1. Is Whitening Safe
Yes, Whitening is safe. However you should take some care in deciding the type of product you can use. The most common complication of whitening is Sensitivity which can be in several categories. You can be COLD sensitive , have a simple awareness of your teeth, have chronic severe pain requiring treatment from your dentist, or have an isolated tooth problem due to decay, cracks of fracture that allowed the whitening agent to get in the tooth. Of the two whitening materials that are available today the most common is Carbomaide Peroxide. It comes in several concentrations from 10% up to 22% or higher. The other is Pure Hydrogen Peroxide. Pure Hydrogen peroxide is the better of the two products for numerous reasons. Click to discover why the right Pure Hydrogen Peroxide is the best for safety and sensitivity.
2. I have slightly sensitive teeth. Would whitening my teeth cause them to be more sensitive.
Probably. Whitening will cause several things to happen microscopically to the root of the tooth. There is a web site (www.whiteningreviews.com) that goes into details about this subject. For now lets address your sensitivity. If you have any sensitivity at all you will need to DESENSITIZE your teeth before you whiten. Don't take the chance and try to whiten which will cause your teeth to be more sensitive. If this happens you won't finish whitening because of the pain you experience and you'll be reluctant to go back and try whitening again even if your teeth return to normal. Read the section about desensitizing teeth to learn the proper method that can help you for a lifetime. Click here to read about DESENTITIZING.
3. How long will it take to whiten my teeth.
To answer this question we would need to know what shade you are to begin with and then determine a realistic target shade. Now you can determine the number of shade that you want to change. If you can follow the normal protocol for whitening then you will change about a shade a day depending on your eating and smoking etc habits. If your teeth are sensitive and you have to modify your wear schedule then it will take longer but you will arrive at your goal even if you wear your trays only one hour per day. The average person will reach their target shade in 2 to 3 weeks. The reason is that as you whiten your teeth the less and less pigment there is in your tooth to remove. The teeth at first get whiter as the yellow pigment is removed and later in the whitening process they slow down getting whiter but they get brighter because they reflect more light.
4. How do I keep my teeth white after I've finished my whitening treatment.
This is a very simple thing to do. TotallyWhiteSmile is designed to be used the exact same way that you whitened your teeth . We call this a BOOST. You simply wear your trays with the whitening gel for one hour every 4- 6 months depending on your eating , drinking and smoking habits. If you purchase the TotallyWhiteSmile whitening kit then you will receive about 4 weeks of whitening gel. Most people will have about a half a bottle of gel remaining when they reach their goals. If you place this gel in the Freezer then it will last for several years before it breaks down. We call this your MAINTENANCE GEL.
5. Can I re-whiten if my teeth re-stain without damage.
Absolutely. Just Purchase a touch up kit and follow the instructions. It has two weeks of gel in the bottle and you will only need 1 week to re-whiten your teeth. Use the remaining gel (keep it in the Freezer- It won't freeze) as your MAINTENANCE GEL and follow the maintenance protocol to keep your teeth white for years.
6 Which bleaching agent works best. There are so many to choose from.
Please Read the section on this Web Site about "Why its the Best". To answer your question here very simply, Pure Hydrogen Peroxide is the best product to use. Carbomide Peroxide works but it is not the best product for your teeth, gums or to control hypersensitivity. (Read More about "Why its the Best".
7. Will my caps also get whiter if I whiten my teeth.
Unfortunately, no they will not whiten. Caps are made of Porcelain and have completely different chemical structure. If you intend to whiten your teeth and you have VISIBLE caps then please see your dentist before you whiten. He can advise you as to what will be required in replacing the caps or you may only whiten your teeth to a realistic point that does not adversely SHOW OFF those Caps that didn't change color. This is a good question and needs to be understood by anyone serious about whitening their teeth.
8. Why do they not recommend whitening for Pregnant or nursing mothers.
The main reason is that reasearch doesn't know. Although there have been many research projects. There have not been any that concludes that the use of whitening agents for the teeth have any effect on the Mother or the child. Caution however is important. The fact that swallowing the whitening gel "MAY" have an effect on the developing child and because we really don't know , WE DON"T RECOMMEND IT".
9. What is the difference between Hydrogen Peroxide and Carbomide Peroxide and which is better. Click Here to read "WHY its the BEST".
10 Can anyone whiten their teeth.
Nearly everyone. People with lots of crowns, or dentures (full or partial) can not whiten those teeth. However, nearly everyone with natural teeth can whiten their teeth. The major draw back is the sensitivity issue. You may have extreme sensitivity which could prevent you from whitening. However, following the proper "Sensitive Teeth" recommendations even these people can whiten their teeth.
11. I've whitened my teeth but the necks of the teeth are still yellow and I can't get them whiter. why.
The tooth has an enamel covering over the internal part of the tooth. This internal part is called Dentin and it is very yellow in most people. The top of the tooth has thick enamel and the NECK of the tooth has very thin enamel. Even though the tooth gets whiter the neck will stay a little yellow because you can see through the enamel to the Dentin. Its like looking through glass. Please don't try to over whiten just because this part of the tooth won't get as white. Remember it won't and you can eventually cause damage or severe sensitivity.
12. Will my teeth whiten if I have tetracycline stains and will it take the same length of time.
Yes it will whiten. However, Tetracycline stains are more difficult to manage than Normally yellow or stained teeth. Tetracycline is an internal stain that you can see through the enamel. There are several different stages of severity of tetracycline stains and the worst ones have BANDING which means there is a defined line of different colors (usually gray-blue-yelloworange) that is very visible. The good news is that if you whiten your teeth you reflect more light. Also the enamel does get whiter blocking out some of the visible internal stain. People with severe stains due to tetracycline can still benefit from whitening. If they whiten their teeth then the teeth that were unaffected can whiten nicely to a beautiful color. Then if they are happy with the result they are finished. If not then they can see their dentist and have Veneers or Caps placed that match their new white color on the unaffected teeth. In this way the person can keep the cost of cosmetic dentistry within reason rather than having all their visible teeth capped. Whitening Tetracycline teeth takes longer depending on the severity.
13. Can I whiten my teeth while I'm in braces.
No. Actually you can but its a terrible idea. The braces will block the whitening process on the part of the tooth that is covered with the braces. Then when you have the braces removed you'll have CHECKERBOARD TEETH. This is not a good Idea. Its best to wait.
14. I have some tooth colored fillings in the front. What's the best way to whiten with these fillings.
The best way to whiten your teeth with multiple filling that are visible is to whiten first, then have the filling replaced by your dentist. He/she will match your new color and you will have achieved that cosmetic smile that you've been looking for. The draw back is that the filling won't change color during the process of whitening. So there will be increased cost of new filling after you whiten and you'll have to endure the discoloration until your dentist finish's the job.
15. My daughter has some white spots on her front teeth. Will whitening take these away or make the spots more prominent.
As she whitens her teeth the pigmentation in the tooth is removed. The White spots are nearly without any pigmentation and therefore as she whitens the "White SPOTS" become less and less prominent. They will not completely go away. These spots are called Hypocalcifications and are slightly more susceptible to decay. Whitening with Totallywhitesmile would be very beneficial because it would whiten the teeth and reduce the visible spots on the teeth and incorporate fluoride within the teeth at the same time.
16. How much does it cost to have my teeth professionally whitened.
The cost to whiten in a professional office varies depending on the location within the U.S. However, the range can be from $200.00 an arch ($400.00 total) up to $1000.00 of the dentist does "IN Office Power Bleaching". Although there are much less expensive methods to whiten teeth there are reasons to let your dentist provide this service. If you are seriously considering some expensive cosmetic dentistry like Veneers or caps or possibly implants with the need for reconstruction then the cost of whitening is very inexpensive comparatively speaking. The Dentist would have much better control over the final cosmetic result if he/she were involved in the whitening process. Its just not that expensive, but you can whiten very inexpensively if you don't need professional help.
17. Are there any side effects to whitening my teeth.
Yes. The primary problem is sensitivity. Please read Sensitivity-issues. Additionally there are the problems of uneven whitening or visible caps, or fillings that don't change color. If you have uneven whitening then you can do some additional whitening on those teeth that have resistance to change and this will bring them up to the color of the other teeth. You will need to monitor the whitening to prevent getting over whitened on those teeth.
18. I have friends that have tried to whiten their teeth but they were too sensitive. What can I do to prevent this sensitivity.
Please Read "Sensitivity-Issues". This is the major problem with whitening and everyone needs to be aware of how to control or prevent excessive sensitivity.
19. How long will whitening my teeth last.
This is a good question and depends on eating, drinking and smoking habits. If you are on a good maintenance program then you will be able to keep your beautiful white smile for a lifetime. TotallyWhiteSmile recommends a specific maintenance program. Click here to read more
20. The Internet has so many different "Syringes" with different concentrations for whitening. What does this mean and will the highest concentration work the fastest.
This is a complicated question. The higher the concentration means its more powerful and it will work faster. The problem is that the higher the concentration the more complications especially sensitivity. You might want to read "Why its the best".
Tooth Whitening
Frequently Asked Questions
Copyright 2009 Totally White Smile: Whitening Teeth Pros. All Rights Reserved.
