Is it safe to whiten your teeth?
Dr. Bill Thompson | February 13, 2012
Columbus Dentist answers the whitening safety question
I am frequently asked if whitening teeth harms the enamel on the teeth. The answer is no. I have been a dentist in Columbus for many years and have been providing tooth whitening for over 15 years, and I have yet to see any suggestion of harm to the enamel or any part of the of the tooth. The chemical agent that is used in whitening teeth is a peroxide based gel that whitens the stains that discolors the teeth. The stain may be on the tooth enamel or on the part of the tooth that is under the enamel.
The options for whitening are in-office whitening (Zoom is the most popular brand), take-home whitening which involves using custom made forms to fit your teeth, and over-the-counter whitening such as Crest White Strips. All three options work. The in-office whitening is faster, the take home whitening generally takes 10-14 days and is very effective for all the teeth. The crest white strips are effective for the teeth that the strips contact, however, when I see patients who have used them, the upper front teeth are white, the teeth on the sides are not because the strips don’t reach that far around, and the lower front teeth are usually not a lot whiter because the strips don’t stay on the lower teeth very well.
If you have questions about whitening your teeth, we would be happy to answer them! Give us a call at 614-486-7378 or send us at email!
The following article may answer more of your questions about tooth whitening.