Cosmetic teeth whitening: pros and cons, is it worth doing the procedure, contraindications

Advantages and disadvantages of the procedure

Positive sides:

Quick results. In a single visit, you can noticeably lighten the enamel by several tones, the effect depends on its condition.
No medical indications. The client of the dental clinic decides for himself whether he needs to whiten his teeth.
Many methods with different effects and prices.
No pain or other discomfort.
Almost all methods are universal, which means they can be used for patients of different ages.
There is no need to go through a recovery period.
Getting rid of complexes and awkwardness when communicating with others.

The technique also has negative aspects:

The most effective methods have a high cost.
The effect does not last long. The smile will remain snow-white for 5-7 years, but no more.
Increased sensitivity of enamel, its thinning. Pain may occur while eating if the food or water is too cold or too hot.
Inability to change the color of filling material, implants, artificial crowns.
The risk of losing the natural shade of teeth and excessive whiteness increases.
The need to adhere to dietary nutrition to maintain results. It is not recommended to drink coffee, strong black tea, or eat foods with a high concentration of bright natural pigment.

Contraindications to teeth whitening

Doctors recommend completely abandoning the procedure or postponing it indefinitely during pregnancy and breastfeeding, as well as when:

individual intolerance to the components of the whitening composition;
the presence of a milk bite that has not changed to a permanent one;
oncology;
increased sensitivity of enamel;
tissue damage due to traumatic exposure or other reasons;
pulpitis in chronic form;
orthodontic treatment;
dental diseases (for example, caries) in the acute phase;
a large number of fillings, fixed dentures, artificial crowns (possible color balance disturbances, unnatural whiteness of certain areas).

Each case is reviewed by a dentist; the doctor may prohibit lightening of the teeth to avoid adverse reactions. Why do you need teeth whitening if it will lead to irreversible consequences? It is likely that the presence of the above circumstances is not an absolute obstacle to a cosmetic procedure, and in the absence of dangerous risks it can be completed.

Which star gave himself a snow-white smile?

It is quite difficult to get an answer to this question from the celebrities themselves. But if you carefully examine the smiles of the stars, it becomes clear that almost every famous person undergoes whitening on a regular basis. And if he doesn’t, then he gets veneers or lumineers to make his appearance even more attractive and not lose popularity. Only a few can boast of ideal white and naturally straight teeth.

If we turn to world stars with a “Hollywood” smile, which they acquired some time after they became very popular, then we can focus on the following personalities - Marilyn Monroe, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, Madonna, George Clooney, David Beckham , Emma Watson and many others.

How to reduce harmful effects

A dazzling smile does not mean that your teeth are completely healthy. Behind the thin enamel is dentin. It is a structure with yellowish or grayish pigmentation. Whitening uses active chemical compounds that lead to thinning of the enamel layer or damage to its integrity. This also affects the condition of the oral cavity.

To minimize negative consequences, the dentist performs the following actions:

Conducts a visual inspection and assessment of the condition of hard and soft tissues in the mouth.
Identifies possible contraindications.
Selects a safe and effective method of teeth whitening.
Uses any available methods to diagnose and relieve pathological processes.

How to keep your teeth white longer

Depending on the technique used, the effect of professional whitening can last for more than one year. However, some patients return to the clinic after a few months for a repeat procedure. To ensure that your smile remains dazzling for a long time, doctors recommend adhering to the following rules:

do not eat for 3 hours after teeth whitening, you can only drink clean water, then you must adhere to a special diet;
Do not use a brush with hard bristles, as this will only increase sensitivity;
purchase a paste without abrasive particles;
rinse your mouth, use dental floss, and irrigator after each meal;
Mouth rinses should not contain chlorhexidine (it stains teeth);
follow a schedule of visits to the dentist for preventive examinations (at least once every six months);
complete smoking cessation for 2-3 days, preferably for several weeks.

Special diet

To maintain the effect for a long time immediately after the procedure, you must adhere to a special diet. It is important to minimize the consumption of foods with bright colors. It is advisable to eat:

porridge;
dairy (but not fermented milk) products;
fish and seafood;
chicken, rabbit;
egg white;
white fruits and vegetables (such as bananas).

Along with eliminating food containing dyes from the diet, it is recommended to avoid coloring spices. This is turmeric, paprika. Dentists also do not advise eating smoked meats, citrus fruits, any berries, drinking coffee, black tea and alcoholic beverages.

Where to get the smile of your dreams?

How and where do you get snow-white teeth like stars? To carry out professional whitening, you need to contact a clinic that has the appropriate equipment and experienced specialists. Teeth are whitened by a dental hygienist, but this procedure can also be performed by a dental therapist - contacting any of these doctors will allow you to get teeth like a star.

The installation of veneers, lumineers and crowns is carried out by an orthopedic dentist, and implantation is carried out by an implantologist. If your bite needs correction with braces, you should first visit an orthodontist.

Types of teeth whitening: pros and cons

There are no ideal lightening methods. Each has positive and negative sides that the patient must be prepared for. This is why you need to consult your dentist first.

Mouthguards

These are removable devices that are made of special materials that are not subject to oxidative processes. As a rule, structures are used to correct bites and change the position of teeth. If the mouth guard is installed correctly, it does not cause discomfort (pain or other discomfort). After the adaptation period, the patient completely forgets about the presence of a foreign object in the mouth.

The device is created from an impression, which the dentist first makes during the initial appointment. The finished structure is filled with a whitening agent and placed on the upper or lower jaw.

Advantages:

low cost compared to other methods;
Possibility of teeth whitening at home.

Flaws:

insufficient visual effect, mouth guards will not get rid of intense yellowish deposits;
risk of developing an allergic reaction;
The method is contraindicated for persons with orthodontic structures in the mouth (plates, braces, etc.).

Laser technique

This method is one of the most effective. You can walk with a snow-white smile for up to 10 years, of course, if you do not ignore medical instructions. In this case, the enamel becomes white in just one session.

A gel composition is applied to the teeth, after which its components are activated using a laser, oxygen ions are formed, which penetrate the enamel layer and deactivate the coloring pigment.

Pros:

To lighten by more than 5 tones, one visit to the clinic is enough;
absence of pain and other discomfort;
the device operates for a short time (about 20 minutes);
the gel used has antiseptic properties and prevents inflammatory processes in the mouth;
the components of the drug strengthen the enamel and protect it from external influences.

Negative sides:

high price compared to alternative methods;
increased tooth sensitivity immediately after the procedure.

Ultrasonic cleaning

In this case, enamel lightening occurs due to the removal of hard plaque and other deposits, even in the interdental spaces. With the help of vibrations, all layers are mechanically removed. After all the manipulations, the specialist applies a special paste-like composition to the teeth to improve the protection of the dentition from external influences and various chemical irritants.

Ultrasound helps to get rid of even subgingival plaque. The stone is also removed.

Pros:

in one visit to the dentist you can lighten your teeth several shades;
during the procedure, the entire oral cavity is cleaned, and not just hard tissues;
absence of pain and other unpleasant sensations;
affordable price.

Minuses:

To consolidate the effect, ultrasonic cleaning should be repeated annually;
the result may seem insufficient if the enamel is too dark;
the natural shade of dentin tissue does not change;
A visit to the doctor takes up to an hour.

Chemical bleaching

The dentist applies highly concentrated preparations that contain hydrogen peroxide or other active ingredients. As a result, dentin is whitened, its shade becomes lighter by 5-7 tones or more.

Advantages of the method:

an effective procedure that removes plaque and lightens the dentinal layer;
if all manipulations were performed according to the rules, the result can last up to 4-5 years.

Minuses:

increased sensitivity of enamel after lightening;
high price;
the risk of burns to the mucous membranes if the dosage regimen of the chemical composition is not followed;
It takes many procedures (about 7) at intervals of 2-3 days to achieve the desired effect.

Air Flow

The surface of the teeth is processed mechanically, without affecting the dentinal layer. The doctor uses a sandblasting machine for this. Even the most difficult to reach areas (for example, interdental spaces) will be clean after exposure to a mixture of water, air and soda. The enamel is polished and the smile becomes dazzling.

Advantages:

absence of pain and other discomfort;
the entire oral cavity is cleansed, including the space between the teeth, under the gums, etc.;
fabrics are not damaged, abrasive particles act very gently;
the patient is not bothered by increased tooth sensitivity immediately after brushing;
affordable price.

Minuses:

insufficiently expressed visual effect;
a greater number of contraindications compared to alternative methods;
the color lasts up to a year.

Photobleaching

One of the most modern techniques with ZOOM or Luma-Arch devices. The enamel brightens due to ultraviolet exposure. The lamp warms up the lightening gel applied to the teeth, thereby enhancing its effect.

Pros:

the procedure lasts about 15 minutes;
per visit you can make the enamel 10 shades lighter;
the effect lasts up to 4 years if you follow the rules established by your doctor and adhere to basic hygiene standards;
absence of pain syndrome.

Minuses:

high cost (methods involving mechanical cleansing will be much cheaper);
It is advisable to completely exclude foods with bright dyes from the diet;
subsequent remineralization may be required;
before photobleaching, it is necessary to remove microprostheses and veneers;
bleaching is uneven, hard-to-reach areas are not lightened, but only the front incisors and canines;
If the procedure technique is not followed, the risk of burns to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity increases.

Endobleaching

This technique is also called in-canal bleaching. This method is used when depulpation has been performed, that is, removal of palpable tissue. After the death of the nerve, the teeth darken, so many patients want to lighten them.

The doctor pours a special synthetic composition with a whitening effect into the cavity and places a temporary filling material on top. If the enamel becomes lighter within 10-15 days, the drug is removed and everything is filled.

Advantages:

you can lighten one or several teeth at once;
the enamel remains intact because the whitening agent acts from the inside.

Flaws:

short-term effect (up to a year);
not suitable for processing both rows;
the price increases as the number of teeth treated increases.

Home whitening

Not all patients want to visit a dental clinic and prefer to whiten their enamel at home. The most common procedures:

The use of special whitening pastes. Typically, such compositions contain abrasives, affecting the entire surface of the dentition. As a result, it is possible to lighten the enamel layer by several tones.
Special stripes. They resemble a plaster and are glued to the incisors of the upper and lower jaws. The adhesive side contains a gel with concentrated chemical compounds. An oxidation process takes place in the mouth, which promotes quick and easy cleansing.
Traditional methods. Fans of “grandmother’s” recipes use hydrogen peroxide, soda, activated carbon and other substances.

What are the advantages of self-lightening at home:

low price;
ease of implementation.

The list of disadvantages is much more extensive than the list of advantages. This:

low effectiveness compared to professional care;
negative impact on enamel, damage to the mucous membranes of the oral cavity, the appearance of hypersensitivity to any irritant;
high risk of allergies and poisoning due to careless use and, as a result, ingestion of bleaching mixtures.

Hardware methods

Modern methods of cleaning and whitening teeth are gentle and safe for enamel if used wisely. Hardware methods allow you to obtain ideal results in a short period of time and with minimal harm to the enamel.

Professional whitening takes place in 2 important stages - preparation of the oral cavity and lightening itself. Currently popular are the Air-Flow system for hygienic cleaning and the Zoom system for whitening.

Air-Flow

Air-Flow is a professional cleaning technique using a sandblasting tip into which air, water and abrasive particles are supplied. During the procedure, the enamel is cleaned of plaque and tartar, which returns the natural shade of the incisors.

During the procedure, hydrogen peroxide is not used and no harm is caused to the teeth, but cleaning with the Air-Flow device reduces the risk of developing caries. The disadvantage of this method is that it will not be possible to whiten the incisors.

Air-Flow cleaning is carried out in the following order:

the doctor examines the oral cavity for the presence of tartar and inflammatory processes in the gum area;
the gums are coated with a local anesthetic in the form of a gel to reduce sensitivity, this is especially important in areas of inflammation;
Using the Air-Flow nozzle, the dentist washes away deposits in hard-to-reach places;
The oral cavity is treated with professional paste and a brush attachment.

After the procedure, remineralization is not required, but if the patient’s condition requires it, the enamel is coated with a fluoride-based preparation.

Zoom

The Zoom system is a whitening technique using hydrogen peroxide and a warm light lamp. The procedure is performed in the dentist's office and helps you achieve a whiter smile after one session. The advantage of the method is the quick and high-quality result; the patient gains a gorgeous smile within an hour.

Before using the Zoom system, Air-Flow cleaning is carried out. This is necessary to sanitize the oral cavity and remove remaining plaque and tartar from hard-to-reach places. Otherwise, the lightening procedure will be ineffective.

Whitening using the Zoom method is carried out in the following order:

A dilator is installed in the oral cavity, and the gums are covered with a protective composition to avoid burns from the effects of peroxide;
the incisors are coated with peroxide-based gel;
The incisors are irradiated for 15 minutes to activate the gel.

The application of the gel is repeated 2-3 times to obtain the desired result. The enamel lightening is completed with remineralization to eliminate sensitivity.

Is teeth whitening worth it?

This is a very responsible procedure; if you make mistakes, you can start irreversible pathological processes. Doctors recommend dental cleanings twice a year to remove accumulated plaque. This is a superficial method that does not lighten the dentition. If a patient wants to whiten his teeth, he is indicated for professional whitening in dentistry.

Doctors do not recommend performing the procedure at home with store-bought pharmaceutical formulations. Firstly, it is very difficult to correctly calculate the dosage that will be safe for the enamel and for the entire body if accidentally swallowed. Secondly, even one careless action can lead to burns of the mucous membranes.

After lightening the enamel, you need to be prepared for sensitivity to temperature changes, sour, sweet, and solid foods. In addition, careful hygiene and diet will be required, which not everyone is ready for.

Having studied the indications and contraindications for professional cosmetic teeth whitening, the pros and cons of the procedure, you can choose a technique that is right for you. We invite you to sign up for a preliminary consultation with a Dentiki dentist by calling the number listed on the website or filling out the feedback form.