7 tips on tooth bleaching
Wisdom Number 1: Even small steps lead to enlightenment
An impressive range of teeth whitening pastes, mouthwashes or whitening pens smiles at us in drugstores and on the Internet - all just a nice glow? After all, toothpaste of the first generation had the reputation of hardly bringing anything and damaging on top of that. They contained emery cloths that not only rubbed off superficial discolorations, but also some of the protective tooth enamel. Meanwhile, however, has been significantly optimized: First, the abrasiveness, ie the emery power, has become smaller by finer cleaning. For example, some pastes contain microscopic blue pigments that accumulate on the teeth as they clean, neutralize yellows, and thus produce temporary, small optical brightening effects (eg in "Colgate Max White One Optic"). But also mouthwash solutions today show impressive whitening effect: Thanks to a formula with polyphosphates, which displace attached dyes downright, teeth under laboratory conditions could make a little brighter within two weeks (eg "Advanced White" by Listerine).
Wisdom # 2: Cleaning is more than clean
Although professionals offer professional whitening, so-called bleachings, but it was never easier than today to laugh at the teeth already by brushing your teeth. At best nature sets limits: all means on the market, including the professional process, bleach the pigments that accumulate on the tooth over time - but not its substance itself. And tooth color is a matter of inheritance Also, it will not lose a slight yellow glow. Similarly, with older teeth, where the enamel has thinned over the years, through which the backbone of the tooth, the dentin, shines through. Do not frustrate - and continue to clean well in the interstices. This removes plaque, which prevents bacterial inflammation, periodontitis, and later gum recession. That makes teeth look irregular. The more closed the row of teeth, the larger the area of the teeth, the whiter they look. Practical help: An app that plays the cleaning data on the phone, thus in the right way and admonishes tired dentists (Oral-B, free for iOS and Android, available on the App Store or Google play).
Wisdom Number 3: Eat and drink mindfully
Coffee, tea, tobacco and red wine, turmeric, grapes and liquorice ... many indulgence and food, but also spices contain dyes that gradually discolour the teeth: they attach to their surface, especially in the rough places, where there is a lot of surface, then over time become solid and are bad to get down by brushing. So, enjoy with caution and after Bleachings ideally for about two weeks entirely without it.
Wisdom Number 4: Do you want more, then go to the pro
Just a professional tooth cleaning treatment is enough to make the teeth look brighter, as superficial discolouration can be easily removed mechanically. However, larger color jumps can not be achieved with it. If you want to see clear results quickly, you have to be a professional whitener. Whether you opt for the services of a so-called whitening lounge or a dental office, the procedure is the same: the teeth are bleached with a mixture of a carrier gel (carbamide) and hydrogen peroxide, and the stubborn discolorations brighten up by oxidation. About two to three shades of whiteness can make teeth with it. Any degree of lightening beyond that would only seem unnatural. The cost of this "private pleasure"? Between about 300 and 700 euros. Important: The teeth must first be checked for fine enamel cracks, tiny carious areas or non-matching crown margins and treated in the event of a fall - otherwise painful nerve irritation may occur.
Wisdom Number 5: If you want to save, then stay home
Approximately You have to spend 120 euros for a so-called home bleaching. This is how it works: The dentist makes an individually adapted splint that you take home with you. For this you get a hydrogen peroxide gel, which is significantly less dosed than bleaching in practice. This gel is used to fill the rail and to use it several hours in a row for several hours. Although there are such do-it-yourself systems in the trade or on the Internet, but they have real hooks: The rail is not adapted, it does not sit properly, hurts and / or discolored irregular. In addition, if the teeth are not in tip-top shape, it can cause painful irritation, and escaping gel can attack the gums.Incidentally, lightening gels without hydrogen peroxide are less irritating (chlorine dioxide, for example, works with Rapid White's White Tooth Whitening System).
Wisdom Number 6: Accept your limits
Crowns, bridges, plastic and ceramic fillings can not be bleached. If the color differences, for example in the anterior region, interfere with the fillings have to be replaced and adapted to the whitened teeth. And especially BEFORE inserting a crown or an implant, you should think about the future optics.
Wisdom Number 7: Do you see everything gray? Then shine from the inside!
When teeth are root-treated, they shimmer greyish - a series of protein decaying agents on the dead nerve. What helps in such cases, is a special treatment at the doctor: He injects a bleaching solution into the tooth and brightens it so permanently from the inside (cost about 50 and 150 euros per tooth). Nevertheless, he may be able to keep a delicate gray haze. Alternative, if you want it to be perfect: let the tooth be veneered with a wafer-thin ceramic cover, a so-called veneer (about 1000 Euro per tooth).
