Teeth Whitening

What is Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is a cosmetic dental procedure that involves bleaching the teeth in order to remove stains and to improve the existing color of the teeth by several shades.

Why is Teeth Whitening performed?

Teeth may get stained and turn a darker shade due to excessive consumption of wine, coffee or tea as well as smoking tobacco. Dental health problems caused by poor dental hygiene, diseases that affect the tooth enamel, aging, or usage of certain antibiotics can cause tooth discoloration as well. Lack of oral hygiene causes plaque and tartar deposits to form, leading the teeth to stain and the teeth to get darker over the years. Teeth whitening can alleviate a majority of the staining and discoloration using a safe bleaching solution.

What are the conditions for Teeth Whitening?

A common misconception about teeth whitening is that it can be applied to any kind of teeth regardless of the type or cause of the discoloration. Teeth discoloration that is due to aging, consumption of certain foods or smoking is best treated through teeth whitening. While staining or discoloration due to other reasons can also be addressed through teeth whitening it is best to first go through a dentist examination after arriving in Turkey. Artificial materials such as fillings, crowns, or laminates do not benefit from teeth whitening. The best candidates for teeth whitening have healthy teeth without fillings or restorations and have healthy gum tissues.

What are the things to be considered before Teeth Whitening?

Before the appointment, the patients are advised to clean their teeth thoroughly by brushing and flossing. Additionally, the dentist may perform tartar cleaning before teeth whitening to ensure maximal cleanliness before proceeding with teeth whitening. The patient goes through a dentist consultation before the procedure, where the impression of the teeth are taken to produce a suitable mouthguard.

How is Teeth Whitening performed?

Before proceeding with the procedure, a rubber dam, produced according to the measurements taken, is put over the teeth to protect the gums. The bleaching liquid is then applied onto the teeth and a laser is shone on the teeth to activate the bleaching liquid. The light speeds up the reaction of the bleaching liquid and the color change is achieved quicker.

Teeth Whitening procedure, on average, takes 45 minutes and the patient will immediately be able to notice the improvement of their teeth. Teeth whitening usually lasts up to 3 years but can change depending on the patient's habits.

What are the things to be considered after having Teeth Whitening?

After the teeth whitening procedure to prolong the results, the patients should take care to avoid drinking any beverages with added food coloring, red wine, orange juice, coffee, tea sodas and avoid eating foods with dark colored sauce, highly pigmented berries as well as acidic fruits. Using tobacco products should also be avoided as they are highly likely to cause stains to reappear. Using mouthwash or toothpaste with food coloring should also be avoided for a couple weeks after the procedure.

What are the risks of Teeth Whitening?

The main risk of Teeth Whitening is that the bleaching liquid might cause additional sensitivity of the gums and in some cases even burn the gums. Additionally consumption of certain foods might increase the risk of staining.