Tooth whitening is a process by which the discolourations or stains on the teeth are chemically lightened. When a whitening product is applied to the teeth, it breaks down into water and oxygen ions. The oxygen ions enter the enamel and attack the long stain molecules to effectively break them down to be short and colourless. These short and colourless molecules are then naturally removed from the tooth by saliva. The intensity of whitening is related to the number of oxygen ions available and the length of time they are on the tooth.
You may consider tooth whitening if your teeth are stained, discoloured or aren’t as white and bright as they use to be. If you are considering whitening the first step would be to book in a check up and clean to get your teeth ready for the whitening, from there you would have molds taken of your teeth to make the bleach trays. Once your trays are ready they can be picked up and you can complete the whitening process in the comfort of your own home!
Ian, the Mosman dentist. Dentist Mosman.
Image:pixabay
