Tooth Whitening: Get Your Teeth Whiter, Smile Braver!
Tooth whitening can be a highly effective way of lightening the natural colour of your teeth without removing any of the tooth surface.
Things You Need To Know Before Whitening Your Teeth
White teeth create an aesthetic look on our face that most of the people are willing to achieve. The whiteness on our teeth can have a huge impact on our self-esteem. It’s incredible how having stain-looking teeth can affect the way we perceive ourselves. Some people even hide their smiles because they don’t feel comfortable with their teeth. However, many cosmetic treatments can help them with that, and teeth whitening is one of the most common ones. But, what is it exactly? How does it work? Let’s find out!
What Is Tooth Whitening?
Tooth whitening is a very popular procedure among people who care about how they look or how their smile looks. It consists of lightening the teeth by removing stain marks and discoloration. To put it in simple words: our teeth have 2 layers, the dentin layer, and the enamel layer. The first one is found in the inner section of the teeth and the enamel layer relies on the outer part of every tooth. The function of both layers is to protect the teeth from external factors.
However, when we eat, part of that food gets accumulated in another layer above the enamel. That’s what we call stain. To whiten the teeth, dentists just try to remove that layer of stain by doing certain treatments like scrapping or adding some particular chemicals. This isn’t a one-time treatment, you would need to have several sessions from time to time to ensure that your brightness in your teeth.
The Role of Teeth Whitening in Cosmetic Dentistry
In the world of cosmetic dentistry, tooth whitening plays a big role. This is because having white teeth is a major aesthetic factor. Anyone can have a beautiful face and body, but if they have yellowish teeth, their self-confidence might get affected.
This is a really common issue among many people. This is because we all start having white teeth from the first time they come up. But as we grow up the enamel layer accumulates stain, and it happens to everybody. This is the reason why tooth whitening is by far one of the most common cosmetic dental procedures.
Types of teeth whitening
There are two types of teeth whitening; your dentist will choose which one will be better for you according to your teeth conditions. So you have to get a dentist's diagnosis to see which type of treatment is best for your smile. And, of course! There are some homemade treatments you can try and they’re cheap. But remember, you must be careful with the chemicals you use so you don’t end up in the hospital. So here we’ll show you all the types of tooth whitening divided into two sections: homemade tooth whitening and office or professional tooth whitening.
Laser tooth whitening: Power Whitening
This is another effective practice that you can have in the dentist’s office. Laser Teeth Whitening is very similar to bleaching because this treatment also uses a hydrogen peroxide gel. However, it’s only %25 of that chemical. Also, the dentist uses a special lamp to lighten your teeth. This treatment is also really fast and the results are immediate.
Tooth Whitening by Professional Bleaching
Also called Boost teeth whitening is a treatment that consists of applying a chemical activated gel based on 40% hydrogen peroxide. This is a very strong chemical that removes the stain in the teeth in a very fast way. The results are immediate and you might only spend an hour in the dentist's chair.
Veneers for Whiter Teeth
Veneers are not tooth whitening type, rather they are thin porcelains put in front of the teeth for a desired whiter look. Veneers treatment is more expensive than tooth whitening, but it’s more stain resistant. Veneers, in other words, consists of covering the teeth with dental porcelain laminates.
Tooth Whitening at Home
And this is where the DYI plays a good role. If you search in Google “ways to whiten your teeth at home” you may find millions of articles with homemade remedies to lighten your teeth. And some of them are effective! But some of them aren’t, and can even be harmful. So we’ll try to show those practices that can whiten your teeth without causing any harm.
Baking soda
This is one of the most common homemade remedies for teeth whitening. The reason for this is that many toothpaste brands use baking soda as an ingredient. It is a little abrasive, so you have to be careful and try not to harm yourself. Use this product to brush your teeth and see results in a couple of weeks.
It is recommendable that you apply the baking soda overnight. This will not only lighten your teeth, but it also creates an alkaline barrier in your mouth that prevents bacteria from growing.
Apple Cide Vinegar
This is an element that has been used for many generations as an antiseptic. Since this is an abrasive ingredient, Apple Cide Vinegar can clean many bacteria in your mouth and provides a whitening effect on your teeth. You can use it as a mouthwash after washing your teeth.
What should I do after my tooth whitening procedure?
This is a very common question among those who want to start receiving teeth whitening sessions. Tooth whitening doesn’t give you permanent results, so you must find a way to maintain the brightness of your smile. So here are a few things for you to consider after having a teeth whitening procedure:
- Avoid having these types of food after the first 24 hours: Coffee, Red wine, tea, chocolate, and any fruit except for bananas, alcoholic drinks, joy sauce, red meat, and anything that can leave a stain on a white shirt.
- Try to avoid smoking in the first 24 hours. Instead, you can use electronic cigarettes, but moderately.
- Don’t use colored toothpaste or mouthwash.
- You can consume chicken, potatoes, pasta, 7up, and any clear or white ingredient.
Can tooth whitening damage my teeth?
Like any other cosmetic procedure, teeth whitening can have side effects. That’s why it’s very important to take this treatment with a qualified dental specialist, so he can see which type of procedure works best for you.
Remember tooth whitening is an abrasive treatment, so it can surely affect the sensibility in your teeth. There is another issue related to your enamel layer. Most times it can get affected too and the changes are permanent. The gums can also get affected because of the abrasive ingredients in the formulas for teeth whitening. So you need to take that into account before going through this cosmetic procedure.
Can teeth whitening affect any tooth nerve?
We’ve talked about sensibility and the enamel damage, but what if the chemicals are so strong that could affect any of my tooth nerves? This is another commonly asked question among patients. But there isn’t any scientific proof that teeth whitening could affect your teeth nerves. So you can take it easy with that. Most experts say that, after 7 years of follow up on patients who received a teeth whitening treatment, no patient needed a root procedure.
What if I had a restoration? Will teeth whitening affect that too?
Teeth whitening procedure has been practiced for many years, and it has never been proven that it can affect any restoration treatment. That isn’t the issue here. You just have to keep in mind that bridges, veneers, tooth-color fillings or crowns do not get lightened. So, if the color of the restoration doesn’t match the color of the whitened teeth, it might look irregular. To avoid that, you just have to talk to your doctor about it and he’ll find the best solution.
Tooth Whitening in Turkey: High-quality cosmetic dentistry at affordable costs
Have you ever hear about dental tourism? Dental procedures can be really expensive, especially cosmetic ones in the U.S. and Europe, so people like to get better alternatives abroad. So the destination countries for dental tourism usually have high-quality standards and lower prices.
Turkey is one of the most visited dental tourist destinations. The reason for this is that we have over 15 high-quality dental schools where a dentist can prepare. In Turkey, a dentist also must get a 4 years specialization training after they graduate from their 5 years of university education.
You can try dental tourism in Turkey for cosmetics procedures. I and my partner dentists are members of the Turkish Academy of Aesthetic Dentistry (EDAD) which makes them stand out from other dentists in their field. But one of the most outstanding parts of tourism in Turkey is that you can save up to 70% of the costs, compared to the prices in the U.S. or Europe.
Tooth Whitening Prices in Turkey
Full professional tooth whitening in the consultation room (office type)+ home bleaching kits €500
How long does the whitening effect last?
We all wish that this procedure gave permanent results; however, the reality is very different from that. When we’re starting our whitening treatment, the first thing we’d like to know is how much it is going to last, or how many sessions we should make to maintain our teeth white.
The answer to this will depend on a person’s habits. For someone with smoking habits, the treatment might last less than for anyone who doesn’t smoke. The food is also important. Colored food might also affect the whitening effect, so it can make the results disappear in less time than usual. However, the most common time is from 3 months to 3 years, depending on the treatment and the type of person.
Getting Teeth Whitening in Turkey
This is an amazing cosmetic procedure that can significantly help you improve your look. It is a very common practice among many people, especially celebrities. And you can even try some of the suggested methods at home. However, it is always better to visit a dentist and have tooth whitening treatment with a professional. Bleaching tooth whitening or Laser Tooth Whitening gives immediate results and the effect looks great. They’re a little expensive than methods you can do at home, but you can always find better costs with us in Turkey.