A smile on a face is worth more than money. It can create magic. But discolored teeth can hamper this magic. So often we get anxious about our bad teeth, especially when we see that our teeth are loosing their shine and white look. But not any more. Science has helped us to solve this problem by providing us the technique of artificially whitening our teeth, called Tooth whitening.
In the field of dentistry, this teeth whitening is popularly known as Tooth bleaching. It is considered a common procedure in general dentistry, but actually it is a special part of cosmetic dentistry.
At our early age we possess a beautiful setting of white teeth, but as we grow older our teeth start darkening. This happens due to many reasons- changes in the mineral structure of the teeth, by bacterial pigments, foodstuffs, and tobacco(for smokers).
The procedure utilizes some oxidizing agents like hydrogen peroxide which breaks down to hydrogen mono peroxide inside the mouth, in order to lighten the shade of the tooth. This agent penetrates into the enamel and oxidizes the stain deposits, in course of time the underlying dentine layer gets bleached.
There are two ways for this bleaching. In the process called Office Bleach, a high concentration of these oxidizing agents is applied for a short time. It gives quick results but there remains a danger of chemical burns of the soft tissues. So some precautions are taken while applying this method. A light cured protective layer is used which is painted on the gums, with care so as to protect the soft tissues.
The second way involves utilization of a thin mouth guard or a strip with a low concentration of oxidizing agent, for a long time say for several hours a day for at least five to fourteen days. This is often called over-the-counter bleaching or take- home bleaching. Obviously, this is a much slower method with less risk to the soft tissues.
This does not end here as tooth bleaching may have some side effects, which may include chemical burns. This happens if high-concentration of oxidizing agent gets in contact with the unprotected, exposed tissues that may discolor the mucous membranes.
Tooth whitening is a very recent trend. A few years ago it was not widely known to many people. But it all happened due to the rapid spread of American culture worldwide, where it first became popular. Now many countries follow the process and many people have taken it as an important part of their dental care.