Teeth whitening is a common procedure to improve the appearance of discoloured or stained teeth.
There are some risks to teeth whitening — it is not suitable for everyone.
The safest, most effective treatment will be given by your dental practitioner.
Before you have your teeth whitened, your dentist or dental practitioner should check for any cracks or decay in your teeth.
What is teeth whitening?
Teeth whitening involves bleaching your teeth to lighten the colour of the enamel.
The main ingredients used in tooth whitening products are the chemicals hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. The chemicals usually come in a gel, which is applied to your teeth. Sometimes a light is used too.
What causes discoloured teeth?
The outside of your teeth can be stained when you:
drink tea, coffee or red wine
eat food such as spices, berries or beetroot
smoke cigarettes
The white enamel layer on the outside of your teeth can also wear away as you get older. This exposes the dentine layer underneath. This is a yellowish colour and causes your tooth to look yellower.
Teeth can also be discoloured if:
they are damaged or injured
you took certain medicines, such as the antibiotics tetracycline or doxycycline, as a young child when your teeth were being formed
When might I need teeth whitening?
If your teeth are stained or discoloured, you might want to whiten them.
If you are considering teeth whitening, you should consult your dental practitioner to see if your teeth are suitable.
If the problem causing the yellowing is deep inside your teeth, then a whitening gel applied to the outside of your teeth won’t make your teeth whiter.
Where can I get my teeth whitened?
Only registered dental practitioners can use the strong whitening gels and products containing more than 6% hydrogen peroxide. These are most effective.
The Australian Dental Association advises that only registered dental practitioners have the training and knowledge to assess if bleaching is appropriate and safe for you. They are responsible for meeting safety and quality regulations.
Teeth whitening services may be offered by unregulated, unqualified practitioners, for example in:
beauty and hair salons
shopping malls
salons
via mobile services
You can also buy teeth whitening kits online or at the supermarket. These may contain bleaching chemicals or charcoal or bicarbonate of soda. Some kits may not be reliable and using them incorrectly can cause further dental problems.
Teeth whitening by a non-qualified dental practitioner can damage your teeth and gums. Dental practitioners are responsible for meeting safety and quality regulations and can provide a professional assessment of your teeth.
What type of teeth whitening procedure could I have?
Your dentist or dental practitioner can provide ‘in-chair’ or ‘at-home’ teeth whitening treatments.
In-chair teeth whitening
Some whitening treatments can be done while you are sitting in the dental chair.
Your dentist or dental practitioner applies strong hydrogen peroxide gel. Often a light is placed over the teeth. You should leave your dental appointment with whiter teeth.
With take-home teeth whitening, your dentist or dental practitioner will custom-make thin, plastic trays that fit over your teeth. They also give you some gel in the correct strength to suit your needs.
At home, you place the teeth whitening gel in the trays. Your dentist or dental practitioner will tell you how much whitening gel to use each time and how long to wear the trays for.
This method of teeth whitening takes longer to achieve results than in-chair treatment. This doesn’t mean that the final result is better or worse.
Internal bleaching
Sometimes a dentist or dental practitioner can use tooth whitening treatment on the inside of the tooth. For example, when teeth have been injured and you have had root canal treatment that has caused staining from inside the tooth.
The whitening treatment is placed in the centre of the tooth, where the dental nerve used to be. It is left for several days before being cleaned out and fixed with a filling.
What are the benefits and risks of teeth whitening?
Teeth whitening can improve the appearance of discoloured teeth. It‘s likely to cost less than procedures like crowns or veneers.
If you have any cracks in your teeth, the bleach could cause pain or further damage.
Side effects are most likely to happen immediately after treatment. The most common side-effects include:
temporary tooth sensitivity
irritation of the gums or mouth
Swallowing the whitening gel can cause nausea and stomach irritation.
If the tooth whitening product contains a lot of bleaching agent, it can cause severe irritation or burns. It is dangerous to swallow the product.
Tooth whitening products containing high levels of bleaching agents must be used under the supervision of a dentist or dental practitioner.
How much does teeth whitening cost?
The cost of dental treatments and procedures depends on many factors. Always ask how much a treatment will cost before you start the treatment.
You should consider the safety of a treatment and how well it works, not just the cost.
What are the alternatives to having my teeth whitened?
brush with a soft toothbrush and floss your teeth every day
don’t smoke cigarettes
rinse your mouth with water after having food or drink that can discolour your teeth
Some alternatives to teeth whitening treatment are:
having your teeth cleaned by your dentist or dental practitioner
using whitening toothpaste
asking your dentist or dental practitioner about dental treatment to fix your teeth, such as veneers or crowns
Tooth whitening toothpaste
Whitening toothpastes can reduce stains on the outside surface of the tooth. The toothpastes contain special abrasives and/or whitening agents.
Some ingredients are:
sodium hexametaphosphate
hydrogen peroxide
phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid — sometimes called PAP
It’s best to use a soft toothbrushes with these toothpastes, to avoid damaging your tooth enamel.
Resources and support
Find out more about how to care for your teeth at teeth.org.au.
You can also call the healthdirect helpline on 1800 022 222 (known as NURSE-ON-CALL in Victoria). A registered nurse is available to speak with 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Hydrogen peroxide is a mild bleach that can help to whiten stained teeth . For optimal whitening, a person can try brushing with a mix of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide for 1–2 minutes twice a day for a week. They should only do this occasionally.
laser teeth whitening is the safest, quickest, and most effective option among the types of teeth-whitening treatments available. However, there are ultimately several ways to whiten teeth, and the most suitable option will depend on your timeline, budget, and priorities, as well as the nature of the discoloration.
What Can Be Done to Whiten Yellow Teeth? If you're looking for a radical change in the coloring of your teeth, you need professional-grade whitening to get the job done. Your cosmetic dentist can provide treatment that penetrates deep into the enamel and removes years of stains with a powerful bleaching agent.
Teeth whitening products — whether an over-the-counter option you use at home or a professional treatment — can be effective and safe, if used correctly. “If you want a brighter smile, teeth whitening products can be good tools,” says Dr. Clemons. “But they aren't a substitute for good dental hygiene.”
The front surface of the tooth is coated with a whitening solution. The solution contains a bleaching agent, typically hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. A laser or curing light is usually used to activate the peroxide. After applying the solution, we leave it for about 30 to 60 minutes.
Even though professional teeth whitening has incredible success rates, it does not offer permanent results. Your teeth will remain white for about 6 – 12 months before you need retreatment. The results last longer if you intentionally care for your teeth to maintain their whiteness and brightness.
This may be a more complex way to whiten your teeth, but it works incredibly well! Baking soda can help get rid of plaque that's on your teeth while hydrogen peroxide is an antibacterial agent that can whiten your teeth and keep them free of germs.
Here are a few to consider: Baking Soda: As long as you are careful to brush gently, baking soda can eliminate stains from the surface of your teeth without damaging them. Whitening Strips: Whitening strips mold to the shape of your teeth to whiten them. Whitening strips are both safe and effective.
If you've never used a home whitening kit before, Dr. Cho recommends starting off with one that has a low hydrogen or carbamide peroxide solution, such as 5% or 10%. “This will give you an idea as to whether or not your teeth are sensitive to the bleach and if so, just how sensitive they become to it,” she says.
After testing 23 options, we found that the Crest 3DWhitestrips 1-Hour Express are the best at-home teeth whitening strips. These whitening strips are formulated with hydrogen peroxide and are designed as a quick solution to brighten teeth in just a single one-hour session.
In adults, low vitamin D status can lead to gingivitis and periodontal disease. Does vitamin D deficiency cause yellow teeth? Yes, vitamin D deficiency can show up as yellow teeth. Yellow or brown spots on teeth are a symptom of rickets, a condition caused by chronic low levels of vitamin D.
Combine 2 teaspoons (10 ml) of hydrogen peroxide with 1 teaspoon (6 grams) of baking soda and gently brush your teeth with the mixture. Limit the use of this homemade paste to a few times per week, as overuse can erode your tooth enamel.
Baking-powder eliminates stains on the surface of your teeth and lemon juice as we already said has multiple components that lighten teeth. Just mix a teaspoon of baking powder and a teaspoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and brush your teeth with the paste this mixture will work wonders in just two minutes.
Depending on the type of discoloration you have, Crest whitening kits may or may not work for you. If you have yellowing due to aging, poor nutrition, smoking, this whitening method may work for you. But if you have dark and greyed teeth, Crest Whitestrips may not work for you.
As a result, you may wonder if professional tooth whitening is worth the cost. Lots of patients are curious about in-office treatment and ask if it is really better than at-home options. The answer is a resounding yes. The most effective way to whiten teeth is with a professional in-office treatment.
This is one of the popular teeth whitening methods that some people believe is the most effective way to get a brighter smile. Using lasers and peroxide-based whitening agents in a professional setting, this teeth whitening method provides dramatic, lasting results.
Are At Home Teeth Whitening Kits Effective? At home teeth whitening kits can show some results, but they have their limitations. Teeth whitening kits are effective only at eliminating some stains and help how to get rid of teeth stains.
You can turn your yellow teeth into white teeth, although how white depends on the extent of the stain and the treatment used. The best course of treatment to get whiter teeth is to seek a professional whitening treatment from your dentist.
The good news is, for the most part, teeth whitening doesn't hurt. However, there are a few things you should know before getting started. If you're interested in getting a professional teeth whitening treatment and you want to know if the treatment process hurts, continue reading our blog post to find out.
Yet, if your teeth stains are underneath the enamel of your teeth, known as intrinsic (internal) discoloration, then the bleaching agent won't be able to remove them.
The most common approach dentists use for brightening teeth is professional teeth whitening. It entails bleaching teeth enamel to remove surface and intrinsic stains.
The longer hydrogen peroxide stays in contact with your teeth, gums, or tongue, the more damage it can cause. That is why whitening treatments that contain hydrogen peroxide are only applied for a limited amount of time. Most products recommend a maximum time of 1 – 2 minutes, once or twice a week.
If you want to know the truth, yes, Crest Whitestrips do work. They can make your teeth look whiter because of a gel that is spread along the strip and placed onto the surface of your teeth. This substance contains hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide and works to penetrate the tooth enamel to remove stains.
Baking soda is abrasive and helps remove stains from the surface of your teeth which makes them appear whiter. However, baking soda does not help remove the old stains. Therefore mixing it with hydrogen peroxide helps whiten your teeth. The mixture forms a paste which stays on your teeth while brushing them.
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