Whitening-faq.ai

s m i l e . . . c h a n g e y o u r l i f e What is the dark colour I see in the at home trays after whitening my teeth?This is generally due to the whitening gel oxidising the surface stains of the old amalgam (silver-mercury) fillings. Why is there bubbling of the gel as I wear the at home trays?This bubbling is actually part of the whitening process as the surface stains are oxidising. Will whitening harm my teeth?No! Years of research indicate no harm when teeth are whitened with a custom tray and our products (see American Dental Association Statement of Safety). Substantial clinical and laboratory research has shown that tooth whitening gels have no adverse effects on teeth. The active ingredients, carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide, have been used for many years by dentists as an oral antiseptic. Will whitening harm my gums?Tooth whitening gels have no adverse effect on gums and often improve the health of gum tissue due to the antibacterial effect of the peroxide gel. What are the side effects of tooth whitening?Some patients experience temporary tooth sensitivity. This usually occurs in the first week, and ceases to exist 1-3 days after interrupting the at home whitening treatment. Others may have nonspecific sensitivity in their teeth, gums, tongue, or throat. If any of these symptoms are more than mild, discontinue the treatment until you speak to Dental Excellence. Temporary whitening of the gums indicates too much gel applied to the at home trays and is only transient. Since the take home whitening tray alters the biting surface of your teeth whilst wearing, your bite may be effected by long time wear of the trays. This will return to normal within a few hours of not wearing the whitening trays. My teeth are sensitive, what can I do?Try whitening every other or every third day. Brush your teeth with SensodyneTM toothpaste. SensodyneTM toothpaste has a high concentration of potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate soothes the nerves endings and helps eliminate tooth sensitivity. In addition to the SensodyneTM , you could also purchase Gel-KamTM which is a high concentration fluoride gel. Fluoride helps re-mineralise your teeth. Wear this in your trays for 4 minutes prior and after whitening your teeth. If all the above steps to minimise your sensitivity are not successful, stop whitening your teeth for a couple days so your teeth can adapt to the whitening process. Within 24-72 hours of interrupting the whitening treatment of your teeth, the sensitivity should cease. If sensitivity persists, there may be a dental problem which needs to be seen to by your dentist. Contact Dental Excellence for a thorough examination to determine the cause of the sensitivity, as it may not be due to the whitening gel. Level 1, 251, Old Northern Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154 T. 02 9894 9333 F. 02 9894 9766 www.dentalexcellence.com.au info@dentalexcellence.com.au s m i l e . . . c h a n g e y o u r l i f e My gums are irritated/burning, what can I do?This irritation is due to the whitening solution sitting on your gums. To assist in prevention, after you apply the teeth whitening gel in the mouthpiece and seat into your mouth, wipe the gel that seeps onto your gums with either a handkerchief or Q-tip/cotton bud. Make sure that you are not using too much gel. If there is a lot of gel on the gums, you are using too much. You may also apply VaselineTM to your gums prior to seating your loaded whitening trays. This will keep the whitening gel away from the gums and usually resolves the problem. If all the above steps to minimise your gum irritation are not successful, stop whitening your teeth for a couple days so your gums can adapt to the whitening process. The longer you whiten your teeth, the more your gums adapt to the gel and the less irritation you will experience. However, if irritation persists you may need to contact Dental Excellence. Will tooth whitening effect my crowns, fillings or other dental work?No! Dental work will NOT LIGHTEN as your teeth do, so if you have fillings or other dental work on your front teeth, you should consult with your dentist at Dental Excellence prior to using this product to prevent unsightly mismatch of the dental work and the teeth. How do teeth whitening systems remove the stains?Teeth whitening systems will remove most stains. As the active ingredient in the gel (carbamide peroxide), is broken down (hydrogen peroxide), oxygen acts upon the stained organic deposits, which oxidises them into a white colour. This process makes the overall tooth colour closer to its natural unstained colour. Your tooth structure remains unchanged. It should be worth noting that some stains are intrinsic (within) to the tooth structure. For example, Tetracycline stains within teeth, caused by tetracycline antibiotics taken during tooth development, are very difficult to remove as the stain is in the deeper structures of the tooth and not from superficial staining. These types of stains may not reduce. Is the whitening process permanent?For most people, the treatment will last for many years. Your teeth have become stained in the first place from consuming certain foods and beverages. Upon the completion of your initial whitening process, your teeth are restored to their natural white colour. Exposure to foods, beverages (especially coffee, tea, colas and red wines), smoking and other consumables will gradually darken teeth again over time. You may want to periodically whiten your teeth. After an initial treatment, most people "touch-up" about once every 6-12 months which involves a shorter period of whitening in your trays. Once I have whitened my teeth, what can I do to keep them at their whitest?Maintain good oral hygiene, visit your dentist regularly, and use whitening products/toothpastes on a daily basis. "Top up" whitening kits are available to bring back your dazzling smile after 6-8 months. These kits come in simple 2,4, & 6 syringe packets . You can choose the amount you need to achieve the level of whiteness that you want. How much whitening gel do I need to whiten my teeth?This all depends on how badly stained and discolored your teeth are! On average, people use 1 introductory kit of gel (whatever manufacturer) to achieve the results of a whiter brighter smile. Of course, for best reults, in chair whitening with "Britesmile" will achieve the best and quickest results. Level 1, 251, Old Northern Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154 T. 02 9894 9333 F. 02 9894 9766 www.dentalexcellence.com.au info@dentalexcellence.com.au s m i l e . . . c h a n g e y o u r l i f e How important are mouldable whitening trays?Very Important! Having a moulded whitening tray is essential to assure proper whitening results. Non-mouldable whitening trays may cause inconsistent whitening or spotting on the teeth and they are uncomfortable to wear. I already have a set of whitening trays. Can I just purchase the whitening gel?Yes!!! At Dental Excellence we have a selection of different types of whitening gels to suit your needs ranging from full kits to "touch up" kits with less gel and, hence, less cost. Who can benefit from tooth whitening?Almost everyone. However, there are some cases where treatment may not be effective. Tooth lightening is ideal for patients who have healthy, unrestored teeth and would like a whiter, brighter smile. Tetracycline discolouration (as mentioned above) is usually not greatly responsive to whitening and artificial dental work will not whiten. Can I whiten my teeth if pregnant or breast-feeding?There is no known hazard associated with whitening teeth while pregnant though since tooth whitening is a selective procedure, it is not recommended to use the whitening gel while pregnant or breast-feeding. How long does the whitening process take?In chair tooth whitening using "Britesmile" takes 3 x 20 minutes plus preparation time. Most people relax and watch a movie while getting their teeth whitened. How long do results last?For most people, the treatment is long lasting. Exposure to coffees, teas, tobacco, red wines and certain other stain producing substances will eventually darken teeth again over time. After initial treatment, some people do touch-ups every 6-8 months based on the amount of stain producing substances that they are exposed to. What if I swallow the top up gel?Every time you use your dental whitening system you will inevitably swallow a small amount of whitening gel. This is normal and, except for the taste, there are no hazards for most people who swallow small amounts of gel. If you (or especially a child) swallows more whitening gel than used for one dental whitening treatment (0.5 - 3 grams), you may or may not experience side-effects, but it would be wise to contact a medical professional or Centre for Poison Control to be on the safe side. Please keep the whitening gel out of reach of children. What is Carbamide/Hydrogen Peroxide?Carbamide Peroxide is the primary active ingredient or whitening agent in some professional whitening gels. It is stable and essentially a variation of Hydrogen Peroxide and combined with the unique adherence properties of the specially formulated gel, it provides the chemical reaction required to safely whiten your teeth. Level 1, 251, Old Northern Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154 T. 02 9894 9333 F. 02 9894 9766 www.dentalexcellence.com.au info@dentalexcellence.com.au s m i l e . . . c h a n g e y o u r l i f e Who should not use whitening gels?Whitening gels should not be used by pregnant or nursing women, children under the age of 16, anyone allergic to any ingredient contained whitening gels, by those who experience abnormal sensitivity during normal dental procedures or those with untreated dental problems. Why aren't my teeth whitening evenly?Sometimes the biting edges and the sides of the teeth whiten more quickly than the rest of the teeth. This occurs because your enamel is thinner in these areas and responds faster to the whitening process. Also some teeth have white spots which may be enhanced by any whitening treatment.
Is this a substitute for regular dental treatment?ABSOLUTELY NOT!!! Your dentist is an integral part of maintaining adequate oral health and should be consulted on a regular basis to ensure oral health. Does the whitening gel work on tartar/calculus build up?No! Patients need to realise this procedure only whitens stained teeth. It does not remove tartar build-up. This needs to be removed by a dentist or hygienist. What about whitening toothpastes and sprays?Whitening toothpastes and whitening sprays are not very effective and will probably not give you the results that you desire since they lack the ability to hold the active ingredients against the tooth for long enough to generate adequate results. Level 1, 251, Old Northern Road, Castle Hill NSW 2154 T. 02 9894 9333 F. 02 9894 9766 www.dentalexcellence.com.au info@dentalexcellence.com.au

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