Olga Samsonenko
Dentist-therapist at the Refformat clinic
How a smile turns white
Whitening is a dental procedure and it is safer to do it under the supervision of a doctor. Professional office exposure allows you to quickly change the natural shade of teeth, affecting not only translucent enamel, but also dentin (hard tooth tissue - "RBC Style"), on which the "smile color" mainly depends. Almost all specialty dental gels contain hydrogen peroxide. Its molecules are activated by an ultraviolet lamp, during which atomic oxygen begins to be released. It penetrates deeply into the hard tissues of the tooth and triggers the whitening mechanism of dark pigments.
Domestic and professional exposure are different from each other. If the in-office procedure allows you to change the shade of the teeth up to 10-13 tones in one hour, then you can independently achieve this effect in only a few weeks. However, it is impossible to guarantee a safe result and ideal whiteness at home. Although the undoubted advantage is that neither in the first nor in the second case the structure of the teeth changes - this means that whitening does not destroy enamel, does not harm the health of teeth. Those who prove otherwise are simply spreading myths.
In addition, the dentist will be able to realistically assess the condition of the oral cavity and determine the degree of intensity of a home or professional whitening system. And sometimes he will dissuade him from the procedure. It is important to understand that if the natural color of the teeth is already light enough, then it may not bring the desired effect. In addition, there are cases when it is desirable to resort to other methods to obtain a Hollywood smile, and whitening is contraindicated.
Preparation for the procedure
First of all, professional oral hygiene is performed in one to two weeks. Inexperienced dentists sometimes suggest cleaning in one or two days, but this is not entirely correct, since even such a procedure can increase the sensitivity of the teeth, which is likely to cause unpleasant and painful sensations in the process.
After examination by the dentist, the patient may be prescribed a special paste or remineralizing gel in order to reduce the sensitivity of the teeth and prepare the enamel. If a more thorough pre-treatment is required, a personal mouthguard can be made in the clinic, which is put on together with a strengthening compound. By the way, such a mouthguard can later be used to maintain dental health and to prolong the effect at home.
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How is whitening
The procedure takes just over an hour. It is completely painless if the patient has healthy and properly prepared teeth. It can be done once every three years - it will not do any harm. But the abuse of active compounds can ruin the enamel and increase the sensitivity of the teeth.
Before starting the procedure, the dentist isolates the gums to avoid getting the active gel on it (it can cause burns due to the hydrogen peroxide in the composition). Then a nourishing gel is applied, followed by the renewal of the active composition four times in a row. For 15 minutes, it is exposed to an ultraviolet lamp, after which it is washed off.
At the end of the procedure, the teeth are covered with a cooling gel, which helps to reduce sensitivity.
Follow-up care
In order to prolong the effect, it is necessary to adhere to the recommendations of the dentist. Everyone knows that immediately after the procedure, you cannot eat and drink for two hours, and also for the next two weeks you need to eat according to the "transparent" diet system: do not eat "colored" dishes and do not drink coloring liquids.
What patients often forget
Smokers will have to give up the bad habit for at least two weeks, otherwise the teeth will return to their previous shade.
Every patient needs to switch to a soft bristled toothbrush. After two weeks, you can return to the usual degree of rigidity.
Whitened teeth more actively attract color pigments, so to prolong the effect, it is recommended to do the Air Flow cleaning procedure every six months.
Do not use colored mouthwashes, as well as those that contain chlorhexidine.
In case of sensitivity, it is better to use a paste based on calcium and fluoride. These elements nourish the enamel, saturating it with useful substances. There are many such pastes, so you can choose any one to your taste.
More attention should be paid to daily dental hygiene, be sure to use an irrigator and dental floss.
All dentists will confirm that the newest and most advanced whitening system to date is Zoom 4. It differs from others in that it acts on the oral cavity using cold light lamps, which increases the efficiency of the procedure and reduces pain. The intensity of light exposure can be adjusted to adapt to the individual sensitivity of the patient's teeth. In Moscow, a session will cost an average of 20-25 thousand rubles.
Contraindications
The procedure is not recommended for those who have fillings or other foreign constructions on their front teeth because they cannot be whitened.
Those with pronounced caries need a mandatory consultation with a doctor.
Whitening is also not recommended for people who have areas of enamel demineralization - white spots on teeth resulting from insufficient hygiene and plaque accumulation. In this case, the structure of the tooth is already destroyed, so hydrogen peroxide can aggravate the situation and cause severe pain.
Home whitening
It is impossible to whiten teeth without professional gels using available tools. Soda, lemon, hydrogen peroxide and any other life hacks that are distributed on the Internet can seriously damage the enamel and lead to unpleasant consequences. If you wish to whiten your teeth yourself, after consulting a dentist, it is better to use ready-made systems. Like professional gels, they target dark pigments with hydrogen peroxide. However, home remedies may have a lower active ingredient content, which cannot penetrate deeper into dentin without UV light or laser radiation.
Whitening strips can also work well. However, you need to choose them carefully, because there are thousands of cases when, after using these funds, patients had increased sensitivity and prolonged pain. In addition, it is important to place the strips on the tooth surface as evenly as possible. In the event that the teeth are small, they are completely covered, and this can injure the gums. If the strips are applied incorrectly, there is a "house effect": at the neck, the teeth are separated by a clear line from the place where the strip was placed.
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Whitening and charcoal pastes do not bleach enamel. They differ from the usual ones with increased abrasiveness of particles, which remove only plaque and slight pigmentation, they do not clean so deeply as to whiten teeth.
Ultrasonic, electric and manual brushes have the same effect. It is impossible to whiten teeth with their help. They clean them well, but can damage the surface if misused or excessively applied to the brush.
Home bleaching systems with portable UV lamps are not safe to use. It is better to choose systems that do not require additional light radiation.>