Facts About Tooth Discoloration and Dental Care.

Tooth discoloration is a natural process of aging, and our teeth naturally discolor for a variety of reasons. Children generally appear to have “whiter” teeth because the enamel on baby teeth tends to be more opaque, and it blocks out the underlying color from the dentin.  As we age this enamel becomes more translucent as the teeth gradually demineralize and wear down. This allows the yellow color of the dentin underneath it to show through, giving the teeth a more yellowish appearance.

Apart from the aging process, teeth can also be stained by a variety of factors, and are normally categorized as intrinsic (stains that occurs within the tooth) and extrinsic (stains that occurs on the surface of the tooth). Common causes of intrinsic stains include trauma, aging, exposure to certain substances during tooth formation (e.g. Tetracycline staining), and excessive fluoride exposure. Common causes of extrinsic stains are the consumption of colored food and drinks (e.g. coffee, tea, red wine), and smoking or chewing tobacco.

What are the Dental Care Options for Bleaching Teeth?

There are many methods available which can cost as little as a few dollars or as much as several hundreds of dollars. Teeth bleaching can be done at home using products from your local drug store, or by using products prescribed by your best dentist, or it can be done at your dental office.

1. Whitening Toothpaste

Probably the simplest and most basic method for whitening teeth is to use whitening toothpastes. These are usually abrasive in nature and designed to remove only extrinsic stains through a physical action. Although all toothpastes contain abrasives, the content of abrasives in whitening toothpastes is usually higher.

Tooth whitening toothpastes may also contain a bleaching agent like peroxide to help whiten the tooth chemically. The chemical action is generally quite limited because the concentration of peroxide in toothpaste is usually fairly low for safety reasons. These toothpastes only have a very limited effect, similar to that obtained by having your teeth professionally cleaned and polished by your best dentist. Additionally they may cause sensitivity due to the abrasive effect, although this can be counteracted by using whitening toothpaste especially formulated for sensitive teeth

2. Over The Counter Whiteners

These days there is a large variety of over-the-counter whitening agents available in the market. They vary in concentration, efficacy and method. They include strips, paint-on gels, and gels in trays designed to be worn over a few hours.

They all act in a similar way, by chemically whitening the teeth through bleaching. They can be bought over the counter at a pharmacy and do not require a best dentist’s supervision for use. The efficacy of these methods really depends on the concentration of the active ingredient and how well and how long it can remain on the teeth to produce a whitening effect.

In general, paint-on gels are probably the least effective since saliva can easily wash it away. Whitening strips, though slightly more effective since the agent is better protected against the saliva, are still limited in their use if an individual has crooked teeth. Gels in trays are probably the most effective of the OTC whiteners since they remain in contact with the teeth for the longest period of time. The main disadvantage of using OTC gels in trays is that the trays are not made specifically for the individual and may not fit very well, and in addition the bleaching agents could leak out from ill-fitting trays potentially causing damage to the gums and soft tissues.

3.  Custom-Made Bleaching Trays from Your Dental Office

These are similar to the OTC whitening gels that are applied in trays but are usually safer and more effective for two reasons. Firstly, the trays are made by the dentist to fit the individual’s specific dental arch, therefore the whitening agent is held more closely around the teeth and cannot cause any damage to surrounding tissues. Secondly, the concentration of the active ingredient is usually higher than those sold over-the-counter.

4. Teeth Whitening In Your Dental Office

The most costly of all the whitening procedures, the in office whitening method is also the most effective and immediate. The bleaching agent used in this process is quite powerful, and this treatment should only ever be carried out by a qualified dental health professional. This is because it is essential that it is carried out on a healthy mouth, that doesn’t have any signs of dental diseases or decay. It may also be unsuitable for people who have sensitive teeth.

The in office whitening procedure generally involves cleaning the teeth, followed by isolation of the teeth to ensure the gums and soft tissues don’t come into contact with the bleaching agent. The gel is then applied and activated through use of a special light. The process is monitored regularly until the desired shade is achieved. The exact procedure may differ slightly depending on the type of whitening system the dentist uses.

Dental Care For Your Teeth After Bleaching

Regardless of the type of whitening system used to whiten the teeth, it is important to be aware that unless you maintain your teeth, the discoloration will return. For instance, if you resume your daily habit of drinking coffee after whitening your teeth then it will only be a matter of time before the stains return and your teeth become discolored again. Once you have whitened your teeth, then you will probably need to ‘top up’ the treatments every so often, with the frequency depending on how white you wish your teeth to be. If you are using teeth whitening products at home, be sure to check with your dentist as to their safety for long term use.

Teeth Whitening Precautions

The ability to whiten teeth depends on the individual and the type of staining involved. Stains, such as those caused by tetracyline or trauma, are unlikely to be removed through bleaching. Dead teeth can be whitened by inserting a bleaching agent into the root canal of the tooth. This procedure can be pretty effective but it’s quite invasive, and for obvious reasons cannot be used on healthy teeth.

Teeth whitening can aggravate an individual’s susceptibility to tooth sensitivity, and this can affect the method chosen. Additionally, the presence of other dental work in the mouth can also result in a mismatch of tooth color since existing fillings and crowns in the mouth will not whiten through the bleaching process. If you need or intend to have crowns or fillings, then it is best to have your teeth whitened first so that the crowns can be matched to your new tooth color by the best dentist.

Some stains are due to the build-up of tartar and plaque deposits on the teeth. Having a dentist clean your teeth professionally may be all that is required to remove such stains.

A certain amount of discoloration is a normal part of the aging process and does not necessarily require correcting. Whatever the choice of teeth whitening system, it is important to remain realistic about the color of one’s teeth. Sometimes it may not be possible to have bright white teeth, and over bleaching can occasionally cause teeth to appear grey.