New publications
Teeth whitening: everything you need to know
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
All iLive content is medically reviewed or fact checked to ensure as much factual accuracy as possible.
We have strict sourcing guidelines and only link to reputable media sites, academic research institutions and, whenever possible, medically peer reviewed studies. Note that the numbers in parentheses ([1], [2], etc.) are clickable links to these studies.
If you feel that any of our content is inaccurate, out-of-date, or otherwise questionable, please select it and press Ctrl + Enter.
Have you long wanted the same snow-white smile as Hollywood movie heroes? Now these dreams can become reality, because dentists can work miracles and turn the most neglected teeth into orderly rows of snow-white pearls. However, before deciding to whiten your teeth, you need to consider some things.
Eliminate the cause of teeth darkening
- Even if the dentist cleans all the stains on your tooth enamel, this does not mean that they cannot appear again. After whitening, it is necessary to maintain the achieved effect and carefully monitor the oral cavity, excluding any coloring products.
- The whitening effect will quickly negate smoking. Therefore, when deciding to go to the dentist, make a choice, otherwise you will simply waste your money.
- Discuss with your doctor all medications you are taking. Some medications can cause darkening of tooth enamel.
Teeth whitening is not a one-time procedure.
To achieve the desired result, you will need more than one procedure. Even after a long period of bleaching, the effect may not please you, the speed of this procedure is affected by many factors.
Contraindications to teeth whitening
- Children under 16 years old
- Pregnant and lactating women
- Enamel defects
- Increased tooth sensitivity, which may be caused by exposure of the cervical part of the root or an enlarged pulp chamber
- Gum disease, caries, dental plaque. First you need treatment, and then maybe whitening.
- Serious diseases (hypertension, tumors, heart disease).
[ 3 ]
Don't overdo it
Repeating the procedure too often can cause serious damage to the enamel and even destroy the outer layer of dental tissue. The need to repeat the procedure should be adequate and vary from once every six months to a year.
Side effects
No matter how much they describe new miracle technologies for whitening, it is always stressful for teeth and in any case, their damage. The whitening procedure causes the appearance of small grooves on the surface of the teeth, increasing the sensitivity of the teeth. Not only the pigment leaves the tooth, but also the mineral salts of fluorine, calcium and phosphorus, the lack of which leads to diseases of the teeth and gums.