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Teeth whitening is not difficult these days. There are effective methods for white teeth: incl. whitening pastes, strips, varnishes and gels. The mere removal of the scale gives a visible improvement. Learn more about teeth whitening.

The natural color of teeth ranges from white, ivory, to gray-blue and yellow-brown shades. It is not uncommon for individual teeth (for the same person) to have a different color.

What affects the color of the teeth? First of all, the genes that determine the mineralization of tissues, their chemical composition, dentine color, enamel thickness and shade. Time also plays a significant role - with age, the enamel wears away, and the thinner its layer, the more the darker dentine tissue shows through. But our diet also has a significant impact (dyes in tea, coffee, red wine, blueberries, cherries), habits (smoking), medications (iron, some antibiotics) or simply careless tooth brushing. Dark, discolored teeth do not add beauty. . So let's take advantage of the wide range of whitening agents and treatments. Which one to choose? It depends primarily on our expectations and the size of our wallet.

Teeth whitening: start by removing the tartar

Often it is enough to clean the enamel of plaque and calculus to make the teeth immediately brighter. So let's start with a visit to the dentist. Tartar can be removed in several ways:

  • mechanically (also known as scaling),
  • ultrasound,
  • during the so-called sandblasting.

After cleaning the teeth, it is worth checking the fillings. The composite ones, put on years ago, also become discolored, and the amalgam fillings can change the color of the enamel. Therefore, it is better to replace them with new ones, made of materials of a durable color.

Cost: removal of tartar (scaling + sandblasting) - PLN 200-300.

Teeth whitening: whitening toothpastes

The use of whitening toothpastes is the simplest, but effective way to remove slight discoloration - it gives the effect of lightening by 1-2 tones. Whitening toothpastes contain special enzymes and active microgranules to dissolve the film that binds plaque to enamel, as well as abrasives (e.g. hydrated silica, calcium carbonate) to mechanically remove plaque.

When buying such a paste, you need to pay attentionper the abrasion index (RDA) stated on the packaging. It should not exceed 200, because the enamel can be damaged. For the same reasons, it should not be used for more than 2 months. The whitening toothpastes are supplemented with special brushes and mouthwashes. Between the cleaning fibers, the brushes have rubber brushes to polish the surface of the teeth, and the liquids inhibit the build-up of plaque.

Teeth whitening: dental tray

Whiteningwith the use of trays can also be performed with the help of a dentist. The overlays are made in a prosthetic office according to the previously made dentition impression, so they are perfectly matched. The doctor also selects a gel with an appropriate concentration, butteeth whiteningis done at home. The overlays should be worn 2 times a day for about 2 hours or put on at night for 4 hours.

Suchwhiteninglasts up to 4 weeks.

Cost: PLN 500-1000.

Teeth whitening: whitening strips, varnishes and gels

Hydrogen peroxide is the most active substance in home chemical whitening preparations. They can lighten the teeth by 2-4 tones. The effect is achieved in 2-3 weeks.

The most popular are elastic strips soaked in whitening gel, which are stuck to the upper and lower teeth twice a day for 20 minutes (but not on the entire dental arch, but from fours to fours).

Other preparations: varnish, gel, wax are intended for painting teeth. Unfortunately, they do not reach the interdental spaces.

In this respect, the overlay method works better. Plastic aligners should be warmed up in hot water, then bitten down and adjusted to your teeth. They are filled twice a day with whitening gel and placed on the lower and upper jaw for half an hour. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to precisely fit the aligners, which may result in uneven whitening of the teeth or irritation of the gums with the gel.

Cost: strips - approx. PLN 40, painting gel - approx. PLN 20, gel with overlays - approx. PLN 50.

Important

You need to know

  • The fashion for white teeth is not a recent invention. Bleaching has been tried for centuries, sometimes with some amazing methods. For this purpose, for example, wood ash, powdered deer horn, chalk and s alt were used. The soda has passed the test of time - our grandmothers and mothers used it as a bleach, but today it is also an ingredient of some toothpastes.
  • Teeth whitening treatments with chemical agents are reserved only for people over 16 years of age; Epileptics and pregnant women should not undergo them either.
  • After whiteningteeth tend to be hypersensitive, but usually disappear after 1-2 days.
  • Dead teeth are not susceptible to such whitening - they must be lightened from the inside (the whitening preparation is introduced into the tooth canal).
  • The fillings and crowns cannot be whitened, so it may be necessary to replace them so that the entire dentition has a uniform shade.
  • You cannot eat for 2 hours after the treatment and only drink mineral water. For 2 days, use the so-called white diet - avoid drinks and foods that could discolour the enamel (including coffee, tea, cola, fruit juices, beetroot, red pepper, blueberries). Smoking is also forbidden.
  • The whitening effect lasts up to 2 years. To slow down the process of dyes penetration into the enamel, it is worth using whitening toothpastes.

Teeth whitening - in the light of the lamp

This method is good for the impatient, because one treatment is enough, during which you can lighten your teeth even by more than 5 tones. It takes about an hour.

Since the whitening preparation (usually urea and hydrogen peroxide) has a much higher concentration than that for usehome whitening , the doctor first protects the gums with a special protective measure, and around the necks of the teeth places the rubber cover. Then, he applies bleach to the teeth (all or only selected ones) and illuminates it with a lamp emitting light of a specific wavelength, which accelerates the action of the preparation.

This cycle is repeated 2-4 times depending on the desired effect. The procedure is painless, but the teeth are hypersensitive for the next 1-2 days.

Cost: PLN 700-3000 (depending on the number of teeth).

Teeth whitening by masking

Best forwhiteningyellow teeth react. Teeth that are brown, gray, or heavily discolored (usually as a result of tetracycline treatment) may whiten unevenly. If this is the case, it is better to use a different technique to correct the color of the teeth.

These can be veneers - thin plates, most often made of porcelain, that stick to the front surface of the teeth. It can also be a composite resin, the color of which matches the color of the surrounding teeth. It is put on the tooth, given the right shape, hardened with a special light, and finally smoothed and polished.

Cost: PLN 300-1200 per tooth (depending on the material used).

The article was published in the monthly "Zdrowie"

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Category:

Dentistry and Orthodontics