Bleaching

Most bleaching products are peroxide-based and are actually capable of altering the colours of the tooth itself. However, not all tooth discolourations respond to tooth-bleaching treatments. Individuals contemplating tooth-bleaching should consult with a dentist to determine the cause of the tooth discolouration and to determine whether a bleaching treatment will have the desired result.

This step is especially important for patients with fillings, root canal treatments, crowns and/or with extremely dark stains on the anterior teeth. A number of different bleaching techniques and products are available to patients. Your dentist will use one of these two methods to whiten your teeth.

Dental bleaching, also known as tooth whitening and swabbing, is a common procedure in general dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry. According to the FDA, whitening restores natural tooth color and bleaching whitens beyond the natural color. There are many methods available, such as brushing, bleaching strips, bleaching pen, bleaching gel, laser bleaching, natural bleaching, and swabbing.

Bleaching methods use carbamide peroxide which reacts with water to form hydrogen peroxide. Carbamide peroxide has about a third of the strength of hydrogen peroxide. This means that a 15% solution of carbamide peroxide is the rough equivalent of a 5% solution of hydrogen peroxide. The peroxide oxidizing agent penetrates the porosities in the rod-like crystal structure of enamel and bleaches stain deposits in the dentin. Power bleaching uses light energy to accelerate the process of bleaching in a dental office.

Tooth bleaching is not a modern invention. Ancient Romans, for example, utilized urine and goat milk as a product to make and keep their teeth whiter.

share