Teeth whitening will be less successful or not recommended in the circumstances mentioned below:
Pregnancy and age issues
Teeth bleaching or lightening is not recommended for individuals under the age of sixteen – it is because the nerve or pulp chamber of the tooth is enlarged until the person reaches this age. Doing this procedure under this condition can irritate the nerve endings or can cause tooth sensitivity. It is also not recommended in lactating or pregnant women.
Allergic to products and sensitive teeth
People with sensitive gums and teeth, defective restorations, or receding gums need to consult with their dental professionals before using this system. Individuals allergic to bleaching agents like peroxide should not use bleaching products.
To find out more about hydrogen peroxide, click here for more info.
People with exposed roots, cavities, worn enamel, or gum diseases
Individuals with worn enamel or gum diseases are usually discouraged from using tooth bleaching and lightening products or undergoing similar procedures. It is because these solutions can penetrate into existing decay, inner parts of the tooth, which can cause tooth sensitivity. Not only that, these procedures will not work on exposed roots since exposed roots don’t have enamel layers.
Restorations like fillings and crowns
Resin composite materials and tooth-colored fillings used in restorations like bridges, bonding, veneers, and crowns don’t whiten. That is why using whitening agents on teeth that contain and don’t contain restoration materials will result in uneven lightening, making the enamel without restoration materials appear lighter compared to those with restorations.
Bleaching procedures need to be done before the placement of porcelain restorations, dentures, crowns, veneers, bonding, and composite fillings to best match the color of the new tooth color. A minimum of two weeks following a procedure should be allowed before veneers, bonding, or crowns are completed. It will allow enough time for enamels to optimize and remineralize the bonding strength.
Natural-colored fillings should be replaced after the lighting process is complete. People with tons of restorations that would result in uneven whitening should consider crowns, veneers, or bonding instead of undergoing whitening procedures.
Check out https://www.webmd.com/oral-health/guide/dental-health-fillings for more details about dental filings.
Ask dental professional what methods may be best for you
People who expect their dentin to be blinding white may be pretty disappointed with the outcome. Smokers should make sure they are aware that results will be limited unless they stop smoking, especially during the process. A guide as to reasonable degrees of whiteness to achieve with this process that would provide a natural appearance to an individual’s dentin is slightly whiter in color compared to the whites of the eyes.
Dark-stained teeth
Enamels that are yellowish and brownish in color respond well to this procedure. Dentins with purple stains and grayish hues may not respond well to this system at all. Gray-blue staining caused by medications like tetracycline is more challenging to lighten and may require at least six months of home treatment of a couple of in-office appointments to achieve the desired result.
Dentins that have dark stains can be whitened using options like crowns, bonding, or veneers. Dental professionals can discuss options suited for the patient’s situation. With all kinds of lightening procedures, the degree of whiteness will differ from person to person, depending on the condition of the dentin, the concentration of the materials used, the nature of the stain, as well as the bleaching system used, and the duration of time.
Whitening toothpaste
These things remove surface stains through mild abrasive actions. Some of these products contain chemical agents or gentle polishing that provide more stain removal effectiveness. These things remove stains only and don’t contain bleach; professional or OTC (over-the-counter) whitening products contain bleaching substances like hydrogen peroxide that helps remove tooth stains on the surface, as well as deep-tooth stains.
None of the home whitening toothpaste is comparable to producing the bleaching effects people get from their dental professionals. These products can lighten the color of the teeth by about one shade. In comparison, light-activated whitening procedures conducted in a dental professional’s clinics can make people’s enamels at least three shades lighter.
Whitening gels and strips
Lightening gel is peroxide-based and clear gels applied with small brushes directly to the surface of the teeth. Instructions usually call for a twice-per-day application for at least fourteen days. Initial outcomes are seen in a couple of days, and the final result is sustained for about four months. The cost for these products ranges from $10 to $60 for a fourteen-day treatment.
Both products contain bleaching agents like peroxide in concentrations that are much lower than peroxide-based products used in the dentist’s clinic. Although some lightening will be attained, the degree of bleaching is a lot lower compared to results achieved with dentist-supervised or in-office procedures. Not only that, the use of OTC products doesn’t benefit from the supervision of a dental professional. On the positive side, OTC strips and gels are less expensive compared to top-of-the-line lightening procedures.
Tray-based whitening procedures
For a more conventional kind of teeth whitening procedure using a tray-based system bought OTC or through the dental professional’s clinic, the first step involves filling mouth guard-like trays with gel-like solutions. It contains a peroxide-based bleaching agent.
These trays are then placed over the dentin and worn for a certain period, usually a couple of hours per day or every day during the night for up to four weeks (even longer depending on the desired level of whiteness or degree of staining). Bleaching procedures performed in the dental professional’s clinic involve additional or different steps.
Protective guards or gels are positioned over the patient’s gums before the solution is applied. It is applied directly to the dentin, and the process is hastened by the use of a special light, laser light, or heat that is directed at the chemically coated enamel.
This procedure is very beneficial to people who want to achieve pearly white teeth. But people need to make sure they use the right product or avail the correct procedure by asking their resident dental professional or expert. Always prioritize your oral and dental health over aesthetics.