Dr. Brian Kaplansky on Dental Bleaching

Dr. Brian Kaplansky 

www.insurancerate.com StarBuzz Weekly, Toronto-Dental Bleaching or Teeth Whitening dates back to the Ancient Romans who applied urine to their teeth to brighten up the look of their smile. Two thousand years later, we are still trying to create that beautiful smile, but thankfully our methods are a little more palatable, taste a lot better, and are not harmful to our teeth or gums. If the use of whitening toothpastes and ultrasonic electric toothbrushes doesn’t do the trick, then the stains will have to be oxidized using a bleaching technique. The safest and most effective bleaching agent is hydrogen peroxide. It is commercially prepared in a gel form as carbamide peroxide, and is available in different concentrations.

Over the counter strips are safe and simple to use, inexpensive, contain very little of the active ingredient, but are the least effective method. Home Bleaching kits which include plastic trays custom made by your dentist are an excellent solution. These trays ensure that the gel is only applied to the teeth and not to the gums. It takes 7 to 10 days for the best results. For a 1 hour in-office solution, your dentist can apply a high concentration of product to the teeth while fully protecting the gums from exposure. There is absolutely no benefit to the use of a special light for these procedures. If you have white fillings, crowns (caps), or dental veneers, realize that they will not change colour like the rest of your teeth, so discuss this with your dentist. The following case speaks for itself...

Keep Smiling,

Dr. Brian Kaplansky