What teeth whitening is the safest and most enamel-friendly?

Next you will find out:

• What type of teeth whitening is the safest and most gentle in relation to tooth enamel;
• Why whitening often causes significant damage to the teeth and gums and how it happens;
• How different teeth whitening technologies (including those aimed at home use) differ in safety and efficacy;
• And also a number of interesting practical nuances that will save your teeth and overall health from mistakes and unnecessary problems.

Anyone who is very suspicious about teeth whitening, just want to say that safe teeth whitening does exist. However, before we delve into this topic, let's first define some nuances and terms, and see what whitening actually hurts (why many people are so afraid of it), and what is the difference between true whitening and brightening the enamel surface.

Gentle teeth whitening implies a minimal effect of the bleaching system used on the structural elements of enamel and dentin. Unfortunately, in practice this is not always achieved, since the most effective true enamel-bleaching agents are combinations of substances that actively penetrate deep into the surface layer of enamel and violate its normal structure. Simply put, not only the coloring pigments are destroyed, but the structure of the enamel and dentine itself is also disrupted (calcium and phosphorus are washed out, the protein matrix of the enamel can be affected).

As a result, often after such a successful whitening of the teeth (in terms of the whiteness of a smile), enamel is a kind of porous sponge that needs urgent help - a remineralization procedure, including fluoridation.

On a note

After teeth whitening at first, a rather pronounced sensitivity of enamel to various kinds of irritants (hyperesthesia) can be observed, when it is painful to drink cold water, eat solid food, and sometimes it is painful even to just breathe through your mouth.

During the recovery period, enamel is very vulnerable to staining, such as wine, coffee,tea and other strongly coloring solutions, therefore it is recommended to stick to the so-called white diet for some time (sometimes it is also called a transparent diet). In fact, it is about not using those products that can again give enamel a dark shade.

It is also important to distinguish between true teeth whitening and lightening:

1. Bleaching of tooth enamel implies chemical (or photochemical) destruction of colored compounds in its surface layer to a certain depth. Powerful oxidizing agents simply discolor the colored substances, translating them into unstained compounds. As you understand, not always such whitening will be safe for the teeth, but with the right approach and with strict observance of all the technology, this can be achieved.
2. But teeth lightening is based on a completely different principle of operation - here we are talking about the mechanical removal of pigmented deposits from the enamel surface (for example, plaque, tartar). It can use ultrasound, Air Flow technology, abrasive whitening toothpastes and other methods. In general, teeth whitening is more gentle than true whitening, although it is very important to follow the technology here.

Thus, both in the first and in the second case, a positive result can be achieved: the surface of the teeth really becomes lighter.

However, if you want to choose the safest option of teeth whitening, and at the same time effective, it will be useful to first see what the potential danger of the technologies used today (including for home use, including various whitening pencils, strips, caps).

Let's talk about this and talk more.

 

And why, in fact, teeth whitening harms enamel and how dangerous is it?

If we recall the structure of human teeth, it becomes clear that their bleaching (lightening) is always associated with direct or indirect effects on tooth enamel.

Imagine a situation: a person looks in a mirror and sees that his teeth in the zone of a smile he has some kind of yellowish. And I would like them to be at least a bit whiter. The simplest thing that comes to mind is to pick up a brush harder and rub the surface of the teeth until the tint given by nature appears (in general, this is how people used to do - remember the previously popular tooth powders or the cleaning of teeth with charcoal , chalk and even clay).

Of course, people today are well aware that this venture is not the most pleasant at best, but harmful at worst, since it will cause tooth sensitivity from various stimuli (hot, sour, cold). This is the so-called “sense of grind”, when, for example, when a solid, sour apple is bitten, a tremor occurs in the body.

On a note

Various rubbing of the teeth to the so-called "shine" often belong to the field of traditional medicine, and are used exclusively at home with great risks, not only for dental health, but also for general human health. Abrasion of the surface layer of enamel in a short time without adequate compensation has not yet led to anything good.

This also includes excessive enthusiasm for whitening toothpastes with a high abrasiveness index RDA, including toothpastes from Thailand with clay, the abrasiveness of which does not seem to be standardized or monitored. The use of such pastes can not only lead to the sensitivity of teeth, but also exacerbate the problem of wedge-shaped defects, if any (see the example in the photo).

True (chemical) teeth whitening is also difficult to call safe.During the procedure, high concentrations of peroxides and acids are most often used, ensuring the necessary chemical reactions take place on the enamel surface and inside it. The danger of the procedure is directly proportional to the concentration of the bleaching agent: the higher the concentration, the greater the risks to the future health of the tooth and to the oral mucosa.

Feedback:

“I made myself whitening Zoom 5 years ago, in three sets. For the first time, everything was fine. The second time it hurt a little, and the third time I already wanted to swear. But the doctor immediately warned that some people postpone the third approach as much as possible, I decided not to wait. Then she came home, the nightmare had already begun there, I had eaten 4 tablets of Ketonala in the evening.

Then everything was fine, the pain was gone, little white teeth, she smiled in her mouth. A month later, she began to notice something wrong on the upper front tooth: first, a small crack, then a chip was formed. Then it only came to the conclusion that these are the effects of “safe” whitening, for my own money the tooth has spoiled. I had to put a seal on the polzub ... "

Christina, Moscow

Acid (usually orthophosphoric) actively washes away calcium, and peroxides, being strong oxidizers, are capable of destroying collagen fibers in the structure of enamel.If the bleaching is carried out not at the dentist’s office, but at home, the following negative consequences are possible:

• The appearance of tooth sensitivity;
• Enamel microporosity (then colored compounds from food can then easily get into the pores, after which the teeth sometimes become even darker than before the procedure);
• Heterogeneous whitening of enamel - some areas may appear lighter than others. If there are areas with fillings, the discolor can be especially pronounced;
• Chemical burns of gums with acid and hydrogen peroxide (sometimes it comes to the fact that when you try to whiten your teeth at home in a person, the skin from the gums exfoliates literally flaps).

As you can see, the procedure is far from safe when performed independently. However, room teeth whitening, that is, conducted by a specialist in the clinic, along with a very high efficiency can still be described as quite safe, because with the right approach you can avoid almost all unwanted effects, or eliminate them in a short time.

 

How safe is the use of whitening toothpastes?

How safe is fast driving? Of course, as far as the person behind the wheel knows how to drive vehicles at that speed.No less important is the vehicle itself.

Similarly, the choice of even a good, high-quality whitening paste does not diminish the role of a person in the matter of properly cleansing the enamel surface from plaque. Applying high-abrasive whitening toothpastes should be done with a full understanding of how this procedure affects your teeth and what can happen if you apply the paste incorrectly.

The use of such pastes is certainly difficult to call the safest teeth whitening, and the wording “whitening” is obviously not the same here, since it is more correct to speak of clarification. When properly applied, such a paste could be called “well-cleaning dental plaque”, and in case of violation of the brushing technique (excessive pressure on the brush, the prevalence of circular movements, etc.) - “abrasive enamel and leading to increased sensitivity.”

Especially harmful is the use of abrasive whitening toothpastes in people with hypersensitive teeth - and these people often do not think about it, but they want to whiten a smile as much as others, so they actively wear their so thinned enamel.

It is interesting

I would especially like to mention the groups of whitening toothpastes, in which the abrasive system is combined with the presence of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide in the composition (on the packaging of such a product can be written "With active oxygen"). So, the concentration of peroxides in such pastes is so small (several times lower than even in stripes and pencils for home teeth whitening), and the pH of the medium is so high that one cannot speak of any effective chemical bleaching.

However, the advertising effect is obvious - many believe that once in the composition of the toothpaste there is “active oxygen”, then the yellow color of the teeth should definitely discolour, and the smile will quickly shine white ...

However, there are also whitening toothpastes, which are characterized by an average abrasive index (RDA at level 75) and, as a result, are suitable for daily use, that is, it can be said, quite safe for a healthy person's teeth. The bleaching effect manufacturer can achieve as follows:

• Using special enzymes (bromelain, papain), which are able to destroy the protein matrix of plaque;
• The use of sodium or potassium pyrophosphates is effective complexing agents that extract and bind calcium ions from the structure of tartar and therefore make it more susceptible to mechanical cleansing;
• And also due to a specially selected abrasive system (different shape of particles, material of particles, etc.) - for example, President toothpaste Renome.

Such pastes provide gentle whitening (lightening) of enamel. Examples: Toothpaste Splat Bleaching Plus, Sensodyne Gentle Whitening, ROCS Coffee and Tobacco, etc.

 

On the principle of operation and safety technology Air Flow

Air Flow is a technology of mechanical “whitening” of teeth, aimed at removing plaque from their surface using a special device (like sandblasting).

Perhaps you should immediately debunk some myths about this procedure:

1. During the procedure, there is no true whitening of enamel, however, as a result of getting rid of plaque in more than 80% of cases, the teeth actually become noticeably whiter;
2. In many literary sources, the Air Flow apparatus is called a sandblaster,although in fact it is advisable to call it co-jet - the principle of operation of Air Flow is based on cleansing the teeth from plaque using a powerful jet of aqueous sodium bicarbonate suspension (ordinary baking soda).

Today, the Air Flow technique is one of the best and safest ways to whiten teeth, because the procedure does not damage the internal structures of the enamel, and the overall abrasive effect is strictly controlled by a specialist.

However, a soda jet released under high pressure can slightly disrupt its surface layer during the polishing process of enamel. That is why immediately after such a professional cleaning of teeth, a dentist is required to remineralize and (or) fluoridate the enamel.

It is interesting

The most common way to fluoridate teeth after Air Flow is to apply a special fluorinating gel to an individual cap on the surface of the cleaned enamel. Usually the whole procedure of fluorination lasts no more than 1-2 minutes.

Advantages of teeth whitening using Air Flow technology:

• There is an effective and quick cleaning of all surfaces of teeth (even hard-to-reach for a toothbrush) from stained plaque after coffee, tea, cigarettes, etc .;
• Air Flow is a gentle procedure, it is almost always painless, and is even suitable for sensitive teeth;
• After cleansing from plaque, teeth become lighter by 1-2 tones without significant disruption of the enamel structure.

Contraindications to this procedure mainly concern people with asthma and severe pulmonary disorders, as well as patients on a salt-free diet.

Feedback:

“... They put me in a chair, put on a hat and glasses. First, we performed ultrasonic cleaning of the teeth, although I had very little dental calculus. Then the turn of Air Flow has come, it is such a powerful jet that it is easy to cut the gum. Here glasses helped, as they saved from small splashes. It feels not much better than ultrasound, but between the teeth it will clean everything. Then came the turn of fluoridation, smeared with some kind of paste or gel, rubbed fluorine in the enamel. But then, what a bliss to feel freshness in the mouth, the teeth became whiter, their natural color returned to them. Of the problems, I can only note that the gums have been bleeding for some time, and everything was quite tolerable. ”

Olga, Samara

 

Ultrasonic methods of mechanical teeth whitening

Ultrasonic "whitening" of teeth is also a gentle and quite safe way to lighten tooth enamel. As in the case of Air Flow technology, ultrasonic methods of teeth lightening are aimed at cleansing surfaces from pigmented deposits.

Perhaps the main difference in the use of ultrasound is the possibility of very effective removal of tartar (supra- and subgingival), while with the help of co-processing it is almost impossible to achieve.

On a note

That is why dentists often implement professional oral hygiene using two methods: first, the dental calculus is cleaned with an ultrasound machine or a special nozzle (scaler), and then Air flow technology is applied. Thus, the teeth are first released from tartar, and only then - from plaque from all surfaces.

In principle, it is possible to remove plaque with ultrasound, but it will take more time and it is not always possible to reach inaccessible spaces.

Professional hygiene always ends with the preventive fluoridation of all teeth.

After removal of ultrasound tartar (and in some cases of plaque), the teeth become lighter by 1-2 or more tones. The principle here is simple: the more “dirt” was on the teeth, the more pronounced the effect.

So ultrasonic teeth whitening can also be attributed to one of the best and safest, since there is no impact on the deep structures of enamel. Therefore, ultrasound is even suitable for sensitive teeth - with the amendment that in rare cases it is necessary to carry out infiltration anesthesia in order to make the patient as comfortable as possible.

 

Whitening strips, mouthguards, pencils and chewing gums

Let's start with the whitening "chewing gum". Everything is simple here - this is the most common myth that whitening chewing gum can really lighten enamel. Many people around the world continue to use them in the hope of a miracle, although in practice no miracle happens, unless the pockets of the producers of such chewing gum miraculously fill.

Do not believe it, but there are also chewing gums for weight loss, for heartburn, for arousal. Perhaps soon there will also be gum from baldness and hemorrhoids - why not ...

Further. The so-called whitening strips are one of the most convenient means of home teeth whitening, and are really able to give a noticeable result. The principle of bleaching is that special gel strips are superimposed on the surface of the front groups of teeth, and due to the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the gel, the enamel is bleached (However, this method is neither gentle nor safe - this will be discussed later on).

Depending on the concentration of active ingredients in the strips (as determined by the manufacturer, the quality of the product, the shelf life), the effect can be achieved at different time intervals: the enamel becomes noticeably brighter usually within 1-2 weeks, although sometimes a positive result is not achieved at all.

Consider why, in some cases, the result can be almost zero:

• Bleaching strips are not able to remove plaque and tartar from the enamel surface. Even room whitening is not performed on “dirty” teeth, since it would be ineffective;
• Peroxide concentrations in most tooth whitening strips marketed to the market are significantly lower.than in the means of professional whitening - this is due to the fact that the manufacturer initially thinks about the safety of the procedure performed by an untrained person at home.

On a note

In general, whitening with strips can hardly be called a gentle and safe method, since it does not take into account the individual characteristics of each individual person at all. For example, with sensitive tooth enamel, such whitening will be a real torture, as well as for people who have serious problems with the gums (especially if the strips are used incorrectly).

When active ingredients get on the gum and their long stay in contact with it, an inflammatory process develops. In fact, it is a chemical burn that can pass through a short period of time itself, but sometimes leads to primary inflammation of the gums or causes exacerbation of existing chronic foci.

Now a few words about bleaching mouthguards.

At the moment, mouth guards, which are used for independent home use (most often from China), have a lot of negative reviews. The reasons are the same: low concentrations of peroxides and (sometimes) the presence of plaque and stone, greatly interfering with obtaining the desired effect.

When using bleaching caps, the best and relatively safe option for home teeth whitening would be to use individual caps made by the dentist according to the impression. As a rule, they are applied after preliminary cleansing of the enamel from stone and plaque, and also (almost always) - after the desk whitening of the teeth performed - to consolidate the result obtained.

Such kappa with whitening gel for home use have detailed instructions and individual recommendations, thanks to which the risks of damage to the enamel and oral mucosa are minimized during and after the bleaching procedure.

It is important to know

It is practically impossible to completely exclude the possibility of inflammation on the marginal gum, but each patient always has a feedback with the attending physician. Usually, whitening gels and mouthguards are prescribed by the dentist as a fixing procedure after the main whitening, but often a pleasant addition is the effect of further brightening the enamel (by 1-2 tones).

Of course, with such high efficiency it is difficult to call this type of bleaching, but the most important advantage is its controllability, which greatly increases the safety of the procedure.

It is also worth mentioning the whitening pencils, which, generally speaking, are very controversial means for home teeth whitening (effective, but safety depends a lot, as they say, on the “curvature of the hands” of a person).

Feedback:

“I bought myself a tooth whitening pencil in Los Angeles. In just 2 weeks, my teeth became much brighter than they were, it is a shame only that already on day 3 they began to hurt so much during bleaching that there is almost no urine to tolerate. And then there is pain, but I suffer, because beauty requires sacrifice! ”

Yana, Moscow

The principle of whitening pencils is quite simple: the gel contained in the pencil is squeezed onto the surface of the front teeth (see the example in the photo below), then it takes a while to continue smiling to make the composition dry.

In order to ensure the safety of the whitening procedure for the gums and the mucous lips, pencils from reliable manufacturers have a not very high concentration of lightening components.

On a note

A review of popular review sites shows that most opinions related to the use of teeth whitening pencils are negative, and this is quite logical from the point of view of medicine and human logic.The fact is that in the market of these bleaching agents there are often low-quality fakes from China, which are massively purchased and sold through popular online stores. And, roughly speaking, purchased for 100 rubles, and sold for 500-1000.

Secondly, whitening pencils acquired abroad, one may say, from a company, are in demand and have a sufficient number of advantages, but the mentality of our population is not taken into account. It should be recalled that effective whitening pencils, which lighten teeth for 1-2 or more tones within 1-2 weeks, do not act on teeth with abundant plaque and stone and cause damage to the enamel structure (especially sensitive).

 

Dental whitening

Desk or, in other words, professional teeth whitening is performed by a dentist with the help of gels containing hydrogen peroxide (or its derivatives). The procedure can be carried out with or without a catalyst, and heat, laser, ultraviolet can be used as catalysts.

It is interesting

Some clinics have positioned carbamide peroxide in a bleaching gel as a more effective remedy compared to hydrogen peroxide. However, in the aquatic environment (in the process of contact of this compound with the tooth tissues), carbamide peroxide decomposes into hydrogen peroxide and urea, so there is no significant difference.

The principle of any type of desk bleaching is that the active components of the whitening gel are able to penetrate to a certain depth into the tooth enamel (between microcrystals of hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite), discoloring colored compounds accumulated here over the years. The tooth surface becomes lighter.

The final whitening result depends on many factors, but the main ones are as follows:

• The quality of the material used (here we are talking not so much about the safety of the enamel gel, but about the percentage of the active component, the rheology of the gel, the presence of a stabilizer and other auxiliary substances);
• The presence of additional activators that speed up the procedure and in varying degrees determine the final color of the tooth;
• The exposure time of the gel.

It is possible to carry out room whitening of sensitive teeth, but this procedure cannot be called gentle and safe. If the client insists on his knowledge of the enamel hypersensitivity, then very severe pain may occur during the procedure. In the end, although the effect can be achieved, but the enamel will suffer significant damage (we need more remineralization and fluoridation).

In any case, room whitening is considered the best (effective) way to achieve whiteness of teeth., but the cost of the procedure may not be affordable for everyone. It is also useful to know that such conscious deterioration of tooth enamel is actively criticized by doctors who approach the problem from the point of view of benefits to a person, rather than commercial gain. In practice, the situation is such that up to 30-50% of people who either do not need whitening (as the existing shade of tooth enamel is given by nature and its lightening is a waste of time) turn to a dentist every day, or it is contraindicated (for some diseases of the gums). , as well as pregnant women, nursing mothers, with allergies to whitening ingredients, etc.).

The most important difference between the desk bleaching from the independent (home) is its controllability. A professional dentist will make every effort to minimize the risks and undesirable consequences of the procedure. For example, special attention is paid to protecting the mucosa from getting a gel on it, which is difficult to do with home-made bleaching - therefore, it is not uncommon to contact dentists with burns of the mucous membranes, for example, after applying bleaching strips or pencils.

Important

Most people assume that the tooth should be bleached uniformly, but in practice this usually does not happen. Normally, a tooth has several zones of shades: usually from a darkish cervical area, to a white middle and almost transparent cutting edge.

If carried out proper desk bleaching, the color transitions will remain the same, but their shade will become lighter. It is worth remembering that the canines are almost always a little yellower than the rest of the teeth. And if there are fillings, especially in the smile area, then after bleaching the color difference between enamel and fillings can become very noticeable.

You should also not refer to the Hollywood smile of celebrities, since the blinding uniform whiteness of the teeth is almost always achieved simply and very expensively: with the help of modern types of crowns, veneers and Lumineers. Moreover, it should be noted that, for example, veneers and lumineers can be securely attached to the teeth without their prior processing (“turning”). It is an excellent and safe alternative to deliberately damaging tooth enamel with virtually any type of bleaching.

 

How safe are folk "bleaching" products?

Among a large number of folk ways to lighten teeth, the most popular are, perhaps, all sorts of variations using soda, salt, lemon, wood ash (or coal) and strawberries. Most of these experiments on teeth can not be called safe teeth whitening, as evidenced by the reviews and experienced it for yourself.

Feedback:

“I recently read in a journal that teeth can be whitened with a mixture of charcoal, soda and salt. I took birch coal for kebabs, crushed it. Mixed with soda and salt in approximately equal parts and tested on myself. I'll tell you just tin.I don’t know how about the teeth, I didn’t notice that they became lighter, but I gnawed up my gums in just 3 days. Inflamed, began to bleed. On the fourth day I could no longer clean, I returned to the usual toothpaste ... "

Oleg, St. Petersburg

First, each person understands differently the algorithms associated with grinding and polishing the teeth with the same soda, mixed with something. Secondly, everyone has a different understanding of the measure (someone can gently brush their teeth for 1 minute, and someone can frantically rub a quarter of an hour). Thirdly, each person has a different gum condition, as well as the amount of plaque on the enamel surface and its individual color characteristics.

Virtually all folk teeth whitening methods are aimed solely at cleaning off plaque, which is achieved by abrasives (soda, coal), organic acids from fruits, vegetables, etc. Isn't it easier, instead of scratching the enamel with soda or salt, just buy high-quality whitening toothpaste, even in increased abrasiveness, and to conduct a course of bleaching more safely (for example, ROCS whitening toothpastes, Mexidol Dent Professional White, President White Plus, etc. may be suitable)

You can also go to the dentist and remove plaque and stone from all surfaces of the teeth, and after the procedure, carry out an independent 3D brushing of the teeth from a soft plaque every day using toothbrushes, special pastes and dental floss (floss). With adequate oral hygiene, repeat the procedure of professional cleaning at the dentist will need no more than 1 time per year.

 

Rules for eating after teeth whitening

Recommendations after teeth whitening is an important stage in the work of the dentist, allowing to some extent to protect their work from possible claims from the patient.

First, you must be warned about the increased sensitivity of the teeth for several days. Even after the restoration of the damaged structure of the enamel (during remineralization therapy), the teeth most often have to be “not sweet”, therefore, it takes time to return to the previous fullness of life.

Secondly, after teeth whitening, a so-called white diet will be prescribed or a list of products that you absolutely cannot eat and drink during the first week will be given. Of course, cigarettes, strong coffee, tea, red wines should be excluded for as long as possible.Such a "transparent" diet after teeth whitening allows you to increase the life of the Hollywood smile.

It is interesting

Practice shows that only a few people are able to completely refuse at least a week from dyes: from tea and wine, and ending with chocolate and berries. Also rare are cases of complete refusal from cigarettes and coffee for the sake of preserving a snow-white smile, inherited at a high price (both in the direct and figurative sense).

That is why the dentists of Russia can be calm about their work on teeth whitening, because even despite the achievement of a first-class result, after some time the client will again fall into the arms of his beloved "cosmetic dentist."

 

Absolutely safe "whitening"

Let's summarize a little.

The question of which teeth whitening is the safest can be answered briefly: that which does not harm tooth tissues, gums and oral mucosa, as well as human health in general. And if so, it can be concluded that today there is no absolutely safe teeth whitening. The only question is, in the course of which procedure, a fairly good result will be achieved with relatively little damage, which enamels and gums will receive during the procedure.

Do not confuse professional oral hygiene (ultrasound and Air Flow) with the procedures of true whitening of tooth enamel. During hygiene, the surface of the teeth is cleaned from deposits, under which there is lighter enamel. For someone after the procedure, this becomes a pleasant surprise, and for not quite respectable dentists, it is a financial gain, although fewer and less doctors are ready for commercial reasons to replace these simple concepts.

As a result, professional hygiene can make your teeth lighter, and almost always more or less safe for enamel.

It is difficult to choose any kind of gentle and safe from the true methods of teeth whitening, since it is almost impossible to keep objective statistics on the percentage of effective and ineffective whitening procedures, as well as on the number of obvious failures and related side effects in the form of damage to enamel, spalling, burns of the oral mucosa, allergies, enamel which is not long-term hypersensitivity, etc.

Therefore, before teeth whitening, the following sequence of actions is recommended:

• consult with a dentist;
• to carry out professional oral hygiene (if it is an indication), getting rid of tartar and plaque - at this stage a smile can become noticeably whiter;
• and only then, after weighing all the pros and cons, it is good to think and decide for yourself: is it worth risking the health of teeth for a possible even more snow-white smile, and how much willpower and patience can be enough to devote some part of your life to “white” diet If you are willing to take a chance, then choose a desk whitening - so much less risk of burning your gums and destroying enamel irreparably.

Well, if you already have experience of teeth whitening - do not forget to leave your review at the bottom of this page. Perhaps someone this review will help make your choice.

 

Useful video on the issue of the safety of desk bleaching of teeth, as well as on contraindications to this procedure.

 

The danger of home teeth whitening: expert comments and reviews of ordinary people