Dentist New York-Dr Lawrence Spindel Tooth Whitening FAQs
Does tooth whitening work?
Yes it does work. It seems to selectively remove yellow from teeth. It may work at a chemical level by changing carbon double bonds to single bonds. The double bonds are thought to provide a yellow color to the teeth. Millions of people have safely whitened their teeth.
Is tooth whitening only temporary?
After whitening, smiles remain bright for a long period of time. Gradually the brightness does tend to fade somewhat. Often teeth remain brighter than they were prior to bleaching for years. Most patients desire a bleaching touch up after 6 months to year. If a patient has whitening trays most touchups can be accomplished easily in a day or two.
Does it make teeth sensitive?
Sometimes teeth become temporarily sensitive during the whitening process. If a patient stops whitening or takes a break this sensitivity goes away. Forty eight hours after they stop bleaching most patients report their teeth feel normal again.
Do teeth become more likely to pick up stain while they are being whitened?
Yes they are. While teeth are undergoing whitening they are more prone to pick up stain from foods and beverages. Patients are instructed to refrain from drinking beverages that might stain their teeth such as black tea, black coffee, red wine, pomegranates and red grape juice. Instead they are encouraged to substitute other beverages that will not stain as much, such as green tea, sprite, or white wine.
After the whitening process is completed teeth remain more likely to pick up stains for about two more weeks and patients are instructed to continue to be careful to refrain from eating foods that might stain. After two weeks patients can resume a normal diet without worry.
