What do high-end hairstyles, waxing, spa treatments and Botox have in common? Vanity. It’s the reason for many painful, time-consuming and expensive cosmetic modifications.
Vanity also explains the recent popularity of teeth-whitening products. Thanks to movie stars and Photoshopped advertisements, most people think of teeth as pure white, but their natural colour is somewhere between light grey and yellowish. Age, tobacco, food and drinks such as coffee and red wine can all affect the colour.
If you’re looking to polish your smile, there are two categories of whitening products, says the Canadian Dental Association: surface whiteners and bleaches.
Surface whiteners, which are typically sold as either toothpaste or chewing gum, use abrasives to remove surface stains. Since they are just a finer version of the products found in regular toothpaste, their effectiveness is limited. Surface stains are extrinsic colouring, while intrinsic refers to the colour of the whole tooth which can only be changed with bleaching products.
Bleaches should be administered under a dentist’s care. All three methods are peroxide based and can alter the colour of the teeth. You can choose to have a dental bleach that works with light or heat; a custom mouthguard filled with a bleaching agent; or brush with a bleaching product. Along with whitening living teeth, dentists can also whiten teeth that have had root canals.
Drugstore products vs. dentist-prescribed
With over-the-counter products, the concentration of peroxide is lower than what you might find in the products a dentist uses, but it’s basically the same process, explained Dr. Euan Swan of the Canadian Dental Association (CDA). Over-the-counter whitening options include special toothpastes, gels, strips and rinses.
Why should I talk to my dentist before whitening?
There are factors the average drugstore shopper may not be aware of when choosing a whitening product.
“A crown is natural enamel, another tooth may have a filling or a crown or a veneer, and all of those materials are going to change colour to a different degree, so you need to be aware of what you’re trying to do,” says Swan.
Is teeth whitening safe?
Dr. Swan said that the products would be approved for use by Health Canada, but yes, they are safe when used according to the instructions.
However the CDA does caution that the effects of long-term tooth bleaching are unknown and should be studied, as many people will use the treatments over and over as results are not permanent.
The American Dental Association (ADA) also cautions that not enough long term information is available “to support unsupervised long-term and/or repeated use of bleaching products.”
When asked for a comment about the safety of over-the-counter whitening products, a P&G spokesperson said that “Crest Whitestrips have been safely marketed in the U.S. for over 14 years with more than two billion safe uses. Crest Whitestrips have been clinically tested extensively, in over 200 clinical studies and are considered safe for as directed use and foreseeable use. The peroxide levels are in line with U.S. laws. P&G Oral-Care conducted studies that do indicate that the peroxide levels degrade extremely rapidly in the saliva during the usage.”
Does it hurt?
Teeth whiteners can cause some sensitivity of the teeth and surrounding soft tissue in the mouth, but their effects are “transient,” says the CDA.
“As a general rule, if you have teeth sensitive to whitening, stick to products with lower peroxide levels, around five to six per cent, and shorter application times,” says P&G spokesperson Kris Parlett in an email. P&G manufactures Crest dental products.
“Using even the mildest products can cause tooth whitening sensitivity for some people. One of the best ways to minimize discomfort is to stick with room temperature beverages just after whitening. Extremely hot or extremely cold beverages can cause painful sensitivity,” Parlett says.
Are there any people who shouldn’t use whitening products?
“Most at-home teeth whitening products are recommended for those 12 years of age or older,” says Parlett. “Those who are younger than 12 years, pregnant, or have unfilled cavities, gum disease, or other dental problems are recommended to seek a dentist’s counsel before exploring tooth whitening options.”
There has been no testing on pregnant women who use these products, so it’s best if expectant mothers wait until after they’ve had their baby to use bleaching products, suggests Swan.
Are there any extreme dangers associated with whitening?
“If a product was used too frequently on a tooth, and if the root surface of the tooth was exposed to the peroxide, then the peroxide might penetrate into the tooth and affect the pulp tissue inside the tooth, and that might cause an adverse pulp reaction, which would lead to an inflammation of the pulp which would perhaps lead to a root canal … but I’m speculating, I’ve never seen a patient in that situation,” Swan said.
What about the man with the hole in his throat?
A man in England was recently left with a hole in his throat after using a teeth whitening kit. Jake Barrett said he had a negative reaction to Crest 1-Hour Express Strips, and the surgery to remove a grape-sized sac of peroxide under his tongue was done through an incision in his chin. He was in hospital for ten days, and later had another teeth-whitening procedure done at a beauty salon.
When asked about the incident, a P&G spokesperson said “Nothing is more important to P&G than the wellbeing and safety of the people who use our products. We’re sorry to hear about Mr. Bartlett’s experience and wish him a full recovery, but we have not yet been able to reach him to understand the facts and the potential cause.”
When asked to speculate on a possible cause of this incident, Dr. Swan said that “my guess is he overused the products, or something went terribly wrong with his use of the product,” but noted that he has not examined the man.