The teeth are whitened with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. 35% hydrogen peroxide is mainly used to lighten teeth in the dental office. This is the so-called office whitening. 10% carbamide peroxide brightens the teeth on their own. In the article, we will consider in detail home whitening with carbamide peroxide (peroxide) and find out why this type of tooth whitening is much better than office.
How does a bleaching agent affect a tooth?
Each tooth has its own maximum to which it can be lightened, and this applies to all whitening techniques. Someone's teeth whiten in one visit, someone's in a few days, someone's takes 5 weeks. The features of each person are such that even if you increase the concentration of carbamide peroxide, then bleaching will not accelerate.
To dissolve food coloring and even change the color of the tooth, which is given by nature, peroxide passes through several layers - from enamel to the nerve. It is not necessary to specially treat the surface of the tooth mechanically or with some formulations, because peroxide penetrates its tissues so well. If the tooth is cracked, for example, from an increased load, the dentist must warn the patient that carbamide peroxide can cause pain in the damaged tooth. Then, bleaching or not is the patient's decision.
Features of the home procedure
To bleach carbamide peroxide at home, you need a mouth guard. These are overlays on teeth on which the clarifying gel is applied. Mouthguards are standard (they are included in the bleaching kits), and are individual (they are made by a dentist using a cast of a patient’s teeth). Individual mouthguards are better for several reasons. Due to the fact that they fit snugly to the teeth, whitening is more effective. The teeth are brightened the same way, since the product is distributed evenly over all areas. The bleaching gel needs less because there are no large gaps between the tooth and the mouthpiece, as is the case with standard sets. Thanks to a good fit, the gel does not leak and does not burn the mucous membrane of the mouth.
Urea Bleaching Benefits
This substance is so popular because it acts softer than hydrogen peroxide, but retains activity longer - up to 10 hours. Its action is not aggressive, so whitening is safer, but takes more time. Another advantage is that the teeth are not stained with tea, coffee, cigarettes for a long time after bleaching.
Urea peroxide acts so that acidity increases in the oral cavity. As a result, plaque is less formed, bacteria are killed. Due to milder whitening, carbamide peroxide can even be used for teeth with caries, but this applies only to shallow holes (as with superficial and medium caries).
Home whitening is longer, but safer, and also many times cheaper than office. There is no need to think that with office whitening you can lighten your teeth in one go. Have to come to the dentist four to five times.
Enamel brightening and sensitivity
Some reviews of carbamide peroxide bleaching say that the procedure is the cause of hypersensitivity. Such judgments are only part of the truth. If the caries is deep, then the teeth are too sensitive, which means that any kind of lightening will cause pain. However, this is important: the pain most often arises from hydrogen peroxide, that is, with office bleaching. Occasionally, tooth sensitivity increases with clarification with carbamide peroxide. This happens in such cases:
- if when wearing a cap there is irritation;
- if the teeth have congenital sensitivity;
- if the concentration of carbamide peroxide is higher than the standard 10%;
- If the bleaching composition is applied to standard mouthguards, and not to those that were made individually for the patient, irritation (and therefore pain) from the mouthguards may occur.
We hope that the information provided will help you better understand the features of the procedure.