Archive for January, 2012

Whitening of teeth has great cosmetic value, but the craze to have stain-free teeth has lead to complications ranging from minor discomfort to severe pain and damage of tooth enamel. These repercussions arise mainly on account of the bleaching products used, with acidic compounds like fruit juices deteriorating your teeth’s enamel. Gum irritation and increased sensitivity with accidental ingestion could lead to symptoms like nausea, vomiting followed by burning sensation in the chest. However when teeth whitening are done by qualified and experienced dentists in their office care can be taken to prevent these side-effects with the placing of a dental dam.

Also research indicates that when hydrogen peroxide in the whitening gel could leak from the tray and release cancer causing free radicals and cause tongue cancer.

It is believed that the teeth could hurt after whitening because the bleaching agent hydrogen peroxide penetrates the nerve tissue of the tooth and this causes dehydration of the teeth. In addition most professional whitening processes use activating light that causes sensitivity due to prolonged exposure.
Brushing your teeth with a soft bristle tooth brush with desensitizing gel like Sensodyne toothpaste that has a high fluoride content can help get over acute sensitivity. Avoiding both hot and cold stimuli could also help.

The best of teeth whitening strips come from Crest. 3D WhiteStrips Professional E whitens teeth in just 3 days, but they should be used by7 first-timers and those that have sensitive teeth. However Crest WhiteStrips 3D Advanced Vivid can be used for medium to sensitive teeth and whiten teeth in about 10 days with more geniality and lesser sensitiveness. Crest WhiteStrips Premium Plus is ideal for those already experienced in teeth whitening, while Crest WhiteStrips Supreme Professional Strength is useful for those that require strong whitening and do not have sensitive teeth.

The answer to this question can never be generalized for it largely depends on the products that are used for teeth whitening. It is worthwhile noting that many of the modern products have neither shown adverse effects on the teeth nor gums, but your dentist would be the best person to decide on this issue. Dentists advice against teeth whitening if you have a gum disease, are pregnant or nursing the baby, and when you have tooth colored caps and other dental work that has been done on your front teeth; as these front teeth cannot be bleached.

Generally high concentrations of tooth bleaching agents in the past caused increased sensitivity. But with gels used for bleaching being now less concentrated the sensitivity is now reduced to just 48 hours after bleaching. The sensitivity can also be considerably reduced with brushing with toothpastes containing potassium nitrate or fluoride that help reduce sensitivity by soothing tooth nerve and also re-mineralize your teeth. You could also minimize the use of the tray applicator if you are using one, with opting to stop whitening for a while helping in allowing the teeth to adapt to the procedure.

The length of time that a teeth whitening can last would depend on various factors. If overconsumption of tea, coffee and other liquids is the cause, you would help by changing your behavior and attitude. Then a few touch ups may be enough to maintain white teeth. The same applies to smoking that could cause dark nicotine stains. Similarly if your teeth have been genetically stained or caused after a serious illness, you may require more frequent teeth whitening procedures. In most people whitened teeth rarely return back to their once deep stained form.