffee, or wine, frequently taking foods rich in pigmented substances, age, smoking or even your natural shade due to genetics, etc. Teeth whitening treatment can lighten the colour or shade of your teeth, to make them look brighter and more aesthetic.
Teeth whitening procedure
Our dentist will evaluate your whitening goals along with your oral health and recommend a safe, effective whitening treatment personalised to meet your needs. This is generally done in two ways:
- In-Chair professional whitening, which is performed by a dental professional at a clinic
- At-Home whitening done with an At-home whitening kit provided to you and under the supervision of your dentist.
So let’s find out more about what these treatments entail.
At-home whitening
This process involves a take-home whitening kit provided to you by your dentist, which includes whitening gel and custom dental trays (to fit your teeth perfectly) for holding the gel close to your teeth. You will be provided instructions and guided on how to apply the gel for the desired result. Your dentist will instruct you on the number of hours the trays must be worn for. You can choose to get your teeth whitening done by yourself in the comfort of your home. Generally, this procedure takes longer to lighten the teeth by 1 or 2 shades but is convenient. However, it is important to do at-home whitening only under the supervision of a dental professional.
In-Chair teeth whitening
In-office or in-chair teeth whitening is performed professionally by your dentist in a dental clinic in one or more visits. The dentist would perform regular dental cleaning for all your teeth, followed by applying professional-grade whitening gel on your teeth. Blue light may be used to maximise the effect of the gel. You should be in the chair for roughly an hour for the entire process. Following the application of the solution, your dentist will guide you in making lifestyle changes to help keep your teeth white.
So, Which one is better?
As to effectiveness, most whitening kits achieve their advertised levels of brightness, but they do differ in some respects, though, from office applications. The percentage of active bleaching agents — usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide — to other ingredients is about 10%, less than half the clinical formulations. This means they require more application sessions to achieve a level of brightness that one or two sessions of a clinical application can produce.
Some whitening kits contain harsh bleaching chemicals, hence their overzealous use could damage your dental enamel and cause your teeth to become sensitive. Additionally, the amount of brightness can be precisely controlled in an office setting. Hence in-office whitening is the most preferred option.
Generally, teeth lose some of their pearly white shine due to stains from dark drinks like coffee, soda, and tea, which are easily removed with regular brushing or regular dental cleanings. The most common reason for yellow teeth is: below the surface, underneath the outer layer of enamel is a yellowy core-dentin. With your enamel wearing off from acidic foods, grinding teeth, and natural aging, this yellowy layer gets closer to the surface, making your teeth appear more yellow. Genetics also plays a strong role in the yellowness of your dentin, or thinness of your enamel. Top causes of discolored teeth are : Age, Poor Oral Hygiene, Smoking, Diet, certain Health Conditions, medications, etc.
Absolutely. If you have your teeth whitened by a trained dental professional, you will have peace of mind knowing that your oral health will be protected.