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Bleaching is the most effective way to whiten your teeth. Once done, you will probably not need to get a touch-up for a few years. The cost, quality, and safety of various bleaching techniques vary widely. In general, you should be aware that all tooth bleaching might cause tooth sensitivity (especially with very cold food and drinks) during treatment. It is also important to realize that bleaching will not whiten restored teeth. In other words, the color of bonding, laminates, or crowns will be unaffected by the bleaching process.
If price is not an issue and you want to get the whole thing over with in one sitting, the "Power Bleach" is probably the best choice for you. Also known as "Chairside" whitening, this process takes place in your dentist's office and can last anywhere from 30 - 120 minutes. (The length of the procedure depends on your dentist's technique and the color change you want to make.)
While in the dentist's office, you will be fitted for a dental tray—a mouthpiece that covers your teeth (but not your gums). A bleaching gel of highly concentrated hydrogen peroxide, with the active ingredient of carbamide peroxide, will fill the tray. Your teeth will sit in this treatment for 30 - 60 minutes.
With the help of heat and light exposure from the dentist's laser instruments, the gel breaks down. As this occurs, oxygen enters the enamel and the dentin of your teeth and bleaches only the colored substances. The structure of your teeth DOES NOT CHANGE. (It is not like sanding down your teeth, as many fear, nor does it affect the chemical makeup of your teeth.)
The price range for chairside treatment can range from around $390 - $1,200 for both upper and lower arches. The price range is quite broad because there are frequent discounts on the procedure. (It's all the rage now.)
If the Power Bleach is too expensive, too inconvenient, or just too newfangled for you, don't fear. There are two ways to bleach your teeth in the privacy of your own home.
Over-the-counter bleaching kits
You could purchase an over-the-counter bleaching tray. When you purchase one of these kits, you will receive a one-size-fits-all tray and the gel. The process will take about two weeks of keeping the tray in your mouth for two hours a day. They can range from $49 - $120 for a whole system for your entire mouth (upper and lower sets of teeth).
Be aware, however, that dentists do not recommend these over-the-counter systems. Without the custom fitting that comes with supervision, the gel can irritate and whiten your gums. We cannot emphasize enough that, as a general matter, you should see a dentist before doing anything, so that (s)he can determine which treatment is appropriate for you. If you do decide to purchase an over-the-counter system, make sure that the ADA (American Dental Association) has approved the particular product that you buy.
"At-home" dental trays custom made by your dentist
A safer version of "at-home" bleaching entails obtaining a custom-made dental tray from your dentist. At an office visit, a tray (just like a Chairside visit – it covers your teeth, but not gums) is made. Your dentist provides you with the whitener, and you take it home. It is to be worn twice a day, an hour a pop, for two weeks or more. You'll schedule another appointment with your dentist at the end of two weeks for a checkup. These supervised at-home kits range from $300 to $500. The procedure is not any more or less safe than the Chairside visit, it just takes longer. To understand why dentist visits are the best way to go, check out the American Dental Association's thoughts on tooth whitening at: http://www.ada.org/consumer/hottopic/whiten.html.
You could always just abandon the whole bleaching idea, and place porcelain veneers or jacket crowns on your teeth. Porcelain laminate veneers are thin, translucent, shell-shaped coverings that are placed over your teeth, and permanently bonded. Think of it this way: your kid writes all over your white walls – instead of bleaching it, you put up white wallpaper. The thing is, this wallpaper requires at least two visits to the dentist, and can run you $700 to $1,200 per tooth. At the first appointment, the teeth are prepared and old bonding is removed. Impressions of your teeth are made, and you choose the porcelain's shade and shape. Some dentists provide digital imaging, allowing you to get an idea of how you'll look. You then go home with temporary bonding covering your teeth. About a week later, you return, and the veneers or crowns are permanently cemented. They last for many years, and have no food restrictions – you can eat all of the apples and popcorn you want. We're sorry to report that there are no over-the-counter kits for you to do your own porcelain dental work at home.
Whitening toothpaste can serve as an alternative or as a supplement to the techniques discussed above. The ADA approves them, mainly because they are pretty much the definition of harmless. What they do is remove pellicle (an invisible film on the teeth), which enables stains to stick to your enamel. While this does prevent stains from taking hold, they DO NOT ACTUALLY WHITEN the shades of your teeth. If you've got yellowish teeth, they won't turn ivory, no matter how much whitening toothpaste you use; they just don't get more yellow. Almost all toothpaste brands have come out with their whitening versions. Even Mentadent. Ahh… Mentadent. (Actually, we recommend you take a look at the 8/98 Consumer Reports On Health review of whitening toothpastes, available at your local library. We'd post the results here for you, but Consumer Reports prohibits reproduction of its content on the Internet. Boo!)
Although there are no safety risks associated with these products, it will take you a VERY long time to notice anything, and the difference won't really be very dramatic at all. But, hey, SoYouWanna wants to take this moment to remind you kids to brush, anyway. And remember—always look for the ADA seal of approval!
If you're wondering how not to make the whiteness of your teeth worse, why don't you put down that Coke you're using to rinse the coffee taste out of your mouth, put out that cigarette, and think about it…
Teeth can be discolored in a few ways. Consumption of staining drinks such as colas, coffee, tea, and red wine are among the most common—as is smoking (tobacco), of course. However, staining is not always the result of one's diet or lifestyle. Other factors such as nerve degeneration, the use of antibiotics or excessive fluoride (especially during your young development), and dental traumas also darken teeth. Discoloration may also be an effect of aging – so stop that RIGHT NOW! The first step to whiter teeth is refraining from the (controllable) actions that stain them. Even if you choose to undergo one (or all) of the procedures discussed above, you'll need to work to keep your teeth white. Incidentally, unhealthy dental conditions such as bleeding gums, cavities, or sensitive teeth must be taken care of before effective treatment can begin.
Most importantly, don't think of those procedures as a way to blow off good oral hygiene. Get into the habit of brushing your teeth in between meals, and right before bedtime. Put toothpaste on a toothbrush, and brush your teeth in up-down-left-right and circular motions. Brush all of them. Floss. See a dentist for checkups – oh, we don't know – twice a year. This should at least keep the darkening at bay. And it will make us here at SYW proud.
Ultimately, if you want to get whiter teeth, no matter what you do, see your dentist first. If you are particularly crazed about the whole situation, there is – of course – an entire web site for this. Yes, it's http://www.whiterteeth.com.
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