Tooth Whitening

Almost everyone in Cincinnati wants a bright, white smile. This is why so many people commit so much time and money to whiten their teeth. To achieve a white smile, people can visit their Cincinnati cosmetic dentist for a professional cleaning (for a professional price) or buy the do-it-yourself tooth whitening kit at any local pharmacy.

There are two chemicals typically used to whiten teeth: hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. The extent of the cleaning involved will determine which chemical is used. Dentists use a powerful hydrogen peroxide gel under closely monitored conditions. The "at-home" kits, feature the lower concentration carbamide gel product.

How do our teeth get stained? Coffee, tea, smoking and grinding of teeth can affect tooth whiteness, but even those who do not engaged in these habits can experience a change in the color of their teeth as they age. All human beings are born with a different inner tooth color which appears as the tooth’s enamel coating wears away during the aging process, upon overexposure to fluoride, or trauma. Such discoloration or staining is referred to as “intrinsic staining.” "Extrinsic staining" is staining created by the ingestion of dark-colored drinks such as tea or coffee, smoking, eating habits, genetic influences and habitual teeth grinding.

Though both these types of discoloration can be improved, the final result chiefly depends on the age and level of yellowing of the patient’s teeth. Additionally, not all intrinsic stains can be completely whitened through whitening efforts and a good dentist or technician will discuss this with their patient during consultation.

To have the process performed by a trained professional takes fifteen to twenty minutes. The treatment begins with the patient wearing a mouth guard and then having a “rubber guard” painted on the gums. Next, a peroxide gel is applied to the teeth and in a few minutes the whitening work is done. Most patients are provided with take-home kits to maintain their newly brightened teeth, or to address stains that were not entirely eliminated. Patients with newly whitened teeth should not smoke, drink dark beverages like tea or coffee, and should avoid drinking with a straw for quite a few days after the treatment.

Cincinnati dentists may sell take home kits with the requisite tools to the patient, but the peroxide gel provided with the kit is not as strong as the one used in the dental office.

The take-home tooth whitening kits, though, generally produce very good results over the course of a week. But this easy-to-use and cheaper alternative cannot remove all intrinsic or deeper discoloration.