Teeth whitening

A beautiful and bright smile is undoubtedly a symbol of beauty and success. It gives us a feeling of self-confidence and satisfaction, which is why teeth whitening has been particularly popular in recent years. Teeth whitening should not be taken lightly and it is definitely not recommended to start whitening without first consulting a dentist. You could damage your teeth irreversibly and you might not get the desired result. So should you be worried about teeth whitening? You certainly don’t have to be. Teeth whitening under professional supervision is a very safe treatment that does not damage the teeth in any way. However, it is good to know a little about the principle of safe teeth whitening so that you are informed and can avoid unnecessary mistakes.

The principle of teeth whitening

Each tooth has a bright white enamel on its surface, which turns into yellow dentin, and inside, the pulp ensures the nutrition of the tooth. Tooth enamel is the most important thing for teeth whitening. In youth, our teeth are whiter than in old age. This is due to the gradual grinding of tooth enamel and the shining through of dark dentin in combination with the deposition of pigments on the teeth. Therefore, there is a danger of using whitening products that are supposed to wear down the color pigment. Together with the pigment, the enamel layer also becomes thinner, resulting in irreversible damage to the teeth.

Safe whitening products only break down the pigment particles and in no way interfere with the tooth structure. An example is hydrogen peroxide, which is used in a concentration of 30–35% in a dental surgery, and carbamide, which in turn is suitable for home teeth whitening. Please note that fillings and dentures are not subject to whitening, so you should always think about this before applying a whitening product.

Teeth whitening in the surgery

As we mentioned above, for teeth whitening, dentists use hydrogen peroxide gel in a concentration of 30–35%. Before applying the whitening product, the dentist cleans the surface of the teeth carefully, selects the colour, and covers the gum with an insulating material (liquid rubber dam) to prevent it from coming into contact with the gel. After that, the dentist carefully applies the whitening agent to the teeth and the effect of the whitening product is enhanced with a polymerisation lamp. In our office, we use the most modern Philips ZOOM teeth whitening technology. Teeth whitening using this technology is very effective. During the procedure, we apply a whitening gel at fifteen-minute intervals. The entire teeth whitening process takes 60 minutes, and after it’s over, the teeth are bright white.

Teeth whitening at home

Home teeth whitening is a very popular method of whitening, allowing you to always have the colour of your teeth under control. But how do you start teeth whitening at home? Even if it is home teeth whitening, it should always start at the dentist’s surgery. The doctor will examine you carefully and make an individual whitening gel carrier for you. You can imagine it as a thin plastic plate, exactly matching the shape of your teeth, which has small reservoirs for the whitening gel created on the front surfaces.

For home teeth whitening, the most suitable products are those that contain carbamide in a concentration of 10–15%.

Apply a small amount of the whitening gel to the reservoir of the plastic carrier and, after carefully cleaning your mouth, carefully place the carrier on your teeth. Check whether any excess gel has escaped from the carrier and leave the whitening agent to work for five to eight hours. This system is therefore ideal for overnight teeth whitening.

You can repeat the procedure until you are satisfied with the whitening result.