Dentistry >>>> How to whiten your teeth and not lose them?

How to whiten your teeth and not lose them?

Each person puts his own meaning into the phrase "teeth whitening", depending on how he sees the result of this process: snow-white, in the literal sense of the word, teeth or clean and well-groomed teeth, but not necessarily white. As mentioned here, the color of the teeth is formed by the color of the dentin, and the enamel is colorless and transparent. But in the process of teeth whitening, you will have to work with tooth enamel, and not with dentin, which is not available for these purposes.

What exactly is bleached in this case? In fact, teeth whitening is discoloration of plaque that has settled on the enamel surface. Usually plaque is formed by chromogenic substances - dyes that are part of food (tea, coffee, juices, fruits and berries, herbal infusions) or drugs (carotene-containing drugs), as well as particles of ash, nicotine and oils that settle during smoking (especially if you smoke without a filter or mouthpiece, such as unfiltered cigarettes, cigarettes (including homemade ones), or pipes).

In dentistry, three types of reagents are used that have the effect of discoloration: hydrogen peroxide and two forms of hydrogen peroxide (carbamide peroxide, sodium perborate, decomposing under certain conditions to hydrogen peroxide and by-substances). These reagents are found in pastes, gels, stickers (whitening sticks), adhesive strips. In pharmacies, hydrogen peroxide is sold as a 3% solution. Such a solution of hydrogen peroxide has a weak effect on the enamel, but the discoloration effect can be achieved no earlier than 1-3 months of daily use.

For the manufacture of special tools for whitening teeth, more highly concentrated solutions of the above substances (from 10 to 35%) in the form of gels are used. And it should be noted that such a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide is unsafe for enamel, which, although considered impermeable, but not for low molecular weight substances, such as oxygen ions and free radicals HO2, which diffuse into the enamel and join the inorganic matrix of the tooth, changing it structure. The enamel surface becomes permeable and microporous. And this process of destruction of enamel continues with each whitening procedure, gradually leading to its thinning and dental diseases accompanying this process.

In addition, some teeth whitening preparations involve chemical activation using various light sources (polymerization lamp, xenon lamp, plasma source, laser). These techniques work as follows:

The patient puts on safety glasses;
The mucous membrane surrounding the teeth is isolated with a rubber dam (rubber dam) - a thin rubber cloth, or a composite film, which is applied to the mucous membrane;
The teeth are covered with whitening gel or a tray filled with gel is placed over the entire dentition;
The chemical bleaching process is activated by heating using a suitable apparatus.
The danger to the teeth in these cases lies in the temperature effect on the pulp (especially if the pulp chamber is enlarged).

While agreeing to the teeth whitening procedure, do not forget about the contraindications to whitening:

Crown parts of the tooth or enamel defects destroyed to one degree or another,
Pathological abrasion of teeth,
Increased sensitivity of the teeth,
Diseases of the mucous membrane (must first be cured),
Not recommended for children under 16 and pregnant women.

How to whiten teeth at home

You can whiten your teeth professionally, using a mouthguard made in advance in the dentist's office, which is then filled with whitening gel and kept for the exposure time according to the schedule agreed with the dentist.

You can whiten your teeth with a toothpaste containing hydrogen peroxide and soda, but the use of such a paste should be alternated with regular cleaning pastes so as not to methodically destroy the enamel of the teeth.

Applying a turunda moistened with hydrogen peroxide will help in teeth whitening, but you should not forget about the concentration of the peroxide solution, since even 3% hydrogen peroxide will burn the mucous membrane and gradually destroy the enamel. The exposure time of turunda with hydrogen peroxide is from 30 minutes to an hour a day every day for at least one month. In addition to the usual smoker's plaque and dyes, you can use hydrogen peroxide to discolor Priestley's plaque. Pharmacy hydrogen peroxide (usually 3%) is diluted with water to 1-1.5% in order to prevent burns of the mucous membrane surrounding the teeth. A safe solution of hydrogen peroxide for mucous membranes is 0.25%, but it will not whiten teeth .

You need to know that substances such as malic acid and citric acid are natural natural bleaches, so fruits containing these components are suitable for teeth whitening.

Soda, used by many to whiten teeth, plays the role of an abrasive rather than a bleach, so you should not get carried away with its use - you can gradually thin the enamel.

You should not expect fantastic results from the teeth whitening procedure. When the plaque is discolored, your eyes will be presented with teeth of a natural shade (your native color), and it may turn out to be far from snow-white. Why? Described in the article Why does teeth discoloration occur?".