Ask the Dentist!
Teeth Whitening Do's and Don'ts
I’m often asked what’s the best way to whiten teeth. If you’ve ever watched or browsed social media, there are unique suggestions on whitening teeth, and almost none of them work. This blog post will briefly discuss the most predictable way to whiten teeth and who it best suits.
Whiten is a process by which a whitening gel, typically a form of peroxide, is applied to the tooth where the peroxide breaks up staining molecules and allows the teeth to appear whiter.
There are three ways to apply a whitening gel to the teeth:
- Whitening Strips
- Professional Whitening Trays
- In-office Whitening
Whitening Strips are sold over the counter and are ideally designed for younger teeth that have not been exposed to excessive amounts of staining and have a thicker layer of enamel. They contain a weak form of peroxide gel since they are sold over the counter and are not as strong as the following two methods. That’s not to say they won’t work on older teeth, but it may take longer to see any color changes. Nevertheless, this is by far the cheaper way to go as long as you understand they may not work for you.
Professional Whitening Trays, in my opinion, are the most predictable way to whiten since the strength of the whitening gel can be adjusted if needed. For heavily stained teeth, a stronger gel concentration can be used as long as the patient can tolerate any sensitivity that may occur. If sensitivity is an issue, a weaker concentration can be used. Given enough time, typically 10-14 days of daily use, you will get a noticeable color change. Also, the trays can be used in the future for touch-up whitening after your regular cleaning appointment.
In-Office Whitening is an appointment-based whitening process that takes about an hour to an hour and a half under the supervision of professional dental staff. It uses a strong concentration of whiten gel that is applied every 15-20 minutes for up to four times as long as the patient can tolerate it. This method accounts for the most tooth sensitivity, and I have only a few patients who can handle all four treatments. The final results are less predictable, and you may need more whitening using trays to get the desired final result. However, it is an excellent kick-start to the whitening process and may help cut the time in half when using Professional Whitening Trays.
Whitening toothpaste only scours surface stains using abrasives. It does very little good if they contain peroxide since it does not stay in contact with the tooth long enough, and overuse can make your enamel thin. Therefore, I recommend using whitening toothpaste sparingly and no more than one to two times per week.
For more information, visit our website at www.batonrougedentistry.com