Everyone wants to have whiter teeth. The idea that the teeth can be lightened and whitened in a simple way using a night guard, was a pioneering discovery. There are different techniques and agents available for tooth whitening. Materials for bleaching teeth have evolved over the past 200 years. There are primarily two types of bleaching techniques namely home bleaching and office bleaching technique.
The constituents of a bleaching agent/ gel are:
OTC bleaching kits cause erosion of the tooth surface causing dissolution of the enamel and loss of tooth structure. Thus, it is best to avoid such products and rely on products prescribed by your dentist.
There are various concentrations of the bleaching agent which allow for individulalized bleaching programmes for patients. Owing to the great variation in colour of the teeth being bleached, the bleaching time varies according to the existing shade of the teeth and the desired shade. A change in colour is noticed within 2 weeks of starting the bleaching procedure.
Many researchers classify stainings as either extrinsic or intrinsic.