Perfectly white and even teeth are the dream of many people. However, it is not easy to achieve since the shades and shapes of teeth are individual for everyone. If teeth alignment requires a lot of time and effort, professional teeth whitening is a simpler procedure that is accessible for anyone. Shining white teeth significantly improve a person’s appearance, which gives one self-confidence and a happy smile.
Main Causes of Teeth Darkening
Can you keep your teeth fresh and white without any additional medical procedures? Unfortunately, this is simply impossible since teeth are exposed to multiple adverse influences and change their color.
Age
Age-related changes lead to the accumulation of the pigments in the teeth structure. Therefore, you should not compare the color of your teeth to that you had 10 or 20 years ago. With aging, they have accumulated numerous coloring substances. Also, over the years, tooth enamel becomes thinner, which means the protection of teeth from external influences decreases.
Nutrition
Many foods that people consume contain natural or artificial dyes. Some of them have an aggressive effect on tooth enamel, which also leads to teeth darkening. Among the popular drinks and foods that change the color of teeth, you will probably find those that you really love:
- Drinks: red wine, coffee, tea, tonics;
- Sweets: chocolate, ice cream, candy;
- Vegetables: beets, carrots, red cabbage;
- Berries and fruits: mulberry, pomegranate, blackberry, blueberry, cherry;
- Tomato and other sauces;
- Seasons: curry, turmeric, red pepper.
Smoking
People who smoke are vulnerable to many diseases. Significant darkening of the teeth is just one of the noticeable external manifestations of this habit.
Diseases
Many diseases have darkening of the teeth as a symptom. It can be an obvious effect of some common pathologies that go beyond just diseases of the oral cavity:
- Dysbacteriosis;
- Kidney disease;
- Liver disease;
- Diabetes mellitus, etc.
Effective Teeth Whitening Methods
The teeth whitening procedure involves removing plaque and tartar and reducing the pigmentation of teeth, making them shine and have a healthy color. However, before choosing any procedures, you should conduct a thorough medical examination of the oral cavity. You need it to understand the causes of teeth darkening and determine the most effective whitening method. Also, specialists need to evaluate the general condition of the patient’s teeth. The degree of thinness of the enamel and its possible damage also affect the choice of a suitable method.
That is why home whitening methods that involve using hydrogen peroxide or baking soda are not recommended. A person applies these substances after reading or watching some dubious advice without considering the health of their teeth first. As a result, they can only worsen the condition of the oral cavity.
The most effective methods of teeth whitening include the following:
Chemical
Chemical whitening consists of two main stages:
- First, the dentist removes plaque and tartar from the patient’s teeth.
- It the second stage, the doctor applies a special whitening gel to the teeth, which completes their whitening.
It is not recommended to use this gel at home since its effect will be insignificant without removing plaque and tartar. In addition, the dentist protects the patient’s gums from the adverse effects of this gel with the cofferdam. If a person tries to use it on their own and does not protect their gums, they can damage the oral mucosa.
Ultrasonic
This is a comprehensive method of cleaning and whitening teeth, which is carried out using an ultrasonic scaler. It also effectively removes plaque and tartar from teeth. This procedure gives a faster result and does not cause any discomfort or pain in patients. However, in case of increased tooth sensitivity, the reaction of the nervous system may be noticeable. Therefore, such patients may be offered a painkiller.
The results of ultrasonic whitening are the teeth that are several shades whiter than in the case of their chemical treatment. In general, this procedure is considered safer than chemical bleaching. However, it is not recommended for some groups of patients, for example, pregnant or breastfeeding women.
Laser
This is one of the most popular methods, which is characterized by high speed of whitening and absence of pain. It begins with professional hygienic cleaning of teeth by a dentist. Then, a doctor applies a whitening gel to the teeth, which is exposed to a laser for several minutes. The laser is applied to each tooth separately, and when this procedure is completed, the dentist carries out a remineralizing procedure using a special gel.
Zoom Teeth Whitening
Zoom teeth whitening technology is one of the newest in the dental services industry. It has become widespread due to its impressive and long-lasting results. In general, it is very similar to the previous methods. After a comprehensive teeth cleaning, the dentist applies a special gel and exposes the teeth to a low-power UV light. Due to the effect of this lamp, the gel penetrates deep into the tooth tissue and creates the effect of whiteness and freshness.
Air-Flow Technology
This method was proposed by a Swedish dentist in the early 2000s. The whitening effect on the teeth is achieved using harmless components — a mixture of water and sodium bicarbonate or calcium carbonate. Thanks to the pressure of compressed air, the specialist painlessly removes plaque from the teeth and gingival grooves.
The Bottom Line
Technologies in the field of dentistry are constantly improving and evolving. This means that the list of effective methods of teeth whitening cannot become longer. Specialists in the field of dentistry are looking for even more harmless, painless, and cheap methods of completing this procedure. Therefore, it is quite possible that when you visit the dentist’s office, they will offer you some kind of new and poorly tested method. However, do not rush to test it on yourself. It is better to consult with specialists from the Village Dental Medicine clinic and choose an effective, safe, and proven method. In this case, you can be sure of a guaranteed result and long-term effect.
