Beautiful white teeth will surely give your face a healthier and a more attractive look. An easy way to attain a glistening smile is by undergoing a tooth whitening procedure at our dental office in Prague 5.
Can I undergo a tooth whitening procedure?
Only permanent teeth can be whitened. The teeth need to be healthy, rehabilitated and with no signs of gum infection. Tetracycline stained teeth, or teeth suffering from fluorosis, can only be whitened with the permission of the patient’s dentist. The patient has to be in good health at the time of the tooth whitening procedure. Future mothers should be aware of the fact that undergoing a tooth whitening procedure is not recommended during pregnancy.
What are the tooth whitening methods used?
There are two possible tooth whitening variants – in-office whitening and at-home whitening. During in-office tooth whitening, a highly concentrated whitening solution is used, which makes this tooth whitening method much faster and more efficient. However, it is important to be aware of the fact that the sought after result will not necessarily be achieved after the first session. In the case of strongly stained teeth staining, the procedure will need to be repeated.
At-home whitening is slower, yet less costly. A less concentrated solution is applied to the teeth through special trays that are left on for 1-2 hours during the day, or for the duration of a night’s sleep. An at-home whitening cycle usually spans 2 weeks, but very strongly stained teeth can require up to 8 weeks of at-home whitening.
Which tooth whitening method should you choose? It is a very individual matter, which depends on multiple variables. The most important factors are the cause of tooth discoloration, its extent, intensity and the severity of tooth sensitivity. Last but not least, your time and financial options are also a factor.
What are the phases of in-office whitening?
Before undergoing any tooth whitening procedure, it is recommended to visit a dental hygienist, who will remove all plaque and calculus from your teeth. In-office tooth whitening then has two phases – preparation and the whitening procedure itself. The goal of the first phase is to cover all soft tissue with cotton pads and protective gel. The soft tissue must not come in contact with the whitening paste, as it contains carbamide peroxide / hydrogen peroxide.
The whitening phase itself takes 15 minutes. First, the dentist applies the whitening paste to the teeth. Then he puts protective goggles on the patient and turns on a plasma UV lamp to speed up the whitening process. After the specified amount of time passes, the dentist removes the paste completely and cleans the teeth. This procedure is repeated as needed.
What should be avoided after undergoing a tooth whitening procedure?
After a tooth whitening procedure, you can experience increased tooth sensitivity. You should avoid temperature extremes (mostly cold and hot beverages). This increase in sensitivity is only temporary and usually lasts less than two days. To prevent any resurgence of tooth discoloration, you should avoid food and beverages containing strong food coloring. These are mainly: beetroot, raspberries, blueberries, red wine, coffee, tea etc. Smokers should refrain from smoking. After a period of two weeks, the whitening effect will completely stabilize and you will be able to return to your regular lifestyle.
