how do teeth become dark?
There are many causes for teeth to darken. The most common causes are consumption of staining foods (coffee, tea, red wine and colas), smoking, antibiotic staining (tetracycline), old fillings and genetics.
There are 2 types of staining external and internal.
External can be removed by professional cleanings in the dental chair and toothpastes. This however, does not remove internal staining and discolouration.
Internal staining is incorporated in the structure of the tooth and can only be removed by a procedure called “tooth whitening”
how does whitening work?
A whitening gel is placed in a custom tray made by the dentist which fits snuggly over your teeth and is done at home by the patient. The active ingredient in the gel is carbamide peroxide. The process is that the carbamide peroxide is broken down and releases oxygen bubbles which enter the tooth through natural channels in the tooth called tubules. This then gently whitens the discoloration and staining in the tooth.
how safe is this?
The procedure is safe if carried out by a trained dental care professional. Try to avoid going to have the procedure done by untrained individuals as they may cause damage to the gums due to poor knowledge of the facial anatomy.
Tooth whitening does not damage or alter the structure of the tooth.
The procedure is fast and predictable and can whiten the teeth from 2-16 shades lighter. It will not whiten denture teeth, crowns, veneers or fillings. However, after whitening the restorations can be changed to match the new whiter teeth. Some patients develop sensitivity to temperature. This is temporary and can be prevented by using a sensitive toothpaste or applying a desensitiser to the teeth which the dentist can supply .
how much does it cost?
The cost of treatment ranges from £350-£650 depending on the patient’s requirements after a consultation.
what is the difference between @home and laser whitening?
The other way to whiten the teeth is laser whitening. The procedure is done in the surgery. The dentist applies a very high concentration of carbamide peroxide gel to the teeth. Once the gel is on, a light is held over the teeth to accelerate the chemical reaction of the whitening agent. The result after laser whitening is less predictable than that with @home and can turn out to be expensive if repeated.
in conclusion
In my experience I find that using @home or using a combination of @home and laser gives the best results. Furthermore the advice to the patient is to apply the @home gel in the custom trays for 1 night every 2 months 1 year after the procedure. This can be relatively inexpensive as the only thing that need be purchased is the gel. The cost of which ranges from £12.50-£35.00.
Blog written by Dr Rita.


