Weeks before her big date, 22-year-old Gigi Burt was still restless. She bought a new outfit, got her hair done, and most importantly, whitened her teeth. Hoping to restore the radiance in her smile, whitening her teeth was the last step in achieving what advertisers call the “all-American” appearance.
According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry, the number of bleaching procedures cosmetic dentists have performed has soared by 50 percent for the past three years. Fueled in part by aggressive marketing, this trend toward teeth whitening has a new generation of young people craving the next beauty fix- turning whitening into the newest, easiest, and sometimes cheapest cosmetic fad.
Are you jumping onto the whitening bandwagon? According to Dr. Jorge Perdigão of the University of Minnesota’s Division of Operative Dentistry, in his study of teeth whitening trends, the introduction of bleaching kits you can buy from the store or your dentist is a big reason for the widening appeal. This form of teeth whitening, by far the most popular among young people, is called at-home or over-the-counter (OTC) whitening. The type done in a dentist’s office is called in-office or chairside whitening.
Whiteners don’t always work
Before you pick a whitener at the store or hop into your dentist’s chair, the American Dental Association recommends that you consult your dentist. According to the ADA, “He or she can tell you whether whitening procedures would be effective for you.”
Why might they not work? Because “whiteners may not correct all types of discoloration.” The ADA says that gray-tinted teeth will not bleach as well as brown or yellow-tinted teeth. If you’ve had bonding or tooth-colored fillings, “The whitener will not effect the color of these materials, and they will stand out in your newly whitened smile.”
According to the American Dental Hygenists’ Association, if your teeth are stained by age, tobacco, coffee, or tea, you’re in luck. Whitening for these types of brown or yellow-tinted stains is 96 percent effective.
Many options, varying prices
Now that you’ve consulted your dentist, what’s the next step? If your dentist advises you to consider in-office whitening, remember that while this is the quickest and most convenient way to a brighter smile, it’s also the most expensive. With results that last up to several years with maintenance, chairside whitening can cost between $200 and $500 per arch or $500 to $1,000 for the entire mouth, depending on the insurance, dentist, locale, and brand of whitener you select.
During the procedure, the dentist applies either a protective gel or rubber shield to protect your gums. He then spreads a bleaching agent onto your teeth, typically using a special light (sometimes a laser) to boost the effectiveness of the whitening agent. This agent is made up of at most 35 percent carbamide peroxide or 12 percent hydrogen peroxide. People usually begin seeing results in one 30-60 minute treatment. However, for more prominent results, additional appointments or laser-enhanced whitening is necessary.
If in-office whitening is not for you, your dentist may recommend the at-home procedure, which involves filling a tray you get from the dentist with prescription-strength whitening solution. In this procedure, a tray or nightguard (which can be custom-fitted by your dentist for about $100) is worn for an hour or overnight for two weeks or more. Though this type of whitening is slightly less expensive than in-office whitening, and results are the same, they can take 5-10 days to start showing up.
The most inexpensive system of teeth whitening, over-the-counter, comes in the greatest variety of brands and prices. As the name implies, these whiteners can be bought in stores without a prescription and usually come in the form of brush-on application gels, thin strips coated in low doses of peroxide-based gel or gel-filled application trays with a weaker whitening agent than from the dentist uses.
Strips are applied to the teeth once or twice a day for 30 minutes for two weeks or more. Ranging from $15 to $50 for pricier kits with higher concentrations of peroxide, OTC products don’t begin showing results for at least a few weeks and result only last for a few months. Matthew Messina, a consumer adviser to the ADA, said in U.S. News that these products “are ideal for someone going to prom in a week or needing a little touch up here and there.”
Also an over-the-counter product, whitening toothpastes “do not alter the intrinsic color of teeth,” according to the ADA. This means that toothpastes don’t actually whiten your teeth, but rather remove surface stains with mild abrasives. Only a few toothpastes actually contain peroxide, and only at extremely low concentrations (usually one to two percent).
Mild side effects are common
Side effects, ranging from temporary tooth or gum sensitivity to severe cases of inflamed gums, are common. Half of the people who used at-home treatments reported tooth sensitivity, according to a report in the Journal of the American Dental Association. This sensitivity directly connects with the percent of peroxide or type of whitener used.
According to Dr. Thomas Larson, associate professor in Restorative Sciences at the University of Minnesota, today’s whitening agents are not acidic and won’t harm tooth enamel. A 2006 review in the Journal of Esthetic and Restorative Dentistry, there found no clear link between use of hydrogen peroxide and oral cancer. Developing addictive whitening behavior is a potential risk.
Larson offers this advice:
- Consider your lifestyle, when you have time to do the treatments and what results you expect. If you are unsure, then don’t do anything.
- If you are sure you want the treatment, consider starting with a simple OTC product to see its effect. You may find your expectation is greater than what any of the products can give you.
- Consult a dental professional if you want all your teeth whitened, and/or you want a realistic appraisal of what might be possible. Some tooth discolorations are difficult to treat.
- Remember that teeth whitening is not a one-time treatment. Much like coloring your hair, it requires upkeep. With tooth whitening expect to re-treat for about one week every 18-24 months after the original treatment.
- Teens rush to whiten their smiles, When 17-year-old high school junior Mahyar Sorour began whitening her teeth with Crest Whitestrips, it was because her orthodontist recommended it after braces. However, as time went by, she admits that it has become much more. “Whitening my teeth was so easy and fast, I couldn’t stop!” she said. “And the best thing about it is that I can use it whenever I feel like my smile needs some brightening. Even though I [whiten my teeth] a lot, I still like to make them stand out for special occasions. It really is a confidence booster.”
Post new comment