We all want whiter teeth. We associate this color with healthy teeth and a beautiful smile. However, naturally, we each have a different tone but there are also foods and bad habits that make them yellow. Tobacco, excessive consumption of coffee … and other things that seem more innocent but that also damage the enamel such as the use of certain home treatments that promise to whiten and do not finish being effective - like activated charcoal toothpaste, is one of the examples that are giving the most to talk about lately.
However, if we turn to a professional we have nothing to fear because no, we are not going to end up like Ross in that episode of Friends in which a home whitening was done. And it is that in the hands of a dentist things change … in fact, you can resort to home treatment but always following the doctor's recommendations. And it is that he must be the one to certify that there is no contraindication or danger to the gums or teeth.
Teeth whitening: what do you have to take into account before doing it?
- Is teeth whitening painful? No. Only if you have high dental sensitivity will you feel certain discomfort, but just like when you bite into a very cold fruit or have an ice cream. In addition, if you already know in advance that your teeth are sensitive, these discomforts can be prevented, although in many of these cases, whitening is not recommended because it could aggravate the problem. And it is that this treatment is very safe but provided that quality products with health certificate are used and the guidelines dictated by the professional are followed.
- How to do it? The dentist, in consultation, in a session of about 30 minutes, places a peroxide gel in the mouth and applies cold light. Then, at home, you have to apply a whitening gel and put on splints for several hours a day, the time indicated by the dentist in each case.
- How long does whitening last? Over time, the teeth darken again, although not as much as before, and the process will have to be repeated if we want to continue wearing a white smile. However, there are certain measures that we can take to extend the effect of whitening to the maximum: not smoking, avoiding staining drinks, but the most important thing is to carry out proper oral hygiene.
- How much does a teeth whitening cost? Depending on the type of whitening you choose (they can be done with LED or laser) and the dental clinic that carries it out, the price may vary. Be wary of offers that seem too good to be true and always put yourself in the hands of a specialist. In these conditions the price is usually around € 300 although it can be cheaper if you have dental insurance.
What about home teeth whitening?
Under no circumstances do you do a home teeth whitening without the prior advice of a professional . Do not buy anything online that the dentist has not prescribed or go to beauty centers that offer the treatment without being dental clinics. Any treatment that exceeds 0.1% hydrogen peroxide applied unsupervised can cause burns to the mouth and irreversible damage to the teeth.
In fact, if you have any cavities or fractures in your teeth and you do not know it, it could have serious consequences as well as the process could be very painful. These types of treatments that are sold to apply at home are usually the complement of the treatment done by a professional and never something for individual use.
Whitening toothpastes do not whiten as such, but return the tooth to its natural color . In some cases, teeth that are white on their own may be more than enough to maintain a beautiful shade. But if the teeth have a yellowish tone, you will not be able to improve them. Instead, they can help maintain the results of a professional whitening.
