Professional vs. OTC
OTC products come in various concentrations and delivery modalities. These products usually contain a low concentration of hydrogen peroxide and advertising claims of most of these products are not proven by research. However 6% hydrogen peroxide, Crest White Strips, Procter & Gamble does have a number of clinical studies that prove it to whiten teeth in some situations. Our recommendation for our clients: If you want the biggest bang for whitening use a power in office bleaching product in combination with a take home tray. Our experience is that compliance is always the biggest issue when whitening teeth.
Things that whiten teeth and things that will not.-contact time OTC products, including whitening toothpastes and mouth rinses, do not significantly or satisfactorily produce whitening effects. Consumer Reports alerts the consumer to the fact that whitening toothpastes do not change the color of teeth. Many advertise effectiveness without data to substantiate a claim.
I can't stress enough-despite all the OTC products available at the drug store-that whitening should be a dentist-supervised treatment. This isn't just for reasons of safety and effectiveness. Aesthetically, you should have some guidance.
Myths, contraindications and side effects
Does the light do anything? Manufacturers claim that application of light laser UV or halogen activates the bleaching material to enhance its effectiveness and accelerate the bleaching process. The effectiveness of light is controversial a few studies support the use of light, but other studies find little value while recording increased sensitivity.
Does whitening hurt the integrity of teeth? The answer is no. Whitening works by peroxide chemically changing the structure of staining molecules in the enamel and dentin. The inorganic and organic make up of the tooth remains unchanged. The Ph of most bleach is neutral to control sensitivity and will not erode teeth.
Sensitivity
Do you have sensitive teeth and want to bleach? You still can! First let me start by saying this is a cosmetic procedure you are doing to improve your looks. Expect some sensitivity to achieve your final whitening results. Most cosmetic procedures do include some discomfort and whitening is not necessarily an exception to that rule.
Before coming for your whitening switch to sensitivity protection toothpaste for 2-3 weeks. There are some stronger RX strength toothpastes we can prescribe in the office. If you are very sensitive we can make your whitening trays ahead of time and use them to apply fluoride at home for a week before your whitening appointment.
An in office whitening treatment is the best choice for very sensitive teeth. If there are areas of your teeth that are more sensitive, we can block them out with our liquid dam material to protect them. The sensitivity will then usually only last up to 24 hours, then go back to normal. In that time you can take OTC pain relievers. If you get sensitive during the procedure we can use local anesthetic to numb the teeth during whitening, just like you would have any other body part anesthetized prior to a cosmetic procedure.
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