Home teeth whitening with trays - my own experience. Teeth whitening gel

Confidence is the key to success! We are confident when we have perfect figure, impeccable clothes, gorgeous hair, and of course with a snow-white smile.

Our eyes and our smile are the mirror of our soul. The first impression of a person can be spoiled if his teeth are not all right. A modern and authoritative person should have a snow-white and beautiful smile. But how to find a way out of the situation, if financial resources are sometimes not enough to achieve snow-white smile how to do home teeth whitening you ask? Teeth whitening at home does not make you spend a lot of money on expensive products in the pharmacy and takes only a few minutes. You can carry out a whitening procedure at home without visiting professional specialists and your teeth will shine like you just visited the dentist.

It is worth noting that many products such as soda, lemon vinegar and peroxide are very dangerous for enamel because they destroy it.

Do whitening very carefully, being sure that your teeth are healthy and all fillings are in order. In fillings, small cracks form between the tooth and the filling itself over time. Bleach can get into them and be very harmful.

But why do our teeth darken?

Basically, the color of our teeth depends on the food we eat. daily diet: coffee, wine (red), tea, coca-cola, cigarettes. Time is also the main culprit in the darkening of the teeth, since the enamel tends to wear off and it becomes more transparent, and the dentin, which is under the enamel, is darker in color.

Teeth whitening should not be done by people whose teeth are too sensitive, those who have fillings and crowns on their teeth, people with diabetes, cancer, pregnant women, those who have braces and who have cracks in the enamel and are allergic to whitening systems . And now let's break it down and find out how to prepare home remedies for teeth whitening.

It is important to know!

The best assistants in teeth whitening at home

The first to come to the rescue ... whitening strips. This method is modern and safe for teeth whitening. You can buy strips at a pharmacy or order them online. The result depends on the price category. There are strips that brighten teeth for one to two months, and there are those that last for a year.

It is also good to cope with the problem of tooth whitening paste at home, the concentration of the whitening agent should be higher than in ordinary pastes, so you should not use it every day.

Here are some more ways to do teeth whitening at home: You can make your own teeth whitening gel at home - mix regular toothpaste with 100% oil tea tree and brush your teeth with this gel as usual.

It is generally accepted that home teeth whitening is limited only to soda and other folk methods. In fact, everything is not so for a long time, and the teeth whitening industry has long understood that beautiful smile everyone wants, but not everyone is ready to even leave their home for this. That is why today there is simply a huge selection of methods for whitening teeth at home. Usually all of them give less noticeable results and the procedures must be carried out in a complex that will take you more than one week. Still, the final effect will please anyone. Home whitening can treat both normal staining of the surface of the teeth and serious pigmentation problems. All methods that exist today can be divided into professional and semi-professional. Do not forget about folk methods, which also deserve your attention, because sometimes they can cope with the task even better than more expensive means.

Even if you want to whiten your teeth completely on your own, you can’t do without a visit to a specialist anyway. Any type of whitening, if used incorrectly and with some contraindications, can cause tremendous damage to enamel and gums. The specialist will make an examination and decide whether you can generally resort to whitening.
In some cases, you can’t do without the supervision of a specialist, and for such situations there are sets of professional teeth whitening at home.
They consist of individual caps and whitening gel. In some systems, there is also a small lamp with halogen light.
Whitening itself takes place in several stages. First, the specialist takes an impression of our teeth and makes general examination enamel and gums, revealing their sensitivity and diseases. Based on this information, a decision is made on the concentration of active substances in the gel and the duration of the course. At the next visit, in a couple of weeks, we are given silicone trays for both jaws and a supply of gel that was made especially for you.
As part of such a gel, carbamide peroxide is usually used. IN Lately it is used much more frequently than the previously common hydrogen peroxide.

Your task for the next couple of weeks is to apply the active gel inside the trays and put them on for 15-20 minutes every day in the evening after brushing your teeth. A chemical reaction takes place inside the cap. The main substance in contact with saliva releases active oxygen. It penetrates the enamel and whitens it from the inside.
It turns out that such home teeth whitening will help get rid of even congenital problems. In addition, it is great in case of a slight curvature of the teeth, because an individual mouthguard will cover the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe smile.
The results of the procedure after a couple of weeks can be easily compared with in-office whitening.

Semi-professional teeth whitening at home

This group of techniques includes a huge list of products that today can be found in almost any store or pharmacy. Their main feature is that they work on the basis of a number of dental studies. The composition of the products includes all the same substances that are used in professional whitening, but in an extremely small concentration so that a person cannot harm himself.
You can use such techniques even without a doctor's supervision, but an initial consultation is still necessary, because you may have contraindications that you are not even aware of.
The most popular forms of semi-professional whitening products today are:

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You can certainly find them in any store. The composition of the products can contain not only carbamide or hydrogen peroxide, but also polishing particles that effectively remove plaque. Deposits on the teeth are often the root cause of darkening of the enamel, so this additional component will be superfluous. Sometimes a large part of the result depends on it. The concentrations of active bleaching agents that cause a reaction with a large release of oxygen are very small. Therefore, the results have to wait quite a long time. But in the composition of such pastes and powders, in most cases, there are caring components that immediately restore the enamel and negate all the harm from the teeth whitening procedure. Reviews about them rarely talk about any problems with enamel or gums.

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You will get the most amazing results from semi-professional home whitening with the help of strips. They consist of a polymer base, on one side of which a dense layer of whitening gel is applied. The concentration of the active substance in it is usually quite high, so it is very easy to achieve noticeable results.
These strips are usually used once a day, in the evening after brushing your teeth. They are carefully glued to the teeth. You need to wear stickers from 10 to 20 minutes, depending on the manufacturer. Make sure that part of the active whitening gel does not get on the gums, otherwise even chemical burns of the mucous membrane are possible.

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By the type of professional teeth whitening system at home, cheaper and available funds. They work on the same principle, only there are a few differences. Firstly, the concentration of active substances used is very small, which is why the results will have to wait longer. This is done for the safety of buyers so that they cannot harm themselves with such bleaching. Secondly, the shape of the cap is universal, which is why it is often not suitable for people with certain features of the dentition. True, recently the manufacturer has been making mouthguards from thermoplastic silicone. Before first use, it must be soaked in hot water and put on your teeth. You will have to keep the cap in this way for 10-15 minutes. During this time, it will cool down and take the shape of your teeth. Of course, it will not be possible to achieve such accuracy as in the dental office.

Traditional methods of teeth whitening at home

For home whitening, sometimes you don’t even need to purchase anything. Some effective remedies you can find at home.
Home whitening techniques based on traditional medicine simply cannot be counted, but among the whole variety, the most popular ones can be distinguished:

.

As mentioned earlier, this element was previously actively used in professional in-office teeth whitening, but today it is already used very rarely. After all, a substance more suitable for these purposes was found, which allows you to whiten your teeth with minimal harm to them. However, at home everyone still uses peroxide. You need to be especially careful with it, because if used incorrectly, the harm can be enormous.
Choose a remedy with minimum concentration. Avoid direct exposure to enamel for more than 5 minutes at a time.
There are many ways to use peroxide. The easiest is mixing with your favorite pasta. Just soak the brush in peroxide and only then apply the paste on it.
Some people apply the peroxide directly to the teeth in the smile area using cotton buds. It is recommended to repeat this procedure no more than once a week.
In addition, the tool is often combined with other components suitable for whitening.

. Soda.

Everyone knows about teeth whitening with baking soda. In addition, it is often used as a conventional oral hygiene product. There is no special secret in the effectiveness of the whitening effect of soda. Everything is very simple. Its particles exfoliate the surface of the tooth and thoroughly remove plaque. Often it is plaque that causes a darkening of the smile. It is enough to remove it, and the teeth are as if after whitening.
The course of bleaching soda lasts up to 7 days. During this time, in the morning and evening, before the usual cleaning, soda is used instead of the paste. She brushes her teeth for 2 minutes. Usually this is enough, but some repeat the procedure, but with toothpaste to achieve a refreshing effect. After the first week, you will notice significant results. Then it remains only to maintain the result and repeat the cleaning once a week.
To improve the effect, soda is mixed with other active ingredients, such as essential oils.

Used for teeth whitening at home essential oils lemon and tea tree. They operate on the same principle. The aseptic properties of oils act on bacteria in the mouth, killing most of them. Bacteria and their metabolic products make up a significant part of the plaque that accumulates on the teeth. As a result of exposure to oils, plaque becomes more pliable even to the most gentle cleaning.
Most often, oils are added as an auxiliary ingredient to other dentifrices: pastes and powders, or soda. Some put 2 drops of each oil on a toothbrush and use it directly to clean their teeth. Oil-based homemade mouthwash is also made. To do this, just add 2-3 drops of each oil together or separately in half a glass of warm water and rinse your mouth with this solution immediately after brushing.
All these methods not only have a beneficial effect on the color of the enamel, but also prevent the formation of tartar, remove bleeding and inflammation of the gums, and positively affect the health of the teeth.

. Activated carbon.

If crushed regular pills activated carbon, you will get the perfect whitening powder for teeth whitening. It acts on approximately the same principle as ordinary soda, that is, it removes plaque from the surface of the teeth due to abrasive particles. True, activated charcoal copes with this task much better than soda. It is a powerful natural absorbent and easily absorbs various dyes that could linger not only on the plaque surface, but also on the teeth themselves. Activated charcoal should be used in the same way as baking soda. It can also be mixed with other active substances.

Which doctor's office causes most of us to panic? Of course, dental. We go there only in case of emergency, but everyone dreams of a beautiful snow-white smile! Going to the dentist to get that smile takes time and money. Very often there is neither one nor the other, so you have to find out if there are the best ways to whiten your teeth at home? Or is going to the dentist still inevitable?

Professional whitening

A smile is a reflection of a person's lifestyle. Excessive consumption of tea and coffee, bad habits, diseases, age - all these factors cannot but affect the condition of the teeth.

Contacting dental clinic, tooth enamel can be bleached in two ways, depending on the reasons that caused it to darken:

cleaning from tartar and plaque;
enamel whitening.

Depending on how far the process has gone, the dentist will prescribe laser, ultrasound, atomic oxygen, or mechanical cleaning.

Decided to look for ways to get dazzling smile at home, you should always consult with a practicing dentist to be sure that the chosen method will not damage the enamel.

Teeth whitening without leaving home

As well as in medical practice, home whitening consists in cleaning plaque and acting on dark spots formed on the enamel. What is the best way to whiten teeth at home, everyone decides for himself, guided by the advice of a specialist and his own feelings. It is also important how far the process of deterioration has gone. appearance dentition.

Hydrogen peroxide is a cheap and affordable way

Most expensive oral care products contain a cheap component - hydrogen peroxide, which is available in every home medicine cabinet.

It has a double effect:

brightens enamel;
removes plaque.

In dental offices, a highly concentrated solution is used; at home, the usual 3% peroxide is used, which is sold in any pharmacy.

In order not to spoil the enamel, the following algorithm of actions should be followed:

A cotton ball is moistened with hydrogen peroxide.
Thoroughly wipe their teeth.
Rinse the mouth with water.

Rubbing is alternated with rinsing: a two hundred gram glass is filled with one third with water and 25 drops of peroxide are added to it. After rinsing the mouth with this liquid, be sure to rinse it with clean water.

This step is an important and indispensable part of the hydrogen peroxide bleaching process. In no case should they be neglected.

As a result of the procedures carried out, it is possible to lighten the tooth enamel by 4 tones. For comparison: in the clinic - by 12. The result can be expected no earlier than in a month regular use peroxides.

If hydrogen peroxide whitens enamel, then activated carbon, having abrasive properties, removes plaque, while at the same time providing an antibacterial effect on the oral cavity. The tool is cheap and available.

Plaque can be removed by simply chewing a few tablets, but best effect achieved by following the following rules:

A tablet of coal is kneaded to a state of powder mass.
Dip into her toothbrush previously soaked in water.
For 3 minutes, brush your teeth with an impromptu black powder.
Rinse your mouth thoroughly.

Frequent use of activated charcoal as a tooth powder damages the enamel, so it is not recommended to perform the procedure more than once a week.

Teeth whitening with baking soda

Sodium bicarbonate - such a loud name has the familiar baking soda - powder white color. It is unlikely that soda can be called the best way to whiten teeth at home - when using it, the enamel is erased. But it is impossible not to mention this method - smokers often resort to it, seeking to whiten teeth that are yellow from nicotine. The effect is achieved quickly and is clearly visible.

The procedure is the same as when using activated carbon. But, compared to the previous method, cleaning with soda is a more traumatic procedure. In addition to the increased sensitivity of the teeth due to the destruction of enamel, the gums swell and begin to bleed, there is a threat of development inflammatory diseases in the oral cavity.

But rinsing with soda not only contributes to the gradual elimination of the yellowness of the dentition, but also has healing effect with inflammation of the gums. The concentration of soda in the solution is low, so rinsing is not accompanied by thinning of the enamel.

For rinsing, one teaspoon of soda diluted in a glass of water is enough. The water should be warm - not less than the temperature of the human body. Rinsing without harm to health can be done daily, but cleaning with soda as rarely as possible.

Modern means

If the state of the wallet allows, you can afford more expensive and effective means of fighting for a snow-white smile.

Tea tree oil. The whitening effect does not appear as soon as we would like, but the systematic use of the product allows you to eliminate the causes of darkening of the enamel - there is a general improvement of the oral cavity, bleeding gums disappear, inflammation is removed.
Gel in caps can be used at home, wearing on upper part mouth guard with gel before bed.
Whitening strips and whitening stick(can be bought at a pharmacy) also proved to be very good.
On the market you can find a large number of professional whitening pastes from different manufacturers. They are good because they not only eliminate existing plaque, but also prevent the formation of a new one.

Prevention of plaque on teeth

In order not to have to decide which method of teeth whitening at home is the best, you should follow a few simple rules.

Brush your teeth daily in the morning after breakfast and in the evening after dinner.
Rinse your mouth after every meal throughout the day. Possibly water. Preferably with saline. It is prepared like this: per liter boiled water take a teaspoon of salt. It turns out the so-called physiological solution.
Minimize the consumption of products that negatively affect the color of the enamel: chocolate, mustard, coffee, strong black tea. Increase the amount of those that brighten the enamel: lemons, oranges, strawberries (the juice of the listed fruits and berries gives a brightening effect).
Refuse bad habits(smoking).
Consider Negative influence antibiotics and antihistamines on the color of tooth enamel.

Video advice on the best way to whiten your teeth at home:

conclusions

Wearing custom-made trays with whitening gel,
In second place are whitening strips,
In third place, 3 other methods of teeth whitening are approximately equally located - soda, coal and tea tree.

An instant effect from the use of these funds should not be expected. Be patient and be persistent. The result is worth it!

How to whiten teeth at home?

To whiten teeth at home, he uses methods based on both processes: cleaning the crown and affecting the color of the enamel. Consider the most effective and safe methods, decisive question how to whiten teeth at home.

Method #1: Teeth Whitening with Hydrogen Peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is the basis of most ready-made gels used to whiten enamel. Peroxide allows you to successfully whiten your teeth at home without the use of expensive finished products. To delete yellow coating on the teeth with peroxide, two methods are used: rubbing and rinsing. Wipe your teeth like this:

soak a cotton swab in a solution of hydrogen peroxide;
rub your teeth several times with a cotton swab;
rinse your mouth with water.

For rinsing, take a third of a glass of water, add 25 drops of ready-made pharmacy peroxide (3%) to it. After peroxide, rinse your mouth with clean water. In bleaching with hydrogen peroxide, rinsing with clean water is a mandatory end of the procedure.

Theoretical foundations of bleaching with hydrogen peroxide

Teeth whitening with peroxide is the basis of the action of most dental gels used to lighten enamel. In clinical bleaching with hydrogen peroxide, a concentrated peroxide solution (up to 38%) is used. This percentage of the concentrate makes it possible to obtain a brightening of the enamel by up to 15 tones. In home whitening, a weaker solution is used - up to 10%. Therefore, the amount of home whitening does not exceed 8 tones.

Method number 2: teeth whitening with activated charcoal

Activated charcoal is the second available and effective remedy used for teeth whitening at home. Activated carbon is widely used for the adsorption of toxins and poisons (alkaloids, drugs, phenols, salts heavy metals) and teeth whitening at home. In the oral cavity, activated charcoal has a dual effect.

neutralizes existing toxins and putrefactive bacteria;
as an abrasive removes existing plaque from the enamel.

How to whiten teeth with activated charcoal tablets? To use the tablet, it is necessary to grind (crush or crush in a mortar) to a powder state. The resulting powder can be used alone or added to a paste. For cleaning, the bristles of the brushes are dipped in water and then in charcoal powder. Adhering powder is used to brush yellow teeth for two to three minutes.

Another option for cleaning the oral cavity and chewing surfaces is to chew two or three tablets of activated charcoal.

To prevent yellowing of the enamel, do it once a week.

Method number 3: teeth whitening with soda

Baking soda or sodium bicarbonate is also used to whiten teeth at home. The action of soda is manifested in the abrasive abrasion of plaque (enamel is partially removed) and in the antiseptic treatment of the oral cavity. Therefore, when constant use soda means the enamel becomes thin and sensitive. Soreness appears when the chewing surfaces come into contact with cold, hot, sweet, sour.

Baking soda can remove the heavy yellow plaque that smokers have on their teeth. They often have to solve the question “how to whiten yellow teeth?”.

How to whiten teeth with baking soda? To clean, take soda on a wet toothbrush and rub it on the surface of the crown. After the teeth whitening procedure at home, the mouth must be rinsed with clean water to remove soda. If you overdo it, then there is bleeding gums, allergic redness and swelling inside the oral cavity.

Soda rinses are more gentle. For them, one teaspoon of soda is bred in a glass warm water(30-36ºC). Soda solutions also recommended as medical procedures with various dental inflammations (gum, roots) or for the treatment of inflammation of the nasopharynx. soda rinse(due to the low concentration of sodium bicarbonate) do not destroy the enamel and have a whitening effect.

Method number 5: teeth whitening pencil
An enamel whitening pencil is the most affordable and easy-to-use whitening method. The pencil contains a gel with carbamide peroxide. This substance emits free atomic oxygen under the light of an LED lamp. It penetrates the enamel and binder yellow pigment. One application of the pencil gel allows you to lighten the enamel by 6-10 tones.
Teeth whitening pencil is considered the most comfortable and safe way to whiten teeth.

Method number 6: whitening gel in caps
An option for using a whitening gel can be mouthguards worn on the top of the tooth at night. Before putting on the mouthguards, they are filled with gel. How longer time effect of the gel on chewing surface the better the whitening effect will be. We also recommend that you read

What type of teeth whitening is the safest and most gentle on tooth enamel;
Why whitening often causes significant damage to teeth and gums and how this happens;
How different teeth whitening technologies (including home-based ones) differ in terms of safety and effectiveness;
As well as a number of interesting practical nuances that will save your teeth and health in general from mistakes and unnecessary problems.

Anyone who is very distrustful of teeth whitening, I immediately want to say that safe teeth whitening really exists. However, before delving into this topic, let's first define some nuances and terms, and see what actually whitening harms (why many people are so afraid of it), and what is the difference between true whitening and brightening the enamel surface.

Gentle teeth whitening implies a minimal effect of the applied whitening system on the structural elements of enamel and dentine. Unfortunately, in practice this is far from always achieved, since the most effective true enamel whitening agents are combinations of substances that actively penetrate deep into the surface layer of the enamel and break it. normal structure. Simply put, not only coloring pigments are destroyed, but the structure of the enamel and dentin itself is also disturbed along the way (calcium and phosphorus are washed out, the protein matrix of the enamel may be affected).

As a result, often after such effective teeth whitening (in terms of the whiteness of the smile), the enamel is a kind of porous sponge that needs to be emergency care– remineralization procedure, including fluoridation.

On a note

After teeth whitening, at first, a rather pronounced sensitivity of the enamel to various kinds of irritants (hyperesthesia) can be observed when it hurts to drink. cold water, There is solid food and sometimes it hurts even just to breathe through your mouth.

During the recovery period, the enamel is very vulnerable to staining, for example, with wine, coffee, tea and other strongly staining solutions, therefore it is recommended to adhere to the so-called white diet for some time (sometimes also called a transparent diet). Actually, we are talking about avoiding those products that can again give the enamel a dark tint.

It is also important to distinguish between true teeth whitening and teeth whitening:

Whitening of tooth enamel involves the chemical (or photochemical) destruction of colored compounds in its surface layer to a certain depth. Powerful oxidizing agents simply decolorize colored substances, converting them into uncolored compounds. As you understand, such whitening will not always be safe for teeth, however, with right approach and with strict observance of all technology, this can be achieved.
But teeth whitening is based on a completely different principle of operation - we are talking about the mechanical removal of pigmented deposits from the surface of the enamel (for example, plaque, tartar). Ultrasound can be used for this Air flow, abrasive whitening toothpastes and other methods. In general, teeth whitening is more gentle than true whitening, although here it is very important to follow the technology.

Thus, both in the first and in the second case, a positive result can be achieved: the surface of the teeth really becomes lighter.

However, if you want to choose the safest option for teeth whitening, and at the same time effective, it will be useful to first look at what it is. potential danger technologies used today (including for home use, including various whitening sticks, strips, caps).

Let's talk about this in more detail.

And why, in fact, teeth whitening harms enamel and how dangerous is it?

If we recall the structure of human teeth, it becomes clear that their whitening (lightening) is always associated with a direct or indirect effect on tooth enamel.

Imagine a situation: a person looks in the mirror and sees that his teeth in the smile zone are somehow yellowish. I wish they were at least a little whiter. The simplest thing that comes to mind is to take a harder brush and rub the surface of the teeth until the shade given to it by nature appears (in general, people used to do this before - remember tooth powders or charcoal brushing that were so popular earlier , chalk and even clay).

Of course, today people are well aware that this idea in best case not the most pleasant, and at worst - harmful, as it will cause sensitivity of the teeth from various irritants (hot, sour, cold). This is the so-called “sense of soreness”, when, for example, when biting a hard sour apple, a shiver occurs throughout the body.

On a note

Various rubbing of teeth to the so-called "shine" is often referred to as traditional medicine, and are used exclusively at home with great risks not only for dental health, but also for general human health. Abrasion of the surface layer of enamel in short time without proper compensation, it has not yet led to anything good.

This also includes an over-indulgence in whitening toothpastes with a high RDA abrasion index, including clay toothpastes from Thailand, the abrasiveness of which does not seem to be regulated or controlled at all. The use of such pastes can not only lead to tooth sensitivity, but also exacerbate the problem. wedge-shaped defects if they are (see example in the photo).

True (chemical) teeth whitening can hardly be called safe either. During the procedure, high concentrations of peroxides and acids are most often used, which ensure the necessary chemical reactions on the surface of the enamel and inside it. The danger of the procedure is directly proportional to the concentration of the bleaching agent: the higher the concentration, the more risks for the future health of the tooth and for the oral mucosa.

“I did Zoom whitening 5 years ago, in three approaches. The first time everything was fine. The second time it hurt a little, and the third time I wanted to swear. But the doctor immediately warned that some people postpone the third visit as much as possible, I decided not to wait. Then she came home, and the nightmare had already begun there, she ate 4 tablets of Ketonal in the evening.

Then everything was fine, the pain went away, her teeth were white, she smiled from the top of her mouth. A month later, somewhere I began to notice something was wrong on the top anterior tooth: first a small crack, then a chip formed. Then it just dawned on me that these are the effects of “safe” whitening, for my own money I ruined the tooth. I had to put a filling on half a tooth ... "

Christina, Moscow

Acid (usually phosphoric) actively leaches calcium, and peroxides, being strong oxidizing agents, can destroy collagen fibers in the enamel structure. If whitening is carried out not in the dentist’s office, but at home, then the following negative consequences are possible:

The appearance of tooth sensitivity;
Enamel microporosity (colored compounds from food can then easily get into the pores, after which the teeth sometimes become even darker than before the procedure);
Inhomogeneous enamel whitening - some areas may appear lighter than others. If there are areas with fillings, then the discoloration can be especially pronounced;
Chemical burns of the gums with acid and hydrogen peroxide (sometimes it comes to the point that when you try to whiten your teeth at home, the skin literally peels off from the gums in patches).

As you can see, when performed independently, the procedure is far from safe. However, in-office teeth whitening, that is, carried out by a specialist in the clinic, along with very high efficiency, can still be characterized as quite safe, since with the right approach it is possible to avoid almost all undesirable effects, or eliminate them in a short time.

How safe is whitening toothpaste?

How safe is fast driving? Of course, as much as the person behind the wheel knows how to drive at such a speed. The vehicle itself also plays an important role.

Similarly, the choice of even a good high-quality whitening paste does not reduce the role of a person in competently cleaning the surface of the enamel from plaque. The use of highly abrasive whitening toothpastes should be done with a full understanding of how the procedure affects your teeth and what can happen if the paste is used incorrectly.

It is certainly difficult to call the use of such pastes the safest teeth whitening, and the wording “whitening” clearly does not fit here, since it is more correct to talk about lightening. If used correctly, such a paste could be called “well-cleansing plaque”, and if the brushing technique is violated (excessive pressure on the brush, the predominance of circular movements, etc.) - “abrasive enamel and leading to hypersensitivity”.

Especially harmful is the use of abrasive whitening toothpastes in persons with hypersensitive teeth - and such people often do not think about it, and they want to whiten their smile no less than others, so they actively wear out their already thinned enamel.

However, there are also whitening toothpastes that have an average abrasiveness index (RDA of 75) and are therefore suitable for daily use, that is, one might say, they are quite safe for the teeth of a healthy person. The manufacturer can achieve a whitening effect as follows:

The use of special enzymes (bromelain, papain), which are able to destroy the protein matrix of plaque;
The use of sodium or potassium pyrophosphates is an effective complexing agent that extracts and binds calcium ions from the structure of tartar and, as a result, makes it more susceptible to mechanical cleaning;
And also due to a specially selected abrasive system ( different shape particles, particle material, etc.) - for example, Renome.

Such pastes provide gentle whitening (lightening) of the enamel. Examples: toothpaste Splat Whitening Plus, Sensodin Gentle whitening, ROCS Coffee and tobacco, etc.

About the principle of operation and safety of Air Flow technology

Air Flow is a technology of mechanical "whitening" of teeth, aimed at removing plaque from their surface using a special apparatus (similar to sandblasting).

Perhaps we should immediately debunk some myths about this procedure:

During the procedure, there is no true whitening of the enamel, however, as a result of getting rid of plaque in more than 80% of cases, the teeth really become noticeably whiter;
In many literary sources apparatus Air Flow is called a sandblaster, although in fact it is appropriate to call it a soda blaster - the Air Flow principle of operation is based on cleaning the teeth from plaque using a powerful jet of an aqueous suspension of sodium bicarbonate (ordinary baking soda).

To date, the Air Flow technique is one of the best and safest ways to “whiten” teeth, since no harm is done during the procedure. internal structures enamel, and the overall abrasive effect is strictly controlled by a specialist.

However, a high-pressure jet of soda may slightly damage the enamel during the polishing process. surface layer. That is why immediately after such professional cleaning teeth without fail, the dentist conducts remineralization and (or) fluoridation of the enamel.

This is interesting

The most common method of fluoridation of teeth after Air Flow is the application of a special fluorinating gel to the surface of the cleaned enamel on an individual tray. Usually the whole fluoridation procedure lasts no more than 1-2 minutes.

Advantages of teeth whitening using Air Flow technology:

There is an efficient and fast cleansing all surfaces of the teeth (even hard-to-reach for a toothbrush) from stained plaque after coffee, tea, cigarettes, etc.;
Air Flow is a gentle procedure, it is almost always painless, and is suitable even for sensitive teeth;
After cleaning from plaque, the teeth become lighter by 1-2 tones without a significant violation of the structure of the enamel.

Contraindications to this procedure concern mainly people with bronchial asthma and serious pulmonary disorders, as well as patients on a salt-free diet.

“... They sat me in a chair, put on a hat and glasses. First, they cleaned my teeth with ultrasound, although I had quite a bit of tartar. Then it was the turn of Air Flow, it is such a powerful jet that the gum can be easily cut. Here the glasses helped, as they saved from small splashes. Feels not much better than ultrasound, but it will definitely clean everything between the teeth. Then came the turn of fluoridation, smeared with some kind of paste or gel, rubbed fluorine into the enamel. But then what bliss to feel freshness in the mouth, the teeth became whiter, their natural color returned to them. Of the problems, I can only note that the gums bled for some time, and everything was quite tolerable. ”

Olga, Samara

Ultrasonic methods of mechanical teeth whitening

Ultrasonic "whitening" of teeth is also a gentle and completely safe way to lighten tooth enamel. As in the case of Air Flow technology, ultrasonic teeth whitening techniques are aimed at cleaning surfaces from pigmented deposits.

Perhaps the main difference between the use of ultrasound is the ability to effective removal tartar (supra- and subgingival), while it is almost impossible to achieve this with the help of soda blasting.

On a note

That is why dentists often implement professional oral hygiene using two methods: first, tartar is removed with an ultrasonic device or a special nozzle (scaler), and then it is already applied air technology flow. Thus, the teeth are first freed from tartar, and only then - from plaque from all surfaces.

In principle, it is possible to remove plaque with ultrasound, but it will take more time and it is not always possible to reach hard-to-reach spaces.

Professional hygiene always ends with preventive fluoridation of all teeth.

After the removal of tartar by ultrasound (and in some cases plaque), the teeth become lighter by 1-2 or more tones. The principle here is simple: the more "dirt" was on the teeth, the more pronounced the effect.

So ultrasonic teeth whitening can also be attributed to one of the best and safest, since there is no effect on the deep structures of enamel. Therefore, ultrasound is suitable even for sensitive teeth - adjusted for the fact that in rare cases it is necessary to carry out infiltration anesthesia in order to make the patient as comfortable as possible.

Whitening strips, mouthguards, pencils and chewing gums

Let's start with whitening gum. Everything is simple here - this is the most common myth that whitening chewing gums can really lighten the enamel. Many people around the world continue to use them in the hope of a miracle, although in practice no miracle happens, except that the pockets of manufacturers of such chewing gums are miraculously filled.

Believe it or not, there are also chewing gums for weight loss, for heartburn, for arousal. Perhaps soon there will also be chewing gum for baldness and hemorrhoids - why not ...

Further. The so-called whitening strips are one of the most convenient means of home teeth whitening, and can really give a noticeable result. The principle of whitening is that special gel strips are applied to the surface of the anterior groups of teeth, and due to the presence of hydrogen peroxide in the gel, the enamel is whitened (however, this method is neither gentle nor safe - this will be discussed below).

Depending on the concentration of active ingredients in the strips (which is determined by the manufacturer, the quality of the product, the shelf life), the effect can be achieved at different intervals: the enamel becomes noticeably lighter, usually within 1-2 weeks, although sometimes a positive result is not achieved at all.

Consider why in some cases the result can be almost zero:

Whitening strips are not able to remove plaque and tartar from the enamel surface. Even in-office bleaching is not carried out on "dirty" teeth, as it would be ineffective;
Peroxide concentrations in most tooth whitening strips on the market are significantly lower than in professional whitening products - this is due to the fact that the manufacturer initially thinks about the safety of the procedure performed by an untrained person at home.

On a note

In general, whitening with strips can hardly be called gentle and safe method, since it does not take into account the individual characteristics of each individual person. For example, with sensitive tooth enamel, such whitening will be a real torture, as well as for people with serious problems with gums (especially if the strips are used incorrectly).

When active components get on the gum and stay in contact with it for a long time, it develops inflammatory process. Essentially, this chemical burn, which can pass by itself after a short period of time, but sometimes leads to primary inflammation gums or causes exacerbation of already existing chronic lesions.

Now a few words about whitening mouthguards.

On this moment mouth guards that are used for self-care home use(most often from China), have many negative reviews. The reasons are the same: low concentrations of peroxides and (sometimes) the presence of plaque and calculus, which greatly interfere with obtaining the desired effect.

When using whitening trays, the best and relatively safe option for home teeth whitening is to use individual trays made by the dentist from a cast. As a rule, they are applied after preliminary cleaning of the enamel from stone and plaque, and also (almost always) after in-office whitening teeth - to consolidate the result.

Such mouth guards with whitening gel for home use have detailed instructions and individual recommendations, thanks to which, during and after the whitening procedure, the risks of damage to the enamel and oral mucosa are minimized.

It is important to know

It is almost impossible to completely exclude the possibility of developing inflammation on the marginal gum, however, each patient always has Feedback with the attending physician. Usually, whitening gels and mouth guards are prescribed by a dentist as a fixing procedure after the main whitening procedure, but often a pleasant addition is the effect of even more whitening of the enamel (by 1-2 tones).

Of course, with such high efficiency It is difficult to call this type of whitening gentle, but the main advantage is its controllability, which greatly increases the safety of the procedure.

It is also worth mentioning whitening pencils, which, generally speaking, are a very controversial home teeth whitening tool (effective, but safety largely depends, as they say, on the “curvature of the hands” of a person).

“I bought myself a teeth whitening pencil in Los Angeles. In just 2 weeks, my teeth became much lighter than they were, it’s a shame that already on the 3rd day they began to hurt so much during whitening that they hardly endure urine. And then it hurts, but I endure, because beauty requires sacrifice!

Yana, Moscow

The principle of operation of whitening pencils is quite simple: the gel contained in the pencil is squeezed out onto the surface of the front teeth (see an example in the photo below), then it is required to continue smiling for some time so that the composition dries.

For the safety of the whitening procedure for the gums and mucous membranes of the lips, pencils from reliable manufacturers do not have a very high concentration of enamel-lightening components.

On a note

A review of popular review sites shows that most of the opinions associated with the use of teeth whitening pencils are negative, and this is quite logical from the point of view of medicine and human logic. The fact is that in the market for these whitening products there are often low-quality fakes from China, which are massively purchased and sold through popular online stores. Moreover, roughly speaking, they are purchased for 100 rubles, and sold for 500-1000.

Secondly, whitening pencils purchased abroad, one might say, from a company, are in demand and have enough pluses, but the mentality of our population is not taken into account. It should be recalled that effective whitening pencils, which brighten teeth by 1-2 or more tones within 1-2 weeks, do not work on teeth with abundant plaque and calculus and cause damage to the enamel structure (especially sensitive) to one degree or another.

In-office teeth whitening

Office or, in other words, professional whitening teeth is carried out by a dentist using gels containing hydrogen peroxide (or its derivatives) gels. The procedure can be carried out with or without a catalyst, and heat, laser, ultraviolet can be used as catalysts.

This is interesting

Some clinics are positioning carbamide peroxide in whitening gel as more effective remedy compared to hydrogen peroxide. However, in the aquatic environment (during the contact of this compound with the tissues of the tooth), carbamide peroxide decomposes into hydrogen peroxide and urea, so there is no significant difference.

The principle of any kind of in-office whitening is that the active components of the whitening gel are able to penetrate to a certain depth into the tooth enamel (between the microcrystals of hydroxyapatite, fluorapatite), discoloring the colored compounds accumulated here over the years. The surface of the tooth becomes lighter.

The final result of whitening depends on many factors, but the main ones are the following:

The quality of the material used (here it is not so much about the safety of the enamel gel, but about percentage active component, gel rheology, the presence of a stabilizer and other excipients);
The presence of additional activators that speed up the procedure and to some extent determine the final color of the tooth;
Gel exposure time.

In-office whitening of sensitive teeth is possible, but this procedure can not be called sparing and safe. If the client insists on his own, knowing about the increased sensitivity of the enamel, then very severe pain may occur already during the procedure. As a result, although the effect can be achieved, significant damage will be done to the enamel (increased remineralization and fluoridation will be required).

In any case, in-office whitening is considered the best (effective) way to achieve whiter teeth., but the cost of the procedure may not be affordable for everyone. It is also useful to know that such deliberate damage to tooth enamel is actively criticized by doctors who approach the problem in terms of benefit to the person, rather than commercial advantage. In practice, the situation is such that up to 30-50% of people turn to the dentist every day, who either do not need whitening (since the existing shade of tooth enamel is given by nature and its lightening is a waste of time), or is contraindicated (for certain gum diseases). , as well as for pregnant women, nursing mothers, with allergies to bleaching components, etc.).

The most important difference between in-office whitening and independent (home) whitening is its controllability. A professional dentist will make every effort to minimize the risks and undesirable consequences procedures. For example, Special attention paid to protect the mucous membrane from getting gel on it, which is difficult to implement with home types of whitening - therefore, cases of contacting dentists with burns of the mucous membrane are not uncommon, for example, after using whitening strips or pencils.

Most people assume that a tooth should whiten uniformly, but this is usually not the case in practice. Normally, the tooth has several zones of shades: usually from a darkish cervical area, to a white middle and an almost transparent cutting edge.

If competent in-office bleaching is carried out, then the color transitions will remain the same, but their shade will become lighter. It is worth remembering that the fangs are almost always slightly yellower than the rest of the teeth. And if there are fillings, especially in the smile zone, then after bleaching, the difference in color between the enamel and the filling can become very noticeable.

Also, don't refer to Hollywood smile celebrities, since the dazzling uniform whiteness of the teeth is almost always achieved simply and very expensively: with the help of modern species crowns, veneers and lumineers. Moreover, it should be noted that, for example, veneers and lumineers can be securely attached to the teeth without their pre-treatment (“turning”). It is a great and safe alternative to deliberate damage to tooth enamel with almost any type of whitening.

How safe are folk "whitening" products?

Among a large number folk ways To lighten teeth, the most popular are, perhaps, all kinds of variations using soda, salt, lemon, wood ash (or coal) and strawberries. Most of these experiments on teeth cannot be called safe teeth whitening, as evidenced by the reviews of those who have experienced it for themselves.

“Recently I read in a magazine that you can whiten your teeth with a mixture of charcoal, soda and salt. I took birch charcoal for barbecue, crushed it. I mixed it with soda and salt in approximately equal parts and tested it on myself. This I will tell you just tin. I don’t know about my teeth, I didn’t notice that they became lighter, but my gums were completely corroded in just 3 days. Inflamed, began to bleed. On the fourth day I could no longer brush, I returned to regular toothpaste ... "

Oleg, St. Petersburg

Firstly, each person has a different understanding of the algorithms associated with grinding and polishing teeth with the same soda mixed with something. Secondly, everyone has a different understanding of the measure (someone can gently brush their teeth for 1 minute, and someone can rub furiously for a quarter of an hour). Thirdly, every person different state gums, as well as the amount of plaque on the surface of the enamel and its individual color characteristics.

Almost all folk remedies are aimed exclusively at cleaning plaque, which is achieved with abrasives (soda, coal), organic acids from fruits, vegetables, etc. Isn't it easier, instead of scratching the enamel with soda or salt, just, even if it is more abrasive, and conduct a whitening course for yourself more safely (for example, dental ROCS pastes whitening, Mexidol Dent Professional White, President White Plus, etc.)

You can also go to the dentist and remove plaque and calculus from all surfaces of the teeth, and after the procedure, every day, carry out an independent 3D cleaning of the teeth from soft plaque using toothbrushes, special pastes and dental floss (floss). With adequate oral hygiene, you will need to repeat the professional cleaning procedure at the dentist no more than once a year.

Rules for eating after teeth whitening

First, you will definitely be warned about the increased sensitivity of the teeth within a few days. Even after the restoration of the broken structure of the enamel (during remineralizing therapy), the teeth most often have a “not sweet”, so it takes time to return to the previous fullness of life.

Secondly, after teeth whitening, a so-called white diet will be prescribed or a list of foods that you absolutely cannot eat and drink during the first week will be given. Of course, it is desirable to exclude cigarettes, strong coffee, tea, red wines for as long as possible. Such a "transparent" diet after teeth whitening allows you to increase the life of the resulting Hollywood smile.

This is interesting

Practice shows that only a few people are able to completely abandon dyes for at least a week: from tea and wine to chocolate and berries. There are also rare cases complete failure from cigarettes and coffee for the sake of maintaining a snow-white smile, acquired at a high price (both literally and figuratively).

That is why dentists in Russia can be calm about the availability of teeth whitening work, because even despite the achievement of a first-class result, after some time the client will again fall into the arms of his beloved “dentist-cosmetologist”.

Absolutely safe "whitening"

Let's sum up a little.

The question of which teeth whitening is the safest can be answered briefly: one that does not harm tooth tissues, gums and oral mucosa, as well as human health in general. And if so, then it can be concluded that today there is no absolutely safe teeth whitening. The only question is, during which procedure a fairly good result will be achieved with relatively little damage to the enamel and gums during the procedure.

Do not confuse professional oral hygiene (ultrasound and Air Flow) with true teeth whitening procedures. During hygiene, the surface of the teeth is cleaned of deposits, under which there is a lighter enamel. For someone after the procedure it becomes pleasant surprise, and for not quite respectable dentists - financial gain, although fewer and fewer doctors are willing to replace these simple concepts for commercial reasons.

As a result, professional hygiene allows you to make your teeth lighter, and is almost always more or less safe for enamel.

Of the true methods of teeth whitening, it is difficult to choose any sparing and safe one, since it is almost impossible to keep objective statistics on percentage effective and ineffective whitening procedures, as well as the number of obvious failures and related side effects in the form of damage to the enamel, chips, burns of the oral mucosa, allergies, long-term hypersensitivity of the enamel, etc.

consult with a dentist;
conduct professional hygiene oral cavity (if there is evidence for that), getting rid of tartar and plaque - already at this stage, the smile can become noticeably whiter;
and only then, having weighed all the pros and cons, think carefully and decide for yourself: is it worth risking dental health for the sake of a possible even more snow-white smile, and how much willpower and patience can be enough to devote some part of your life to “white” diet. If you are ready to take a risk, then choose in-office teeth whitening - there is much less risk of burning your gums and irreparably destroying the enamel.

Well, if you already have experience in teeth whitening, do not forget to leave your review at the bottom of this page. Perhaps this review will help someone make their choice.