All dreams, as you know, have a limit. In the case of the color of teeth, it is measured not only by genes and the anatomical structure of a person, but also by a grocery basket and bad habits. Dentin, the bone tissue that makes up most of the tooth crown, is responsible for the yellow hue. It is covered with a layer of enamel on top. This fabric is almost colorless, so the yellow dentin is clearly visible through it. There is another unpleasant anatomical detail. On the canines, the dentin layer is naturally thicker, which is why they are darker. With this circumstance, as with heredity, it remains only to accept. Racial characteristics will also have to be accepted: in Europeans, the color of teeth has an average degree of yellowness with a bias towards moderate whiteness. But there are chances to correct errors in the diet and unhealthy addictions. The enamel structure is a crystal lattice. Coloring pigments from food and drinks accumulate in the gaps between its bars. With the help of special gels, they can be extracted from the enamel and return the smile to its original shade. Such tasks are within the power of all modern methods of bleaching: both office, when the procedure is performed by a dentist, and at home, when the patient solves the problem with his own efforts.
Anticipated circumstances
As with any medical procedure, teeth whitening also has contraindications. These primarily include gum diseases (for example, gingivitis, periodontitis) and caries. The procedure can be started only after the infection is cured, and all carious cavities are sealed. Teeth whitening is temporarily contraindicated for pregnant women, nursing mothers and people wearing braces. Owners of allergies to hydrogen peroxide should be vigilant: this substance is part of most whitening gels. Patients with fillings on the central incisors should think twice. After the procedure, only «their» natural teeth will lighten, and the fillings will appear yellow against their background. In this case, there is only one way out: before bleaching, replace these fillings with lighter ones, and then, as color contrasts occur, repeat the procedure until the end of your days with a certain frequency.
With increased sensitivity of the enamel, the total time allotted for the procedure can be divided into several sessions, which it is desirable to take place daily or every other day.
In some cases, doctors do not vouch for the result, but they do not refuse to try their luck with the consent of the patient. Thus, it is impossible to predict the effectiveness of the procedure with enamel gray from birth and dental hypoplasia. If there are no contraindications to bleaching, before getting down to business, it would be useful to evaluate the pros and cons of the method.
Rules of the game
You can lighten your teeth with the help of modern whitening methods by a maximum of 12 shades, but even 10 points provide a striking contrast. If you exceed this limit, the gel will first destroy the crystal lattice of the enamel, and then penetrate into the dentin layers and begin to extract from there already native, not foreign pigment. Doctors do not go to such experiments. Firstly, it hurts, and secondly, it is pointless: no client will like the result, because the teeth will literally become transparent. The townsfolk are rarely aware of such surprises, so they are not afraid to violate the instructions. In pursuit of snow-white, some radical perfectionists use gel not for the prescribed 3 weeks, but for the whole six months, and stop when it is no longer possible to correct the situation. So it’s better to moderate your appetites right away.
For those who dream of having uniformly white teeth, you can forget about whitening. This does not happen in nature. Normally, each tooth is whiter at the cutting edge and darker near the gum. After bleaching, these natural color transitions will remain. Do not forget about the fangs: they will also stand out. It is naive to refer to the wide, blinding smiles of pop divas. A smooth and bright white color is achieved either by crowns, or veneers — special artificial plates that are attached to natural teeth like false nails.
It is advisable to carry the remineralizing gel with you everywhere. you should use it as often as possible, and definitely every day. If omissions have taken place, it is better to tell the doctor about them, otherwise it will hurt you more.
If you agree to play by such rules, do not forget to properly prepare for the procedure, whichever method you choose. First you need to clean up the oral cavity: remove plaque and tartar. Then you will have to use a remineralizing gel for 2 weeks. It will enrich the enamel with useful substances, and it will become denser and less permeable. This is important, because the whitening gel, together with coloring pigments, will take from it a certain amount of calcium, phosphorus, fluorine and other equally important elements.
The effect of the procedure can be enjoyed from six months to several years. It all depends on the individual characteristics of the body, the presence and intensity of bad habits and food addictions. Nevertheless, sooner or later the smile will begin to fade again, because even if you give up coffee, smoking and red wine, your teeth will still absorb coloring pigments, only from other products.
Banned
After any kind of cabinet bleaching, doctors prescribe a «colorless» diet to the patient. During the procedure, the mouth remains open for a long time, and the moisture from the enamel evaporates very quickly. If a lamp is used to activate the gel, the evaporation effect is enhanced. After the end of the session, the enamel begins to intensively absorb liquid from food, and with it coloring substances, so it is better to exclude fruits, vegetables and drinks of bright shades from the menu for the next 3 days. You will also have to refrain from meat with blood. Teeth will not turn red, but they will start to darken much faster. For home bleaching, such precautions are unnecessary, but it is still better to drink weak tea, dilute coffee with milk, and bright juices with water.
Home version
Home and office bleaching give the same result, the only fundamental difference is the time it takes to achieve it. The cabinet procedure lasts no longer than 2 hours and, with a successful combination of circumstances, is performed in one day, although sometimes it can be divided into several sessions. The home campaign stretches for at least 3 weeks. Ideally, it looks like this: first, the client goes to the doctor, who, in the absence of contraindications, advises the optimal gel: day, night and «weekend». They differ, albeit slightly, in the concentration of the active substance.
Then you have to decide which caps to use: standard, which are included in the kit, or individual, which are performed in the laboratory on casts. The second option is preferable from the point of view of safety: the anatomical shape allows you to prevent the gel from draining onto the gum, which may cause a chemical burn of the mucous membrane. With cabinet bleaching, soft tissues in the oral cavity are isolated by special means that reduce such a risk to zero. If white spots or stripes are found on the gum after removing the cap, you do not need to be scared. The burn will heal itself, but this is a signal that the portion of the gel being laid is too large and it needs to be reduced.
