Tooth Whitening

This is the removal of stains from either the inside or the outside of a tooth, by the application of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to the tooth surface.

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Tooth whitening is completely harmless and can be done at any age. The whitening or bleaching process can work on all natural teeth, although the degree of whitening and the speed of whitening depend upon the initial colour of the teeth. All man-made materials such as crowns, veneers and fillings do not whiten, but other options can be discussed with your dentist to give you that perfect smile.

In most cases the whitening process is completely painless. However it can cause temporary sensitivity in some people. This can be alleviated with the use of desensitising toothpastes or a product we sell at the practice called Tooth Mousse.

The whitening lasts up to three years, gradually diminishing over time. However it can easily be “topped up” at home.

There are two types of whitening available to our patients:

1. At Home Whitening

Custom fit trays are made for each individual patient.
Inside each tray we apply a gel to the surface of the tooth for at least 2 hours per day which whitens the teeth gradually.
The more often you wear the trays the faster the teeth will whiten.
At the end of treatment keep the trays so that you can use them to top up the whitening months/years later.

2. Zoom Power Whitening

This process is done within the practice.
We whiten the teeth from start to finish in the dental chair.
It uses a stronger gel than with home whitening and so can make the teeth slightly more sensitive but this is still only temporary.
Trays can be provided for those that wish to “top up” also after treatment.
This method is ideal if you have an important event to go to and want whiter teeth for it.

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For more information on Zoom Tooth Whitening, visit www.zoomnow.com

Exterior Stains

Teeth differ from one person to another. Some people have defects on the outer covering of the tooth enamel: microscopic cracks and holes that can make coloured substances stick more to the enamel’s surface.

Also, a genetic condition where a person has less saliva than what is normal is predisposed to staining. Saliva washes away debris from food and drinks. If the person produces less saliva, then the mouth is washed infrequently.

Teeth gradually stain yellow with ageing, but poor dental habits are more responsible for this.

The following are sources of exterior stains of the teeth:

Food

All food can deposit leftover materials and pigments on the teeth causing gradual yellowing of the teeth through time. Some food may also cause immediate staining due to natural pigments (e.g. berries) or due to food colouring (e.g. sweets)

Beverages

Beverages that contain tannic acid (e.g. coffee and tea) or other acids such as phosphoric (e.g. cola drinks) can cause brownish stains on the teeth. The acid reacts with the enamel and stains the teeth yellow. Red wine is not highly acidic being an alcohol, but bacteria living in the mouth can react with it changing it to an acid.

Exposure to metallic salts

People who work in chemical factories may inhale fumes of metallic salts such as copper, nickel, potassium, calcium, sodium, silicon, magnesium, and phosphorus causing green stains on the teeth.

Tobacco Use

Smoking or chewing tobacco can leave brown to black stains on the middle surface of the tooth down to the gums. These stains are hard to remove and get worse with prolonged smoking.

Bacteria

Colour-producing bacteria (chromogenic) cause orange to red stains. Black stain, the most common stain caused by bacteria is caused by Actinomyces sp. Fluorescent bacteria produce green stains on the teeth. Bacteria react on the food we eat and excess acids can react with the enamel of the tooth and cause plaque and eventually tooth decay.

Medicated mouthwash

Some medications delivered as mouthwash can gradually stain the teeth as well. These include Iodine-containing, Chlorhexidine, Iron-containing (black), Potassium Permanganate (violet-black), Silver Nitrate (black), and Stannous Flouride (brown) mouthwashes.

Interior Stains

The following are sources of interior stains of the teeth:

Antibiotics

Antibiotics such as Tetracycline and Minocycline stain the teeth by interfering with the developing teeth. For this reason, Tetracycline is not given to children.

Exposure to excess amounts of Fluoride

Excessive exposure to fluoride due to treated water from public facilities, and fluoride-containing toothpastes, as well as fluoride supplements can cause staining by interfering with developing teeth. The teeth take on an uneven whiteness and at worse come through brown.

Hereditary

Some people have hereditary dentine conditions that make them prone to intrinsic staining of the teeth. The dentine is responsible for reflecting light that accounts for the colour of the teeth that we actually see.
Hereditary blood conditions (e.g. erythropoietic porphyria) that make the pigment porphyrin, (in the blood) more attracted to calcium may cause interior staining as calcium deposits inside the tooth.

Trauma

When a person suffers a heavy blow on the mouth, some of the tissue and blood vessels may decay and cause staining and discoloration of the teeth. This is because the dead cells and blood are deposited into the teeth.

It is essential that you have regular Dental Check-Ups prior to tooth whitening to check that you do not have any tooth decay present.