People have been interested in teeth whitening for most of recorded history and some even before that. Today’s Hollywood culture, with gleaming smiles and perfect teeth, have made an entire industry out of whitening teeth by building off of people's innate desire to look the best that they can. To that end having a pearly white smile, that oozes confidence, has become the virtual Holy Grail of anyone wanting to look their best.
Believe it or not the desire to have white teeth actually started some really important trends, like tooth brushing. The first tooth cleaning and whitening devices, called chew sticks, can be historically traced back to 3000 BC, and ironically are still being used in some parts of the world today. The Chinese came up with an innovative way to replace the chew sticks by making a brush of bristles. The bristles came from the back of the Siberian hogs and were particularly coarse. This, as one can imagine, evolved into toothbrush of today. They were not, however, very popular with the Europeans who preferred to keep their teeth clean and white using the adopted Roman custom of picking. Hence, toothpicks stuck around.
Modern technology has certainly improved and today, teeth whitening is safe and comfortable. As with many medical, and non-medical, procedures there are a plethora of swirling myths and urban legends that have developed around the simple task of teeth whitening. When you get your teeth whitened at our clinic, you are in the hands of a medically trained professional performing a task that is in no way dangerous. We bleach the enamel of the teeth so that they are a more pleasing shade of white. Some patients even take custom fitted whitening trays and complete their treatment at home, given how straightforward it is. Since we can also answer any questions and take care of all your dental needs, we recommend a dentist-supervised teeth whitening instead of an over-the-counter solution.
Here are the questions we get the most of about teeth whitening:
Will whitening my teeth lead to damaged enamel?
There had been quite a lot of concern about this, so the short answer is no. In fact, the Journal of American Dentistry recently published a study on this very subject. What they concluded was that there is no connection between a person using a teeth whitening product and their enamel wearing out, so this one is an urban legend that is simply not true.
There had been quite a lot of concern about this, so the short answer is no. In fact, the Journal of American Dentistry recently published a study on this very subject. What they concluded was that there is no connection between a person using a teeth whitening product and their enamel wearing out, so this one is an urban legend that is simply not true.
Is the teeth whitening process painful?
Again, the short answer to this question is no. There is no pain associated with teeth whitening. Most patients will experience an increased level of sensitivity in their teeth after a treatment. This is due to the proximity of the whitening chemicals to the soft and sensitive tissue of the gums. However, this sensitivity should last no more than twenty-four hours after the procedure and will never progress to pain. Knowing that excessive use of whiteners, or incorrectly fitted trays can increase this sensitivity is one major reason why we always recommend coming to see us for your teeth whitening.
Again, the short answer to this question is no. There is no pain associated with teeth whitening. Most patients will experience an increased level of sensitivity in their teeth after a treatment. This is due to the proximity of the whitening chemicals to the soft and sensitive tissue of the gums. However, this sensitivity should last no more than twenty-four hours after the procedure and will never progress to pain. Knowing that excessive use of whiteners, or incorrectly fitted trays can increase this sensitivity is one major reason why we always recommend coming to see us for your teeth whitening.
