What You Should Know About the Science of Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is everywhere. More and more people are starting to catch on to this idea that there is nothing quite as amazing as a beautiful white smile. In the fast pace modern world, a smile can make all the difference. Ironically it is the very pace we live at today that is causing some of the major reasons why people need access to effective, inexpensive teeth whitening. With the advent of a speeded up life cycle more and more people are turning to stimulants to keep up. These include things like energy drinks, caffeine based drinks like tea and coffee, and even cola products.

Take coffee for example. There are currently over 53 thousand coffee shops across the continent. 54% of all adults partake in at least one cup per day, and over 63% of people who drink coffee will drink at least one cup within their first hour of being awake in the morning. The challenge with all this energy consumption is that tea, coffee, red wine, energy drinks, and cola are all products that have a very high probability of staining or discoloring your teeth. Coffee is one of the least virulent of these, but with the huge rates of consumption quickly rises to the top of the list of products that can cause you to need teeth whitening.

The process of teeth whitening is a chemical process, which involves the chemical composition of your enamel and how it interacts or reacts with the teeth whitening solution that we put on it. Teeth look white. This is because they, like all objects, reflect light at a certain degree. Each color we see is actually the brain interpreting the reflected natural light differently. For teeth, it is necessary to be more colorless so that there is not a disturbance in the reflection of the light to the brain. Stains and discoloration fundamentally work to distort the reflection of the light. We use a peroxide based solution that can penetrate deep into the core of the enamel. There it will work to release free radicals. These free radicals, once released into the organic chemical composition of the tooth's enamel, make the tooth appear to be more colorless and hence a brighter shade of white to your brain. We use a peroxide because we want to start this oxidization process quickly and safely. There are differences between what you can buy in the store to whiten your teeth, and the formula we use in the clinic based on the strength and peroxide content in the solution.

What you can buy in the store is a much weaker version of the teeth whitening we use. First it is hydrogen peroxide based. This is because hydrogen peroxide has a better, longer shelf life. Second the content of hydrogen peroxide is between 3% and 20%. The formula we use in the clinic is carbamide peroxide based. Carbamide peroxide has a 35% hydrogen peroxide content. Additionally we use a much more potent mix, which is between 15% and 43% carbamide based for quicker, more effective results.

Dental Implants  >  Teeth Whitening

Historical Teeth Whitening and Modern Day Solutions

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. 

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.

Teeth Whitening Products and What You Need to Know Before Using Them

In our dentist office, we speak with a lot of patients about teeth whitening. Many people want to know what products they should try and if they are safe.  It is extremely popular to have bright, white teeth right now so it is understandable that the curiosity level is so high.  It is, however, important to note that with any trend comes a lot of misleading advertising that doesn’t paint the full picture.  While marketing companies have done a great job of bringing awareness to these products, you should be an informed consumer. 

A Warning:
One in twenty-five people that use store-bought teeth whitening products report experiencing some level of pain or discomfort afterwards.  This can be mild and go away with an aspirin, or severe and require follow-up dental care. This is partially why we recommend using products and solutions administered by a dentist.  We can help to prevent much of these problems. 

When you look at products in the store, there are several kinds to choose from.  Whitening toothpaste is by far the easiest to use because you were brushing your teeth anyway.  This is a good way to brighten your smile, but it won’t produce dramatic results.  In fact, most people are fairly disappointed. We do, however, recommend using this after having a professional teeth whitening procedure because it can help your teeth to stay white for a longer period of time. 

Another option, to consider, is whitening strips.  These look like a piece of tape that you apply to your teeth after brushing them.  With the strips securely in place, the solution can start to whiten your teeth.  The biggest challenge with strips is that they can easily slide off, so people find them difficult to use throughout the day, decreasing the chance of sticking with the treatment. 

You can also purchase whitening trays at the store.  This solution carries the greatest level of risk for discomfort because the trays are designed to fit everyone.  This means that they fit no one perfectly.  With that in mind, the solution can easily leak out of the trays and onto your gums, causing irritation.  Anytime that bleach comes in contact with your gums, it will create some level of discomfort.  As a dentist, we can create customized whitening trays so that there is no leakage and teeth can be whitened safely without these risks. 

If you decide to buy whitening products at the store, know that you may be disappointed.  They do work but not as well as a professional procedure so the results are not as dramatic.  This leads many people to use the products repeatedly and expose their teeth to sensitivity and their gums to discomfort. Overuse is the primary reason that so many people report discomfort after using store-bought products.  While it may be tempting to use them over and over again - this is not wise.  Instead, if you don’t like the results, schedule a dentist appointment. 

Teeth Whitening Can Make You More Attractive

Did you know that teeth whitening can do more for your appearance than simply brightening your smile?  People have often wondered what makes a person attractive, and a recent study by Match.com may have the answer.  They polled 5,000 single people and found that a beautiful smile was the one thing that both men and women found to be the most attractive quality when looking for someone to meet.  They could have selected a variety of both physical and personality traits, but this one feature made the top of the list.  If you want to improve your appearance, this is by far the easiest way to do so because it doesn’t require hours in the gym or a makeover by a stylist.

A beautiful smile starts with a healthy one.  In order to keep your smile glowing, it has to remain in good condition.  That includes teeth free from cavities and gums that are healthy and not receding.  In order to have a healthy smile, brush and floss your teeth at home on a daily basis.  You can do this several times a day to reduce the risk of your teeth becoming stained or an infection developing.  If you smoke or use smokeless tobacco products try to eliminate the habit as this also puts your teeth and gums at risk of becoming infected.  Additionally, you should have your teeth cleaned at least twice a year to ensure that any lingering bacteria are removed before it can create an infection.

When your teeth are healthy, improving your smile is easy.  Tooth whitening is a quick and pain-free solution for brightening your smile.  There are several ways to do so and professional teeth whitening is by far the most effective.  It can whiten your teeth by up to eight shades, producing dramatic and noticeable results.

Over-the-counter whitening solutions work but only slightly.  For example, you can purchase whitening strips or trays at the drug store but they typically only whiten teeth by around two shades.  This will help to brighten your teeth but won’t restore them to a gorgeous youthful glow.  Over time teeth tend to become dull and get stained.  The older you are, the more likely your teeth are to lose their luster.  These in-store solutions will help to start the process but are nowhere near as effective as what the dentist provides.  An additional challenge with over-the-counter solutions is that they are made in a one size fits all design.  Since they are not customized for your teeth, there is the risk of them slipping out of place which can be uncomfortable.  It would be similar to purchasing an XL T-shirt at the store when you wear a medium.  The shirt would do its job but not as effectively as one that actually fit.

We create customized teeth whitening trays that are made after a mold is taken of your mouth.  This allows us to design a solution that fits snuggly and securely around your teeth.  When the whitening gel is added, it won’t slip out, so the process is very comfortable.  After wearing the trays at night for a week or so, you will see dramatic results that will improve your smile and overall appearance.  Additionally, we provide in-office whitening procedures for people that want faster results.