November 17, 2024, 5:13 pm | Read time: 4 minutes
Many people want a white toothpaste smile. One way to achieve this is tooth whitening. In the “FITBOOK Experts” series, dentist Dr. Anne Heinz reveals what you should look out for and who is not advised to undergo the procedure.
Countless tooth-whitening kits in drugstores or on the internet promise white teeth for a beautiful, radiant smile. But how does an expert rate such kits for home use, what other teeth whitening options are there, and how do they work? This is what dentist Dr. Anne Heinz revealed in an interview with FITBOOK editor Anne Echtermeyer.
Different methods for whitening teeth
FITBOOK: What are the causes of tooth discoloration?
Dr. Anne Heinz: “Teeth become discolored because we have tiny little channels in our outer tooth structure, and color particles, such as the good red wine, are deposited there. Even if you smoke, you can see this in the color of your teeth.”
What methods are there to whiten teeth?
“There are various ways to whiten teeth. There is professional whitening. This means that you go to the dentist, and a member of the dental team or the dentist themselves applies a substance. This is usually hydrogen peroxide, basically the same as we use for our hair. The teeth are then whitened using an LED lamp. Another option is to use trays at home. You put this whitening gel in them, leave it on overnight, and the next morning, you have whitened teeth. If you want to do it naturally, there is activated charcoal toothpaste, which has also been proven to whiten teeth.”
Why the use of tooth whitening kits should be approached with caution
Do tooth whitening kits from the drugstore damage tooth enamel?
“The German market is already relatively strictly regulated, so you can’t buy complete nonsense from the drugstore. However, it’s crucial to ensure that your teeth are healthy before using these kits. Because if I bleach diseased teeth and, for example, teeth with caries, then I will be in a lot of pain later on. You can also cause lasting damage to your gums if you try to whiten your teeth with unprofessional measures. That’s why my recommendation would be to have this done by a dentist or – if you only want to achieve a low level of whitening – to use activated charcoal toothpaste. You test how strong the abrasive effect is on your fingernail beforehand, i.e., how rough the toothpaste is. And here’s the trick: just leave the toothpaste on and rinse it out after a minute or two. That way, the activated charcoal can be effective without causing harm to your teeth.”
Why teeth hurt during bleaching
Why do teeth hurt during whitening?
“The pain of tooth whitening does not occur when the bleaching agent is applied, but actually afterward. Bleaching cleans and empties the fine tooth canals mentioned above and this simply irritates the dental nerve significantly more, e.g. through the effect of air – and you can feel it.”
How long does the whitening effect last?
“That depends on how you behave after bleaching. If you then go back to smoking a cigarette or indulging in a Merlot, your teeth can quickly turn yellow again. However, if you remain disciplined and prefer foods that contain few color pigments, the whitening can last for about a year.”
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Why people under the age of 18 should not undergo tooth whitening
Who should refrain from tooth bleaching?
“I would definitely advise people under the age of 18 against tooth bleaching. I would rate it similarly to beauty trends such as Botox and hyaluronic acid injections. This is something for a target group that is older and confident when making such a decision. We also know that it is not conducive to dental health. So start as late as possible and only with healthy teeth. That’s why it’s important that, even if you use kits, the dentist has checked that there are no fillings, for example. This would not be whitened, which could result in an uneven appearance. A doctor should also confirm that you don’t have any cavities.”
FITBOOK Experts is our new series in which experts from the fields of medicine, science, nutrition, and sports answer questions and give useful tips.