Recently I have received many questions from patients and friends about teeth whitening. Many people who have come to see me say that their regular dental check-ups and cleanings have been delayed because of the Covid-19.
Because the pandemic is basically under control in China, people are slowly taking off their masks and starting to pay attention to their smiles and looks again. Our dentists are happy that our patients are returning and that they are expressing the need to take good care of their teeth.
Yesterday I saw one of my colleagues, Dr. L, had scheduled an appointment with me again. It reminded me of his first appointment 10 days ago. We were not familiar with each other before, but had occasionally met around the hospital.
When we would talk, I was always impressed with his very white teeth. Dr. L’s white teeth created a beautiful and friendly smile. So, as a dentist I thought I would find out how he maintained such a beautiful and white smile.
During our first appointment Dr. L. told me that before he joined Guangzhou United Family Hospital, he saw a dentist in another city. I learned during the consultation that he had completed orthodontics before and visited the dentist regularly for check-ups and maintenance. He usually brushed his teeth with an electric toothbrush and also had the great habit of using dental floss and interdental brushes.
I was so happy to have such a dedicated patient. He not only practiced optimal oral care at home, but also had the habit of visiting the dentist regularly every 6 months. This visit, Dr. L. wanted to have his teeth cleaned and his teeth whitened. He also wanted to know why his teeth were sensitive when drinking soda or ice water.
Since this was my first visit with Dr. L., I needed to perform a comprehensive evaluation of Dr. L’s oral condition. During the exam I found that Dr. L had a notched defect near the gumline on several teeth. These areas of gum and bone recession resulted in exposed roots and led to tooth damage called abfractions.
Abfractions are wedge-shaped defects that can occur in some teeth due to incorrect brushing, using tooth brush bristles that are too hard or clenching and grinding habits.
These notched defects usually occur in the teeth near the corners of the mouth. Due to the combined action of the incorrect brushing and the excessive bite forces, the teeth will obtain abfraction defects slowly like how running water can form pathways into stone. These defects result in a loss of enamel or the protective surface of teeth. Thus, the teeth become unusually sensitive especially to temperature and sweets.
At the first visit, I was able to complete the comprehensive exam, perform the cleaning and fix Dr. L.’s sensitivity issue. I was able to cover the 7 defects I found with a white, tooth colored composite filling. The filling was able to solve two issues.
The composite was able to protect the tooth from further damage and it was able to cover the exposed tooth to prevent anymore sensitivity.
At the second visit, I am happy to say that Dr. L’s tooth sensitivity had completely disappeared. Once his oral health had been restored, we went on to beautify it with a tooth whitening treatment. Dr. L’s smile was now healthy, bright and beautiful.
Tooth Whitening Science.
Do you like your smile? Are you satisfied with the color of your teeth? You only have one chance to make a first impression. What does your smile say about you? Dr. L’s case and beautiful smile compelled me to create an article about teeth whitening.
The color of teeth varies from person to person and from tooth to tooth. The color of teeth is also different for different ethnicities, but everyone’s desire for whiter and more beautiful teeth is the same no matter your cultural background.
Unfortunately, many factors affect the color of teeth. This can include dental disease such as cavities and old fillings, but even when the teeth are perfectly healthy they can darken. Teeth can become yellow due to dark drinks and food staining. In addition, as we get older, teeth slowly become a dark yellow.
Therefore, if you want a bright smile you can whiten your teeth in variety of ways. Teeth whitening is a broad concept and includes a variety of methods. Your dentist can recommend a whitening method suitable for you. Here are some examples.
Pigments in food can easily adhere to rough dental plaque and calculus. Regular tooth cleaning and polishing, the use of dental floss and other cleaning tools can clean these areas and make the rough surfaces smooth. The result is that pigments will not be able to adhere to the teeth easily. Plaque control is the first step in keeping your teeth white.
Clinical whitening uses a 40% bleaching gel. Because of this high concentration of bleaching agent, this procedure needs to be carried out by professionals. Bleaching agents with high concentrations have an immediate effect in a short amount of time. The side effect is that they may produce some tooth sensitivity during the procedure that can last up to one day afterwards.
In addition, there are bleaching agents with concentrations ranging from 10% to 35%, which can be used for home use or long-term maintenance after clinical whitening. The dentist can customize a set of whitening trays for you to use at home in a safe and convenient manner.
The above methods are collectively referred to as external bleaching. If individual teeth are discolored due to trauma or dental treatment, external whitening will not work. We will need to perform internal bleaching. Putting a certain concentration of bleaching agent into the teeth after a root canal treatment can make the teeth white as well.
If the shape of front teeth are not ideal or are primarily made up of composite fillings, veneer restorations can be considered. Veneers are thin slices of ceramic materials that can be bonded to your teeth after they are prepared by a dentist. This method can help to protect the teeth from future decay and staining. In addition, the white color is permanent and does not need whitening treatments to maintain the brilliant color.
When the color or texture of teeth is very badly broken down, it is difficult to achieve the desired results by the above methods. In this case, we can perform a procedure called a full crown restoration. We can create custom ceramic teeth to enhance your smile.
The advantage to this procedure is that you can fully customize your smile with your dentist. You can choose your favorite color, your ideal shape, use different esthetic materials and ultimately achieve the ideal smile that you have always desired. The whitening effect using crowns is also one that will not fade with time.
At the end of this article, I would like to invite you to turn on your mobile phone camera and take a photo of yourself. I hope you have the beautiful white and bright smile that you desire.
Helen HUANGGeneral Dentist
Dr. Huang received her Master’s degree in China in 2007 and completed her residency and fellowship training in 2011. Before joining Guangzhou United Family Hospital, Dr. Huang practiced in the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-san University. As a dentist, her expertise covers prosthodontics, TMJ diseases and general dentistry.
Dr. Huang has also served on several committees with the Guangdong Provincial Stomatological Association including Temporomandibular Joint Disease and Occlusion, Prosthodontics, and Dental Implantology.
Dr. Huang speaks English, Mandarin, and Cantonese.