Nelson Day Spa

White, bright teeth are associated with health and youth. Through life our teeth changes colour and gets stained. No wonder teeth whitening are one of the fastest growing areas in treatments which enhance appearances.

 

Professional Teeth Whitening with a beauty therapist has emerged as the simplest, most common, least invasive and least expensive means available to improve your smile.

The normal colour of permanent teeth is greyish yellow, greyish white or yellowish white but the number of people with this colour are usually limited owing to over aggressive tooth brushing and abrasive cleansing materials, acidic food and drinks and last but not the least, ageing. Elderly people tend to have more yellowish teeth compared to younger persons. These alterations in colour maybe physiologic or pathologic and endogenous or exogenous in nature.

 

Extrinsic discolorations are found on outer surface of teeth and are usually of local origin e.g. Tobacco, tea, coffee, oral intake of iron suspensions, continuous use of mouth washes and gum paint. Intrinsic the stains are found within the enamel and dentin and are caused by the deposition of the substances within these structures e.g. Tetracycline, Fluorosis stains, amelogenesis imperfecta, dentinogenesis imperfecta, pulp necrosis etc.

 

How does professional teeth whitening work?

Professional teeth whitening works by oxidation in which the whitening agent normally in gel form enters the enamel &/or dentin of the discolored tooth and reduces the molecules containing discoloration. The bleaching depth depends on the cause of the stains and where and how deep the stain has permeated the tooth structure plus how deep the whitening agent can permeate to the source of discoloration and remain there long enough to release deep stains.

The Cosmetic Bright professional system’s light activated whitening gel's active ingredient is hydrogen peroxide. As the hydrogen peroxide is broken down, oxygen enters the enamel and dentine, bleaching coloured substances while the structure of the tooth is unchanged. The Cosmetic Bright Britelight aids in activating the hydrogen peroxide and helps it penetrate the surface of the tooth.

 

What is the difference between products with Carbamide Peroxide and Hydrogen Peroxide?

Carbomide peroxide is basically Hydrogen peroxide with urea added to it. This means that Carbomide peroxide is weaker than Hydrogen peroxide by 2/3rds. 30% Carbamide is the equivalent of 10% Hydrogen peroxide. The only upside to use Carbamide is that it takes longer to breakdown thus the expiry date is longer. The downside is that because it takes longer to breakdown it does not work as quickly as Hydrogen peroxide and when you have only 15 or 20 minutes to get a result you want it quickly. Some experimentation by Cosmetic Bright with Carbamide compared to Hydrogen has delivered the same result with 6% hydrogen peroxide as other companies get with 30% Carbamide Peroxide. No sensitivity has ever been experienced with Cosmetic Bright’s formulation. It is interesting to note that dentists only use Hydrogen Peroxide.

 

Why do some teeth whiten unevenly?

Simply due to the thickness of your enamel or to calcium deposits. The whitening gel is able to penetrate and whiten the enamel quicker on thinner surfaces. This should even out as you continue to use the product. This most often occurs on the tips of the teeth where the enamel is thinner due to use. Occasionally, small round white spots occur due to poor calcium deposits. They will be more noticeable during the whitening process -due to the dehydration effects of the glycol base- but will disappear within days of ceasing treatment.

Calcium deposits occur when there is a disturbance in the development of the teeth. The ameloblast (cells which make the hard white part of the teeth called enamel) when making the teeth add too much mineral to the mix and the result is a white or brown spot.

If the inner material of the tooth (Dentine) is discolored (such as when some type of medicines are taken or the disturbance in the development occurs later in life), the teeth will tend to have discoloration that appears to be very deep in the tooth (such as in the grey color teeth found in people who have taken tetracycline).

In the case of dentine discoloration, professional teeth whitening will not change the colour of the tooth, only remove the superficial staining.