The Beauty of White:
A Step-by-Step Guide to Teeth Whitening

Everybody wants white teeth. Certainly, a smile has never quite the same impact as when you have bright, white teeth to complement it. But the problem is that while you might be satisfied by the sparkle you get from brushing your teeth twice daily, you may want to go beyond this to make your smile look brighter.

How?

There are literally millions of products and procedures available to help you improve the look of your smile. If you want to know which one is best for you, then it’s a good idea to investigate each teeth whitening option you have.

Below is a step-by-step guide to help you whiten your teeth:

Step 1: Ask your dentist.

Why should you ask your dentist? More importantly, what should you ask your dentist?

For the first question, the answer is: for the simple reason that your dentist knows. He is in a better position than anyone else to know what the best option you have for teeth whitening. On that same note, he or she can tell you which teeth whitening procedure would prove effective on you.

Remember that not all whiteners can correct all types of discoloration. Most of the time, it would depend on how discolored the teeth are.

So, for instance, yellow-ish hue on teeth will bleach well, while brown-ish hue will bleach less well. The same goes with gray-ish hued teeth and so on.

Moreover, if you have had bonding or tooth-colored fillings placed in your front teeth, bleaching will have less of an effect in enhancing your smile.

Since the whitener will not affect the color of these materials, they remain the same color before you applied bleach. And as a result, they will stand out more against the rest of your teeth, thereby ruining the effect of your newly whitened smile.

Also, caps, crowns, bridges, filling, and any other artificial dental work will not bleach. So does the exposed root portion of teeth, a condition that occurs with gum recession. This part of the teeth will not whiten. Neither will the amalgam (silver) fillings you have near or behind the front teeth. In fact, long term bleaching can cause the surrounding tooth to acquire a greenish tinge.

Asking your dentist for advice on matters such as these will help you choose better teeth whitening options. He or she will be able to point you to the right and effective treatment to whiten your teeth and improve your smile. If none of the options work, your dentist may even recommend alternative options, such as porcelain veneer or dental bonding.

Step 2: Choose between in-office procedure or at-home bleaching.

There are two things you need to remember about teeth whitening. One, as previously mentioned, is that not all whiteners will be effective on every type of teeth discoloration. The other is that there are a variety of treatment options available ranging from over-the-counter whitening systems and whitening products to dentist-supervised procedures using various professional products and techniques, but only two basic approaches.

Serving as your guide to choosing the best teeth whitening option, these two basic approaches are the following:

• In-Office Bleaching

Sometimes referred to as “chairside bleaching”, in-office bleaching involves teeth whitening procedures that can be done by your dentist in his or her office. One chairside bleaching session takes about 30 to 60 minutes to finish, but may require more than one visit to your dentist in order to get the result you want.

So what happens during an in-office bleaching procedure?

Since this is a type of teeth whitening procedure, it presupposes the use of a bleaching agent. The first thing that your dentist does is to place a shield over your gums to protect them while he “paints” the bleaching agent onto your teeth.

To set the agent to work or to activate it, your dentist may use a special light at five-minute intervals.

To get satisfactory results, chairside bleaching procedures often require anywhere from two to ten dental visits, depending on your particular needs.

• At-Home Bleaching

As opposed to chairside bleaching where the procedure is done entirely in the dentist’s office, an at-home bleaching procedure may be started by the dentist but can be completed at home. For this reason, the procedure is usually referred to as “nightguard bleaching.”

What are the agents/procedures needed for at-home bleaching?

The agent to use is usually a peroxide mixture placed in a mouthguard-like tray, which your dentist will fit to your mouth. With the mouthguard-like tray holding the bleaching agent and keeping it in contact with your teeth, you are usually made to wear it for approximately two hours every day.

If it is inconvenient for you to wear it during the day, you may wear it at night for the same number of hours.

The treatment lasts anywhere from two to three weeks, depending on your particular needs. During the entire treatment period, it is recommended that you revisit your dentist so he or she can determine whether the bleach is having any effect on your teeth.

In addition, any side effects should be apparent to your dentist and enable him or her to address them sooner.

**NOTE: Laser bleaching is new technology currently in development for teeth whitening. So far, studies show this new method to be promising and may prove to be effective for removal of deep-seated tooth discoloration, which current bleaching methods are unable to quite effectively remove.

Step 3: Use over-the-counter bleaching products.

But this should only be done with the supervision of your dentist.

Over-the-counter bleaching products, not including toothpaste, are readily available, so available in fact that they have great potential for misuse. That is why the first step is very important. Ask your dentist’s advice concerning these products as some of them may contain solutions and acids that could prove damaging to your teeth’s enamel.

The American Dental Association (ADA) has also set some guidelines for dental products. Teeth whiteners are not categorized as drugs and, hence, they are not regulated by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The only reliable information you therefore have about the safety of a bleaching product is the guidelines provided by the ADA, which states that at-home bleaching products should not be harmful to either teeth or the soft tissues of the mouth, and that it can effectively whiten the teeth.

You will recognize products that are ADA-approved because they bear the ADA’s “Seal of Acceptance.” Since earning the ADA’s seal is expensive and time-consuming for a manufacturer, not to mention optional, the fact that the manufacturer bothered is a good indication of its commitment toward creating a quality product.

However, this is not to say that products without the ADA seal are useless. In fact, you may even notice your own dentist using dental products without the ADA Seal of Acceptance. There could be many reasons for this and among them are:

• The product is a “generic equivalent” of an ADA-approved product currently in the market.

• The product contains a level of carbamide peroxide that is greater than 10%, which is stronger than what ADA guidelines set but which your dentist, in his professional capacity, believes is the appropriate solution for your particular needs.

Step 4: Before applying bleaching solution/gel.

After deciding on what bleaching solution to use, your next concern is what you should do prior to treatment. Of course, brushing your teeth is mandatory.

But while you may be satisfied with just brushing, bleaching solutions work best on squeaky clean teeth. That means, you also need to floss, in addition to brushing.

Try on the mouthguard-like trays first without any bleach. As already mentioned, the mouthguard-like bleaching tray will be used to hold the bleach and keep it in contact with your teeth.

It is important to try the trays first so you can check to see if it fits. Remember that you will most likely be wearing the mouthguard-like tray with bleach for several hours so comfort is important.

And lastly, make sure that the mouthguard-like trays are clean and dry before you apply the bleaching solution. Any moisture in the trays will reduce the efficiency of the whitening solution. It may even slow down the whitening process.

Step 5: Apply the bleaching solution/gel.

One important thing to remember when applying the bleaching solution or gel is to make sure that you do not fill the trays. At most, place only a drop or two of teething whitening solution. The recommended amount per arch is approximately 0.5ml of whitening solution.

The solution must not reach beyond half way up on the inner front surface of the tray – i.e., in the front of each tooth in the tray. Also, do not spread the bleach around. Make sure the solution stays put.

After placing the solution onto the tray, recap the syringe and place it back in your medicine cabinet or other safe place to be ready for next time you apply treatment.

Now, to insert the mouthguard-like tray in the mouth over the teeth, seat the tray firmly against the teeth.

Some excess whitening or bleaching solution may seep over the brim of the tray onto your gums as you fit it in. Just wipe that with a piece of cloth while holding the tray up with one hand. If any of the excess solution gets to your gums, you may use your fingers or soft tissue to wipe it away.

Step 6: Wear the bleaching tray for the recommended wearing time.

For best results, wear the bleaching tray in your mouth for the recommended wearing time. The wearing time may differ from product to product, usually depending on the percentage of solution. If you don’t know what the wearing time of your bleaching product is, ask your dentist for some advice.

In general, bleaching trays should be worn for two hours. However, the manufacturer of your bleaching product may recommend a different period.

The following are the recommended wearing period generally recommended by manufacturers:

• For Carbamide Peroxide Bleaching Solutions:

10%, 15% or 16% strength: Wearing time is two to four hours once or twice per day. You also have the option to wear the trays overnight while sleeping. However, if sensitivity develops, it is best to stop using the trays and consult your dentist.

20-22% strength: Wearing time is 30 minutes to an hour. The trays may be worn once or twice per day but should not exceed one hour per application.

• Hydrogen Peroxide Bleaching Solutions:

For any strength: Wearing time is only for 30 minutes and not to exceed an hour per application.

After you are done with steps 1 through 6, and the recommended wearing period of your bleaching tray has expired, then remove the tray and rinse your teeth with water. If there are any bleaching gel left, brush them away. Brush, floss, and continue with your daily routine dental cleaning.

You may notice some sensitivity around your teeth right after bleaching. This is normal. You may treat the problem by applying some desensitizing gel.