1. Is it a good idea to have your teeth cleaned before getting them whitened?

Answer: Its always a good idea to get your teeth cleaned before getting any dental work performed. You wouldn’t want any bacteria or germs from your mouth to get into any open scratches or scrapes – “Cleanliness is Godliness” – and should proceed a tooth-whitening treatment!

2. If I have cavities… should they be filled before I have my teeth whitened?

Answer: Of course your cavities should be filled before the teeth whitening process starts. Teeth whitening is really teeth bleaching or applying a chemical solution to your teeth and surrounding gums. Again, you don’t want this solution seeping into any bacteria filled teeth or gum openings.

3. Will tooth colored fillings… crowns, bridges and veneers lighten when my teeth are bleached?

Answer: No…tooth colored fillings… crowns… bridges… and veneers… will not lighten when your teeth are bleached or whitened. Bleaching or whitening solutions active ingredient is carbamide peroxide This solution is ph balanced to clean live enamel (your teeth), and not artificial devices or materials like crowns, fillings, bridges or veneers.

4. Will a good whitening toothpaste be enough to remove normal coffee, tea, and tobacco stains from my teeth… and will any of these toothpastes also bleach my teeth?

Answer: Whitening toothpastes can help remove surface stains from your teeth with their mild abrasives. Some whitening toothpastes also have special chemicals or polishing agents that provide additional stain removal. But whitening toothpastes don’t bleach teeth… nor do they lighten or change the color of your teeth.

5. Will teeth whitening kits from the dentist actually produce faster and better results than whitening kits purchased over the counter?

Answer: Yes… as a general rule, products from the dentist are safer and faster. Dr. Swift, Jr., DMD, professor, Univ. Of N. Carolina says… “products from the dentist contain higher percentages of peroxide and produce faster and more dramatic whitening results” .

6. Will tooth whitening treatments produce the same results on different types of discolored teeth. In other words… will ‘gray tinted teeth’ bleach or whiten… with the same results as… ‘yellow stained teeth’?

Answer: No… for the most part. Until recently, it was generally accepted ‘yellow stain teeth’ (caused by smoking, tobacco, red wine, etc.) bleach faster… easier… and better than ‘gray stained teeth’ (caused by the antibiotic tetracyline, or excess fluoride.

However, Dr. Swift goes on to say… “now, dental beaches can make some headway against tetracycline staining (gray tinted teeth)”. He goes on to say… “however, it requires time and patience – daily use for 6 to 9 months, this can be expensive”.

7. Will I suffer from tooth sensitivity and gum irritation after receiving teeth or tooth-whitening treatments?

Answer: Some people experience increased tooth and gum sensitivity to cold and/or hot foods during the whitening or bleaching process. Others report temporary discomfort… such as gum or tooth sensitivity. These symptoms always disappear within 1-3 days after interruption or completion of the treatment.

8. Should my husband who has a gum disease get his teeth whitened?

Answer: It depends on what type of gum disease he has. If he has a problem with receding gums (dentist call it ‘gengival atrophy’), bleaching agents are likely to make his teeth and gums quite sensitive… at least for a few days. Of course your dentist should explain all this to you and him… and develop an individualized treatment plan for him.

There you have it… answers to your most pressing or important questions related to teeth whitening or tooth bleaching processes.

First and foremost I warn patients of all the possible side affects.
Yes, the bleach can seep through the barrier and cause burning of the tissues. I also warn patients that they may feel a “thumping” in their teeth, possibly for a few days. I often test our products on myself or our staff members so that I can better explain to our patients the possible side affects.

We have had only one patient complain about swollen lips. All bleaching materials and procedures cause some blanching, burning, sores, redness and discomfort of the gum tissue. As with any cosmetic procedure there are always side affects and you should be completely informed by Dr. or the office staff.

Zoom recommends 3 cycles of 15 minutes under the light, and in most cases this is just fine with my patients, even though we have once in a while patients that stop after 2 cycles ( when they feel tooth sensitivity ).
I also start out with the lowest concentration of bleach and I do not place the light right up to the mouth. I often leave some space between the mouth and the light. I do not recommend doing any at home tray bleaching. I have had some wonderful results and very satisfied patients. I will not perform bleaching on a patient that I do not feel that I can get their teeth at least 5 to 6 shades lighter. I have always been honest with patients during their consult and have turned patients away. At our office we are only interested in great results and not money. If we can’t get you great results we tell them, “unfortunately laser bleaching will not get you the results you are looking for and we won’t have you waste your time or money.” Often the color of our teeth is internal not external. Internal coloring can not be bleached!!!!

To all of you who are considering Zoom keep a few things in mind.

1. Make sure your discoloration is external. (internal coloring will usually be more of a gray shade or a deep yellow coloring….this usually is due to medication or age)
2. Make sure that when having the bleaching that the person has placed a gauze covering over your lips before they place the lip retractors.
3. Ask what their office policy is if your results are not at least 5 to 6 shades lighter.
   In our office we have never had anyone have to ask for their money back due to the fact that we are always honest about how many shades we “think” we may be able to get them.
4. No matter how thick the barrier is on your gums there is always the chance that the material will seep through and cause discomfort. Though in my experience I haven’t had anyone had discomfort for more than a day or two and I’ve never had anyone had their gums turn black.
   Ask your dentist to do what I do-cover all exposed tissue.

As far as after you’ve had any bleaching, I recommend several different things.

I explain to the patient that after the bleaching session that their teeth will be more susceptible to stains for about a week so please be more careful about what your eat or drink. Keeping your teeth white,

• a good whitening tooth paste,
• avoid drinking coffee, tea, sodas without a straw.

These drinks have a natural dye and will stain more easily than any foods. If you don’t want to use a straw always have a glass of water with your drink.

Whitening can be a safe procedure but will cause some discomfort. Ask to be informed of all possible side effects!

These are my thoughts and experience, now I want to hear from you. Please comment bellow on your Zoom teeth whitening experience, let us know how you feel about it, or if you have any other questions.

Also make sure you go through our entire website. Educate yourself on Zoom teeth whitening and ASK. Don’t be afraid to ask us here, or your dentist.