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.
