Tooth Whitening - The Importance of Regular Dental CheckupPosted by mayasumi hara on February 27th, 2020 The way our teeth look is of great importance to many people. About a third of us think that our smile is not white enough to be called an attractive smile. Although an attractive smile may be perceived by some as not a big issue, studies have confirmed that a whiter smile plays an important role in perceived self-esteem and success. These are the following ways in which teeth can be made to appear whiter in order of increasing cost and time:
History of Bleaching / Whitening Bleaching has been around since the late 1800’s, and it is since this time that dentists have been experimenting with ways to change the shape of teeth, and whiten teeth. The success of these early trials was limited. The following have been used as bleaching agents for our teeth:
One of the most accepted whitening treatments was proposed in 1961, which was only able to be used on teeth that have a root canal treatment. Putting sodium perborate with water into the tooth and then putting a temporary filling over it was described as the “walking bleach technique.” Nowadays, dentists usually use the modified ‘walking bleach technique’ using a combination of 30% hydrogen peroxide and sodium perborate. Sodium perborate, hydrogen peroxide, and carbamide peroxide are the most used whitening agents today. Power bleaching, involves the dentist bleaching the outside of the tooth in their clinic these are the same methods use in teeth whitening brisbane. It often involves hydrogen peroxide. This process was modified in 1991 when conventional curing lights were used to help the bleaching process. A further modification to the light system was when the argon laser was brought out, to once again aid bleaching. Light sources are not essential to bleaching in dentistry but they do assist with the whitening process. Teeth become discoloured The dentist must work out exactly what was the cause of the staining or discolouration so that the appropriate choice of treatment is completed. Tooth colour is determined by the colour of the dentine, enamel and any stains that may be on the tooth. A combination of these colours forms the overall colour of the tooth. Dietary causes of discolouration Tooth discolourationLarge intake or use of any of the following can lead to discoloured teeth:
Discolouration that we cannot control Certain causes of discolouration are beyond our control such as:
Other causes related to problems or conditions inside the tooth include:
The Process of Teeth Whitening They do not know exactly how bleaching works. Basically, bleaching is a decolourisation or whitening process that can occur in any solution or surface. Interview says Dentist North Brisbane often use hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide as our bleaching agents, and these work by diffusing through the enamel, and then applying their effect on the underlying dentine. This is one of their best service offered. Their Teeth whitening process is top notch. Possible side effects of Teeth Whitening The most commonly reported side effects that bleaching may cause are tooth sensitivity, and irritations on your gums. Typically, the irritation on the gums is caused due to poorly fitting bleaching trays, strong gels being placed for too long, not removing excessive gel, to name but a few of the main causes. Other reported side effects include sore throat, pain in the jaws due to long-term tray use, and minor tooth movement. Tooth sensitivity is by far the most common side effect reported by an Australian dentist in teeth whitening north brisbane and is thought to affect more than half the people who undergo bleaching treatments. The sensitivity is caused mainly because the bleaching agents can diffuse through the tooth structure, and go into the tooth (the pulp) and cause inflammation in this area, which causes pain. Many bleaching agents also cause dehydration of the teeth, which also makes teeth look whiter. This dehydration can also lead to tooth sensitivity. The sensitivity related to tooth whitening is generally mild, occurs early when the bleaching agent is placed on the tooth, and generally decreases as treatment continues with sensitivity going away following removal of the bleaching agent. The best way to avoid sensitivity is to use a fluoride gel or sensitive toothpaste prior to using the bleaching agent. Using sensitive toothpaste following the treatment will also help minimise sensitivity. You may also consider using the bleaching tray once every two days rather than once every day. Additionally, use of potassium nitrate plus fluoride toothpaste two weeks before whitening and during the whitening treatment may be used to minimize sensitivity. How successful is teeth whitening? The following factors affect the success of tooth whitening:
Tooth whitening of teeth that are “alive” Those teeth that have a blood supply are said to be ‘alive’. A number of methods and approaches for teeth that are alive have been researched. There are methods using different bleaching agents, concentrations, time of usage, method of usage and use of additional activities such as using heat or lasers. Non-vital whitening Changes associated with the inside of the tooth can also be a major cause of tooth discolouration. Trauma, previous root canal treatment and death of the nerve can all cause a tooth to become dark yellow, grey, or black. Non-vital teeth are those teeth that do not have a blood supply and have had a root canal treatment completed, or require a root canal treatment. When bleaching those teeth with changes inside the tooth, more avenues of bleaching can be considered. If you are looking for the best teeth whitening dentist you can visit Dentish North Brisbane and be one of its satisfied clients. Like it? Share it! |