Question:
I saw a product at SAMS (endorsed by Morgan Fairchild!) which claims to be
an effective tooth whitener. The active ingredient was hydrogen peroxide
and the application was via 2 mouth trays for 30 minutes at night for 2
weeks.
Can someone knowledgable ( a Dentist - or a User ) please respond as to the
efficasy of this treatment (and similar ones). Do they / can they cause
damage to the enamel and what is the duration of the 'bleeching'
In Short: Is this Stuff BullSh*t orr What?
Answer:
My dentist told me that even the stuff dentists use isn't good because the
caustic nature of the chemicals involved and the time in which they are in
contact with the teeth can sometimes wear away the enamal and do a lot of
damage to the teeth. In fact, I have a friend who had his dentist do this
procedure for him and exactly that happened. My friend sued the dentist and
won the case. I do not know the amount of money he won. In short, getting
your teeth whitened the quick way from a dentist can sometimes lead to big
dental problems if your teeth are not in optimum health. A good way to keep
your teeth as white as possible safely is to use a toothpaste made from
peroxide and baking soda. You can mix this yourself or buy it from your local
drug store for a reasonably low price. Oh, by the way, my dentist refused to
do this procedure on my teeth. He keeps telling me he won't fix teeth that
work just fine and I have extremely healthy teeth (never had a cavity)! I
think that's convincing evidence that this procedure isn't so hot when a
dentist who could make some easy money from it refuses to do it to a trusting
and loyal patient.
If you have seriously ugly teeth, ask your dentist about bonding. This
is a semi-permanent plastic coating that covers your teeth. It can last
up to 15 years, and is much cheaper than getting caps. I have blotchy
white spots on my upper teeth, and I had bonding put on six teeth a few
years ago. They look great, very natural. Bonding can also be used to
lengthen a broken tooth, or to fill in gaps between teeth.
I called my dentist about these whitening agents that are out. He said
that the only effective way of whitening your teeth is with a "mouth
tray" setup. Probably similiar to the one you saw. He said the rub on,
brush on or soaking type whiteners aren't on long enough to do anything
effective. He also said that he has an industrial strength whitening
program involving all kinds of stuff that you have to wear to bed
etc for over $300!!
Bleaching your teeth is temporary, just like teeth cleaning. They will
only stay white as long as they are not stained. Coffee, tea, etc., will
re-stain them again.
BTW..my dentist also mentioned that not ALL teeth will benefit from
teeth whitening systems. Apparently peoples teeth fall into several
catagories of color. Natuallly white teeth that are stained benefit the
most, while natually "gray" teeth show little improvement. Ask your
individual dentist what type (natural color) your teeth are before
spending the time and trouble trying to whiten them.
As an additional note for anyone considering bonding: make sure that
the dentist who performs the procedure specializes in cosmetic
dentistry. I had bonding done on my chipped, stained front teeth
years ago by three different dentists, who left my teeth functional,
but uneven, with rough edges, and "fake" looking. About eight years ago
I had my teeth done over by a cosmetic dentist, who took the extra
time to sculpt the bonding material into a natural shape, in proportion
with the rest of my teeth, and who tinted them so they matched
the color of my natural teeth. They are strong and extremely
natural-looking; even I often forget they aren't real.
