Teeth Whitening

What is teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening; It is the elimination of the discoloration problem of the porous enamel layer, which is colored for various reasons, through a series of procedures with the help of whitening gels. Teeth whitening is a process that must be determined by the bleaching rate according to the tooth structure and must be carried out under the supervision of a physician.

Why is teeth whitening needed?

A daily cleaning routine for teeth ensures that we have a healthy mouth and teeth. However, what we eat during the day, genetic structure and medications used by the mother during the development process in the womb, products with coloring properties such as cigarettes and tea that we smoke in daily life, and even the amount of fluoride in water cause discoloration in the enamel layer. In fact, the factors we have mentioned so far are also the answer to the question “Why are my teeth not white?“. In addition to the fact that cigarettes, tea, coffee and carbonated drinks consumed during the day cause significant color changes in the teeth, aesthetic concerns gain importance in the developing society and the need for a beautiful smile brings the option of teeth whitening. It is an important aesthetic option for service sector employees who are in direct contact with people, such as media, public relations and banking sector employees.

There are two types of discoloration on teeth:

Internal discoloration: These are stains that have penetrated into the tooth and cannot be removed by brushing. Structural disorders that occur during the formation of teeth (due to medications or excessive fluoride intake, etc.) also fall into this class. The whitening process is very successful in the majority of such cases. External Discoloration: These are the discolorations that adhere to the tooth surface from some staining foods such as cigarettes, tea, coffee and cola. It is usually possible to get rid of these stains after cleaning the teeth. Different colorations require different treatments. For this reason, it is best for your dentist to decide what type of treatment should be performed.

What are the teeth whitening methods?

There are two types of teeth whitening performed under the supervision of a physician, depending on the method of application. The so-called office type (Power Bleaching) whitening process is a procedure that takes approximately 1 hour and is performed in a clinical environment. Whitening gels applied to the outer surface of the bleached tooth react with a special light used. It is a fast and effective whitening management. In this process, 3 – 4 shades of tooth color lightening is achieved in one session. Another method is home whitening (Home Bleaching). The whitening process takes longer than office whitening. It is a process that takes between 5 and 7 days, depending on the discoloration on the surface of the tooth. Before the home whitening process, a personalized mouthpiece is made. Whitening gels placed in the prepared mouthpiece are applied to the teeth by wearing the mouthpiece for 4 to 8 hours a day.

Can anyone whiten their teeth?

The whitening process, in which the color of the teeth is lightened with the help of whitening agents, is a safe procedure that anyone can have. If this procedure is performed in reliable clinics under the supervision of a physician, it does not cause any harm to the teeth. It is important for people who want to have a whitening procedure to undergo a dentist examination. Advanced caries and gum problems detected after the examination must be treated before the whitening process. The whitening process, which is not recommended for those who are still growing and developing, should also be done with caution for pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers.

What are the side effects of teeth whitening?

Depending on the whitening process, temporary sensitivity may occur in the teeth. It is possible to eliminate these sensitivity problems with simple interventions. Teeth whitening performed by a physician is a safe procedure that does not cause any harm to the teeth. Teeth whitening allows patients to use their own teeth for longer periods of time by preventing teeth from being cut to remove discoloration.

How long does the whitening effect last?

How long the patient will use the white teeth obtained; It is directly related to their habits during and after treatment. After the teeth whitening treatment, the patient should stay away from tobacco and tobacco products such as cigarettes, cigars, hookahs and pipes, especially for the first few days, and stay away from coffee, tea, wine, tomato paste, acidic and food coloring-containing drinks and foods for at least two weeks or as much as possible. It should consume less. After this process, the patient should be very careful about brushing his teeth and should prevent coloring substances from adhering to the tooth surface as much as possible. If these situations are not taken into consideration, the discoloration of the whitened tooth will occur again. Therefore, the success achieved after whitening treatment will continue for a longer time in patients with good oral hygiene. The success of whitening (that is, to what extent it will whiten) varies from person to person. This variability directly depends on the condition causing the coloration. If the patient does not have advanced fluorosis, some hereditary diseases or advanced antibiotic discoloration, the chance of success will be quite high. Additionally, the success of whitening treatment will decrease with older ages. In such cases, whitening treatments alone will not be sufficient and advanced restorative and prosthetic treatments may be needed. However, such situations take up very little space in the routine, and almost every type of discoloration can be eliminated with whitening treatment.