The Ultimate Guide to Teeth Whitening: Options, Benefits, and Aftercare Tips for a Brighter Smile

What is Teeth Whitening?

The most popular cosmetic dental procedure we see at Riccobene Family Dentistry is professional teeth whitening. We all recognize the importance of a bright, sparkly smile, whether you’re laughing with friends, smiling in a photo or wanting to feel confident strolling into school or a job interview.

But it’s a rough world out there for our teeth and many of the things that we love don’t exactly love our pearly whites - think coffee, tea, red wine, delicious berries, sport drinks, and so many more things we consume a lot or a little of on a daily basis. It doesn’t help that even with impeccable hygiene, aging robs us of a little bit of our enamel over time and exposes naturally yellow elements that make up the interior of your teeth.

Professional whitening uses specially formulated whitening agents to lift and remove stains from your teeth, helping mitigate or reverse the impact that years of wear and tear make on our teeth. Especially when it’s integrated with a regular oral health regiment, professional teeth whitening can be a solution for you.

Who May Benefit from Teeth Whitening?

Ideal teeth whitening candidates include individuals with stained and discolored teeth due primarily to food, drinks and aging. All these causes of tooth discoloration share something in common - they’re probably acting on the outermost layer of your teeth, the enamel.

If you have more extensive dental work, severe tooth damage, discoloration caused by trauma, or dead teeth you may not be suited for whitening.

Types of Teeth Whitening Options

There are three primary methods for teeth whitening, varying in effectiveness, complexity of treatment, and cost. In general, you’ll work with your dentist to select from on-office, professional whitening, an at-home whitening kit (either prescribed or over the counter) or natural remedies.

 In-office Professional Whitening

• In-office treatment will be directly administered at the dental office by professional staff, supervised by your dentist. It’s the gold standard for teeth whitening.
• Benefits: Immediate results, custom care, and advanced technology.

At-home Whitening Kits

• Your dentist may prescribe an at-home solution with custom-fit trays that you apply over a period of days/weeks at home. While the results are impressive for many and at-home approaches can be more affordable, they don’t last as long as in-office treatments and rely on you to complete treatment on a regular basis instead of a one-and-done treatment. They also won’t be as effective on significant or well-set stains.
• Benefits: Convenient, affordable, and gradual results.

 Natural Teeth Whitening Remedies

• Natural or holistic teeth whitening remedies persist as people explore chemical-free ways to naturally whiten teeth. Home remedies for whitening include the use of baking soda as a mild abrasive the scrub away surface stains, activated charcoal which is claimed to absorb stain-causing material, and oil pulling to reduce bacterial and prompt oral health.
• Benefits: often chemical free and more affordable than professional in-office or at-home options.
• Risks: limited clinical evidence support these methods, and in some cases abrasive material that purports to remove stains can in fact damage enamel and cause significant problems.

How Teeth Whitening Works?

So how does the teeth whitening process work? Let’s get into some science (don’t worry, we’ll keep it straightforward). Any teeth whitening process relies on an active ingredient to attack the molecules that stain your teeth.

The role of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide in teeth whitening

The main active ingredient in any whitening process is a powerful oxidizing agent. Usually, this will be hydrogen peroxide (primarily for in-office treatments) or carbamide peroxide (for at-home treatments). When it makes contact with your teeth, hydrogen peroxide whitening treatments penetrate the surface of your enamel and break apart the stain molecules that discolor your teeth.

So how about carbamide peroxide? Well, it’s not as strong as hydrogen peroxide and has one extra step, but that makes it perfect for at-home treatments. It breaks down to hydrogen peroxide and urea when it is exposed to water, and since it takes time to react it acts slower than pure hydrogen peroxide.

How fast and how effective a tooth whitening treatment is determined by the concentration of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide in the whitening agent selected, as well as the applications of either light or heat to accelerate the reaction.

Benefits of Teeth Whitening

The benefits of teeth whitening are obvious when you flash a smile.

• Confidence & self esteem - look sharp, feel sharp, be sharp. Bright, healthy teeth can make you feel like a million bucks.
• Improved smile - we work hard on our smile, from braces to brushing. Color is usually less important than alignment, but it’s often a necessary final step to any oral overhaul
• Habit reset - a procedure like professional tooth whitening can be the nudge many people need to reinforce good oral hygeine, which shows up in more than just pictures. A healthy mouth correlates with good health outcomes at your doctor’s office, not just our dental clinics.

Things to Consider Before Whitening Your Teeth

There are a number of factors to consider before deciding to proceed with tooth whitening.

• Motivation - why are you considering teeth whitening, and why now? Is something specific happening or about to happen that you want your smile to be bright, white and beautiful for?
• Desired results - do you need to see a drastic change, or a gradual improvement? What you want to achieve will affect the choices you make and the cost you incur. 
• Leadup to stained teeth - discuss with your dentist the most likely cause for your tooth discoloration, and whether your lifestyle will lead to a long-lived whitening outcome or just a temporary improvement
• Sensitivity - some whitening methods can cause sensitivity in teeth. Are you prepared to manage sensitive teeth?
• Existing conditions - depending on your oral health, you may or may not be a candidate for teeth whitening. Consult your dentist to confirm if your oral health permits a whitening procedure or if you’re a better candidate for other methods.

Aftercare Tips for Maintaining a Bright Smile

In the immediate aftermath of teeth whitening, aftercare is straightforward and simple. Be prepared with a toothpaste specifically designed for sensitive teeth, and plan on using it in place of your regular toothpaste for several days. You can transition to your normal toothpaste as sensitivity wanes.

In the medium term, maintaining white teeth isn’t so much a matter of what we do in the procedure itself but how we maintain our mouth. Look into whether now is the right time to address diet modifications - if you’re thinking of giving up coffee, red wine, or tobacco, this would be a great time to explore eliminating or reducing the consumption and use of staining food and substances.

Lastly, set and schedule your follow up appointments to make sure your smile stays where you need it to be.

Risks and Side Effects of Teeth Whitening

Key side effects of teeth whitening usually range from very mild to slightly irritating. By far the most common side effects are tooth sensitivity and gum irritation. Tooth sensitivity can be caused by temporarily exposing nerve-rich dentin through the whitening process, which can present as sensitivity to hot, cold, or sweet foods and beverages. Gum irritation can be caused if whitening agents contact your gums, emphasizing the importance of professional supervision and custom-fit trays.

In rare cases and with some whitening agents (especially holistic/natural remedies) enamel damage is possible. Consult with your dentist to make sure you’ve selected the right whitening agent for your needs and goals.

To minimize risk, follow your dentist’s guidelines both in the leadup to and aftermath of the procedure. Use dentist-recommended products (toothbrush, gil, etc.), only whiten your teeth on a cadence that you discuss with your dentist, and prepare food that’s not likely to irritate your teeth and gums further in the immediate aftermath.

What is the Difference Between Whitening and Bleaching?

We’re often asked about teeth whitening vs bleaching. They’re often used interchangeably, and use the same active ingredients. When you see them differentiated, it’s usually based on the patient’s goals: teeth whitening is designed to return your teeth to their original color, and teeth bleaching is sometimes used to refer to trying to take teeth well past their original color.

Benefits of Seeking Professional Teeth Whitening From Ricobbene

Professional whitening is the most powerful, longest lasting option available and minimizes the risk of side effects, maximizes the magnitude and duration of results and requires the lowest commitment in terms of repeated treatment or patient involvement.

At home kits, while more affordable, produce shorter lasting, less dramatic results and usually rely on you (the patient!) to apply trays yourself and manage a treatment routine for several days or weeks.

Conclusion

Whether you’re getting ready to walk the runway or smiling to your own secret self, brighter, whiter teeth are within reach. With the right care and selection of an appropriate method of professional teeth whitening, we can help find a path to your smile success story. Contact your local Riccobene Associates Family Dentistry office today to book your consultation.

FAQs About Teeth Whitening

What are the first signs that my teeth are discolored and could benefit from whitening?

If you notice in the mirror or in pictures that your teeth have changed color over time, it may be time to consult your dentist and see if you could benefit from whitening.

How long does professional teeth whitening last?

In-office professional teeth whitening can last 6-12 months or in some cases up to two years.

Can teeth whitening damage enamel?

When used correctly, teeth whitening treatments will not damage enamel. However, incorrect usage may affect enamel. Consult your dentist before attempting any teeth whitening on your own.

What's the best at-home whitening method?

A prescribed at-home kit will often come with stronger whitening agents and custom-fit trays that are a marked improvement from over-the-counter options and would be preferred for an at-home whitening method. Over-the-counter methods are shorter-lived but may still be effective, depending on your goals.