One of the main challenges adults face with their teeth is discolouration. Although the severity of the discolouration will vary from one person to the next, it does not mean that staining should be taken lightly. If not addressed, the staining gets progressively worse, especially if you do not change your habits that are causing the discolouration in the first place. The good news is that teeth whitening can go a long way in restoring your smile by elevating the appearance of your teeth. Nonetheless, before you set an appointment for teeth whitening or dash to your local store for whitening strips, you should read this article to understand what to expect.
Professional vs at home teeth whitening
A majority of people tend to think that buying whitening strips from the supermarket is a much more economical solution than going to their dentist. However, store-bought whitening kits can be incredibly expensive. Store-bought strips are designed for mass-market consumption, so they are not customised for your own dental formula. Hence, there is a high likelihood of uneven whitening and even possible damage to your gums.
Professional whitening, on the other hand, is designed for your individual teeth. For starters, your dentist will compare the shade of your teeth to your desired hue, and this allows the dentist to know how intense the whitening process should be. Once the preferred shade is picked out, your dentist will clean and gently polish the surface of your teeth, which enhances the efficacy of the whitening. The whitening gel is then applied to the enamel. The active ingredient that facilitates the bleaching process is carbamide peroxide. When exposed to controlled ultraviolet light, the active ingredient dissolves the staining on your teeth.
Professional teeth whitening is much safer than at-home options for a couple of reasons. First, your dentist controls the strength of the whitening gel as well as exposure to UV light. Secondly, your dentist will employ the use of retractors, which function to expose all your teeth while also protecting your inner cheeks from coming into contact with the carbamide peroxide in the whitening gel.
Is teeth whitening permanent?
Although professional teeth whitening provides you with longer-lasting results than the at-home whitening kits, none of these options are permanent. The duration of your results depends primarily on your habits. For instance, smokers will need to visit their dentist more frequently than non-smokers do. Moreover, your oral hygiene habits will determine how long your whitening results last.
