Color changes occur on the tooth surface due to various reasons over time. These color changes are often in the form of yellow teeth or brown spots appearing on the tooth surface. There are both home bleaching methods and medical applications for tooth stains and yellowing. However, not every case of yellow and stained teeth can be cured with these simple methods that can be applied at home. In such cases, teeth whitening (bleaching) procedures are easily performed in dental clinics. Bleaching performed in clinics takes a short time and the whitening effect stands out immediately.
How Are Teeth Whitened? What Are the Different Ways?
Tooth whitening (bleaching) is applied to remove stains on the tooth enamel and the dentin structure of the tooth. There are two different options of teeth whitening: home type and clinical type. The home type bleaching method is based on all-day use and is done by pouring special substances that will whiten teeth in into special molds that surround the tooth. Clinical type application, on the other hand, is carried out with the use of special cleaning agents and a procedure that takes about 30 minutes. The application produces remarkable results in a short time like 2 hours.
Teeth whitening applications can create a certain amount of sensitivity in the teeth, regardless of the method used. This state of sensitivity goes away on its own after a certain period of time. However, if you experience an uncomfortable sensitivity problem, it is advised to seek medical support. The applications create a basic but harmless abrasion that also causes sensitivity on the tooth surface. Therefore, it is essential to treat the teeth more carefully after the procedure. Treating your teeth more carefully means regular implementation of oral care practices with the
right methods. In addition, consumption of foods that cause color changes on the tooth surface such as foods containing intense food dyes, chocolate, caramel, and tea as well as alcohol and cigarettes will require teeth whitening and so should be avoided for a while. It is important for the success of the process that these items should not be consumed for at least 4-5 days after the teeth whitening process. In addition, after the teeth whitening process, extremely hot and extremely cold food/drinks should not be consumed in a 1-week period. In order not to prolong the duration of tooth sensitivity, oral care products containing substances that can corrode the teeth should be avoided.
What To Do to Get Long Lasting White Teeth?
After teeth whitening, patients generally want the results they are satisfied with to be permanent. However, this procedure may need to be repeated because of the patient’s approach to their daily eating habits. There is no harm in doing the whitening process again. However, it is important to remember that in terms of dental health there are certain periods of at least 6 months between procedures. For people who do not use tea, coffee, and cigarettes very often, these periods will be longer in between.
In some patients, the desired results can be seen after a period of 2 weeks. The reason for this is the factors that led to the whitening process in the first place. For example, while the whitening effect can be seen immediately in people who only have staining on their teeth due to smoking, for those with yellow teeth caused by antibiotic use, it may take up to 1 week to get results after the bleaching process. Your doctor will inform you after the procedure. Overall, at the end of the teeth whitening process, the appearance of white and bright teeth is preserved between 6 months and 1 year. However, people who desire whiter and brighter teeth can maintain their bright and white smiles by repeating the process after a waiting period of at least 4 months.
