Cosmetic Teeth Whitening Complete Guide: Pros and Cons

The pros and cons of cosmetic teeth whitening at the dentist do not allow us to single out the best method that suits all patients. There are several effective methods with their own characteristics, contraindications, and different results. Your doctor will help you choose the best option.

Advantages and disadvantages of the procedure

Positive sides:

• Fast result. For a single visit, you can noticeably lighten the enamel by several tones, the effect depends on its condition.
• There are no medical indications. The client of the dental clinic decides for himself whether he needs to whiten his dentition.
• Many techniques with different effects and prices.
• No pain or other discomfort.
• Almost all methods are universal, which means they can be used for patients of different ages.
• There is no need to go through a recovery period.
• Getting rid of complexes and awkwardness when communicating with others.

The technique also has its downsides:

• The most effective methods have a high cost.
• The effect does not last long. The smile will remain snow-white for 5-7 years, but no more.
• Increasing the sensitivity of enamel, it thinning. There may be pain during eating if the food or water is too low, or high temperature.
• Impossibility to change the color of the filling material, implants, and artificial crowns.
• The risk of losing the natural shade of teeth, and excessive whiteness increases.
• The need to adhere to dietary nutrition to maintain results. It is not recommended to drink coffee, Strong black tea, or consume foods with a high concentration of bright natural pigment.

Contraindications for teeth whitening

Doctors recommend completely abandoning the procedure or postponing it indefinitely during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as with:

• Individual intolerance to the components of the bleaching composition;
• The presence of a milk bite, which has not changed to a permanent one;
• Oncology;
• Increased sensitivity of enamel;
• Tissue damage due to traumatic effects or for other reasons;
• Pulpitis in a chronic form;
• Orthodontic treatment;
• Dental diseases (for example, caries) in the acute phase;
• A large number of fillings, fixed dentures, and artificial crowns (color balance disturbances, and unnatural whiteness of individual areas are possible).

Each case is considered by a dentist, the doctor may prohibit brightening the dentition in order to avoid adverse reactions. Why do you need teeth whitening if it will lead to irreversible consequences? It is likely that the presence of the above circumstances is not an absolute obstacle to a cosmetic procedure, and in the absence of dangerous risks, it can be completed.

How to reduce harmful effects

A dazzling smile does not mean that the teeth are completely healthy. Behind the thin enamel is dentin. It is a structure with yellowish or grayish pigmentation. When bleaching, active chemical compounds are used, which lead to a thinning of the enamel layer or a violation of its integrity. It also affects the condition of the oral cavity.

To minimize negative consequences, the dentist performs the following actions:

• Conducts a visual inspection and assessment of the condition of hard and soft tissues in the mouth.
• Identifies possible contraindications.
• Selects a safe and effective way to whiten teeth.
• Uses any available methods for diagnosing and stopping pathological processes.

How to keep your teeth whiter longer

Depending on the technique used, the effect of professional whitening can last for more than one year. However, some patients come back to the clinic after a few months for a second procedure. In order for a smile to remain dazzling for a long time, doctors recommend adhering to the following rules:

• Do not eat for 3 hours after teeth whitening, you can only drink clean water, then you need to follow a special diet;
• Do not use a brush with hard bristles, as it will only increase sensitivity;
• Purchase a paste without abrasive particles;
• Rinse your mouth, use dental floss, and an irrigator after each meal;
• Chlorhexidine should be absent in mouthwashes (it stains teeth);
• Follow the schedule of visiting the dentist for preventive examinations (at least once every six months);
• Complete cessation of smoking for 2-3 days, preferably for a few weeks.

Special diet

To maintain the effect for a long time immediately after the procedure, it is necessary to adhere to a special diet. It is important to minimize the consumption of food with bright dyes. It is advisable to eat:

• Cereals;
• Dairy (but not sour milk) products;
• Fish and seafood;
• Chicken, rabbit meat;
• Egg white;
• Fruits and vegetables of white color (for example, bananas).

Along with the exclusion from the diet of food containing dyes, it is recommended to abandon the coloring spices. It’s turmeric and paprika. Also, dentists do not recommend eating smoked meats, citrus fruits, or any berries, or drinking coffee, black tea, and alcoholic beverages.

Types of teeth whitening: pros and cons

There are no perfect lighting methods. Each has its pros and cons for which the patient must be prepared. That is why you need to consult with your dentist first.

Caps

These are removable devices that are made of special materials that are not subject to oxidative processes. As a rule, designs are used to correct the bite and change the position of the teeth. If the mouth guard is correctly installed, it does not cause discomfort (soreness and other discomforts). After the adaptation period, the patient completely forgets about the presence of a foreign object in the mouth.

The device is created according to a cast, which is previously made by the dentist during the initial appointment. The finished structure is filled with a whitening preparation and placed on the upper or lower jaw.

Advantages:

• Low cost in comparison with other methods;
• The possibility of whitening teeth at home.

Flaws:

• The insufficiently pronounced visual effect, caps will not get rid of intense yellowish deposits;
• The risk of developing an allergic reaction;
• The method is contraindicated for persons with orthodontic structures in the mouth (plates, braces, etc.).

Laser technique

This method is one of the most efficient. With a snow-white smile, you can walk up to 10 years, of course, if you do not ignore the prescriptions of doctors. In this case, the enamel becomes white in just one session.

A gel composition is applied to the teeth, after which its components are activated using a laser, and oxygen ions are formed that penetrate the enamel layer and deactivate the coloring pigment.

Pros:

• For clarification by more than 5 tones, one visit to the clinic is enough;
• Absence of pain and other discomforts;
• The device acts for a short time (about 20 minutes);
• The gel used has antiseptic properties and prevents inflammation in the mouth;
• The components of the drug strengthen the enamel and protect it from external influences.

Negative sides:

• High price compared to alternative methods;
• Increased sensitivity of the teeth immediately after the procedure.

Ultrasonic cleaning

In this case, the enamel brightening occurs due to the removal of hard plaque and other deposits, even in the interdental spaces. With the help of vibrations, all layers are mechanically eliminated. After all the manipulations, the specialist applies a special paste-like composition to the teeth to improve the protection of the dentition from external influences and various chemical irritants.

Ultrasound helps to get rid of even subgingival plaque. The stone is also cleaned.

Pros:

• In one visit to the dentist, you can lighten your teeth by several tones;
• During the procedure, the entire oral cavity is cleaned, not just hard tissues;
• Absence of pain and other unpleasant sensations;
• Affordable price.

Minuses:

• To consolidate the effect, ultrasonic cleaning should be repeated annually;
• The result may seem insufficient if the enamel was too dark;
• The natural shade of dentinal tissue does not change;
• A visit to the doctor takes up to an hour.

Chemical bleaching

The dentist applies highly concentrated preparations that contain hydrogen peroxide or other active ingredients. As a result, the dentin is whitened, and its shade becomes lighter by 5-7 tones or more.

Advantages of the method:

• An effective procedure that removes plaque and brightens the dentin layer;
• If all the manipulations were performed according to the rules, the result can last up to 4-5 years.

Minuses:

• Increased sensitivity of enamel after clarification;
• High price;
• The risk of burns of the mucous membranes in case of non-compliance with the dosing regimen of the chemical composition;
• It takes many treatments (about 7) at intervals of 2-3 days to achieve the desired effect.

Airflow

The surface of the teeth is processed mechanically, while the dentin layer is not affected. The doctor uses a sandblaster for this. Even the most inaccessible areas (such as interdental spaces) will be clean after exposure to a mixture of water, air, and soda. The enamel is polished and the smile becomes dazzling.

Advantages:

• Absence of pain and other discomforts;
• The entire oral cavity is cleaned, including the space between the teeth, under the gums, etc.;
• Fabrics are not damaged, and abrasive particles act very gently;
• The patient is not disturbed by the increased sensitivity of the teeth immediately after cleaning;
• Affordable price.

Minuses:

• Insufficiently pronounced visual effect;
• More contraindications compared to alternative methods;
• The color stays up to a year.

Photobleaching

One of the most modern techniques with ZOOM or Luma-Arch devices. Enamel brightens due to ultraviolet exposure. The lamp warms up the brightening gel applied to the teeth, thereby enhancing its effect.

Pros:

• The procedure lasts about 15 minutes;
• For a visit, you can make the enamel lighter by 10 tones;
• The effect lasts up to 4 years if you follow the rules established by the doctor and adhere to basic hygiene standards;
• No pain syndrome.

Minuses:

• The high cost (methods involving mechanical cleaning will be much cheaper);
• It is desirable to completely exclude foods with bright dyes from the diet;
• Subsequent remineralization may be required;
• Before photobleaching it is necessary to remove micro prostheses, veneers;
• Whitening is uneven, hard-to-reach areas are not lightened, but only the front incisors and canines;
• If the technique of the procedure is not followed, the risk of burns of the mucous membranes of the oral cavity increases.

Endobleaching

This technique is also called intracanal bleaching. This method is used in the case when depopulation has been performed, that is, the removal of palpation tissue. After the death of the nerve, the teeth darken, so many patients want to lighten them.

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The doctor pours a special synthetic compound with a whitening effect into the cavity and places a temporary filling material on top. If the enamel brightens within 10-15 days, the preparation is removed and everything is sealed.

Advantages:

• You can lighten one or more teeth at once;
• The enamel remains intact because the whitening agent works from within.

Flaws:

• Short-term effect (up to a year);
• Not suitable for processing both rows;
• The price increases as the number of treated teeth increases.

Home Whitening

Not all patients want to visit a dental clinic and prefer to whiten their enamel at home. The most common procedures:

• The use of special whitening pastes. Typically, such compositions contain abrasives, affecting the entire surface of the dentition. As a result, it is possible to lighten the enamel layer by several tonnes.
• Special stripes. Reminiscent of a plaster, glued to the incisors of the upper and lower jaws. The adhesive side contains a gel with concentrated chemical compounds. The mouth undergoes an oxidation process, which contributes to quick and easy cleansing.
• Folk methods. Fans of ” grandmother’s ” recipes use hydrogen peroxide, soda, activated carbon, and other substances.

What are the advantages of self-lightening at home:

• Low price;
• Ease of implementation.

The list of cons is much longer than the list of pros. This:

• Low efficiency compared to professional care;
• Negative impact on enamel, damage to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, the appearance of hypersensitivity to any irritant;
• High risk of allergies and poisoning in case of careless use and, as a result, ingestion of bleaching mixtures.

Are teeth whitening worth it?

This is a very responsible procedure, if you make mistakes, you can start irreversible pathological processes. Doctors recommend twice a year resort to dental cleaning to remove accumulated deposits. This is a superficial method that does not lead to the lightening of dentition. If the patient wants to whiten his teeth, he is shown professional whitening in dentistry.

Doctors do not recommend performing the procedure at home with purchased pharmacy formulations. Firstly, it is very difficult to correctly calculate the dosage that will be safe for enamel and for the whole body if accidentally swallowed. Secondly, even one careless action can lead to burns of the mucous membranes.

After lightening the enamel, you need to be prepared for the appearance of sensitivity to temperature changes, sour, sweet, and solid foods. In addition, careful hygienic care and adherence to a diet will be required, which not everyone can be ready for.

Having studied the indications and contraindications for professional cosmetic teeth whitening, and the pros and cons of the procedure, you can choose a technique that is right for you. We offer you to sign up for a preliminary consultation with the Dentiki dentist by calling the phone number listed on the website or filling out the feedback form.