Whitening toothpastes yes or no
After conducting a study with thirty volunteers who used different whitening pastes for a month, the Organization of Consumers and Users (OCU) has recently advised against the use of whitening toothpastes if what we want is to whiten our teeth since only one of the products tested achieved a whitening of one or two shades on the Vita Classical scale and in only ten of the thirty participants.
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Beyond the rigorousness of the study methodology, it is a fact that, today, in pharmacies you can only buy whitening toothpastes whose hydrogen peroxide content does not exceed a concentration of 0.1% or 0.3% of carbamide peroxide and these concentrations can do little to whiten the tooth.
So how do you get whiter teeth?
Well, there are two options; visit your dentist for a professional teeth whitening or risk buying an illegal product online in our country with a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide that ends up damaging your teeth.
The problem with hydrogen peroxide is that, in the concentrations necessary for it to have a whitening effect , it easily penetrates the enamel of the teeth and an uncontrolled use by a dentist can damage the surface of the tooth and cause the demineralization of the enamel, weakening it irreversibly.
Even in dental whitening treatments directed by a dentist , the mouth may become irritated and the patient may perceive a certain increase in tooth sensitivity , but, if the treatment has been carried out correctly, these side effects will be temporary and the teeth will not suffer any kind Of damage.
Can I whiten my teeth if I have a dental prosthesis?
When a patient places a dental prosthesis, they can choose the color of the prosthesis. There are color guides (the best known is the Vita Classical , but it is not the only one) that will determine the color with which the prosthetic laboratory will create the prostheses, whether removable or fixed.
In the event that the dental prosthesis is partial (which does not replace all the teeth of an arch), it is normal to adapt the color of the prosthesis to the color of the rest of the teeth, however, a whitening of the natural teeth can be performed before to choose the color of the prosthesis to be able to opt for a whiter prosthesis color and improve the dental aesthetics of the patient.
This is because the tooth whitening treatments do not affect porcelain or other ceramics. Yes, they can slightly affect dental reconstructions made with composite resins, cements or dental amalgams.
Laser whitening
Laser light or LED light accelerate the hydrogen peroxide penetration process which, in addition to achieving a greater whitening effect, shortens treatment times and helps protect teeth by exposing them for less time to whitening products.
In other articles we will talk about blancorexia and we will emphasize that teeth whitening and dental cleaning are not the same and that the best way to maintain white, bright and healthy teeth is a correct daily oral hygiene.
Of course, before closing this article, we want to alert you to the videos and information that roam freely on the Internet with miraculous tips for teeth whitening . The last one we saw recommended brushing your teeth with hydrogen peroxide. Needless to say, it is outrageous but if you stumble upon one of these videos, consult your dentist before doing anything. You can save yourself more than one upset and we will be happy to advise you so that you can continue smiling without problems.