What is Teeth Whitening?
Teeth whitening; It is a process that provides whitening of teeth and reduction of color changes. Since it significantly changes the appearance of the teeth, it is one of the most used aesthetic procedures today and is applied by most dentists.
The outermost layer of the tooth is called enamel. Every day, a thin layer forms on the enamel and stains occur on this layer. The enamel layer also has tiny pores that allow the stains to be fixed. Whitening is not a one-time solution and needs to be repeated from time to time to achieve a brighter color.
What is Teeth Whitening Used for?
The most important factors that cause yellowing and staining of teeth are aging, cigarettes, coloring foods such as coffee and tea. All of these leave a stain on the tooth.
It is also possible to stain inside the tooth. These are called internal stains. For example, internal stains can result from the use of tetracycline-style antibiotics or too much fluoride as a child and while teeth are developing. These spots can occur with use of tetracycline during pregnancy or with the use of the child up to 8 years of age. The teeth are still developing at this time.
Teeth whitening is the most effective solution for stains caused by age, food and drink.
Preparation for Teeth Whitening
Caries must be treated before teeth are whitened. This is because the whitening solution can pass through the carious areas and reach the inner parts of the tooth. If this happens, the sensitivity of the tooth will increase. Whitening also does not work on roots that do not have enamel. Receding gums cause roots to emerge. Whitening also does not work on crowns and veneers.
Whiteningcan be done at home or in the clinic. The dentist takes a picture of your teeth for cleaning in the clinic. This step is used to measure the whitening of teeth. The dentist also looks at your teeth to examine the type and density of stains.
In the clinic, whitening takes about 30-60 minutes between several sessions. When the examination is finished, the dentist cleans your teeth and starts the whitening process.
For home whitening, the dentist makes molds that fit your mouth and contain the whitening gel. At-home whitening usually takes two to three weeks. Sets sold in the pharmacy can also be easily used. It is important to contact your dentist for home-use sets. Be sure to use it according to the instructions because overuse or misuse can permanently damage the teeth and mouth.
