Do whitening toothpaste, rinses, flosses and chewing gums
actually work?
Over the counter products are relatively ineffective at best,
and some of these can be very abrasive, and actually cause
damage to the enamel.
The whitening is deceiving on these products, because if it rubs
off a little extrinsic stain, does that mean the teeth have been
whitened?
You need a bleaching agent such as carbamide peroxide or
hydrogen peroxide in order to intrinsically whiten your teeth.
These agents must remain in contact with the enamel for a
certain period of time in order to be effective. Even
toothpastes that claim to have these agents are not very
effective, because they have a mild concentration of peroxide
and they are not in contact for long enough duration to make any
difference.
Is whitening safe? Does Whitening harm your tooth’s enamel?
Teeth bleaching has proven to be a safe and effective way of
achieving a more youthful and a healthy looking smile .The
safety and effectiveness of this procedure is directly related
to the dosage given, the frequency and duration of treatment,
the concentration and the type of material used. During the time
that you whiten, the fluoride rich layer of enamel is broken
down and the teeth become more porous, making them more
susceptible to the acids and sugars in your mouth. Within 24-48
hours your tooth s enamel will re-mineralize and build-up that
protective fluoride-rich layer again. If you become a whitening
junkie, and never give your enamel the chance to re-mineralize,
then you can cause long term adverse effects to your teeth.