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Ordinary brushing may not give you the desired result of whiter teeth; let us find out why laser teeth whitening is an effective and fast method for whiter teeth.

What Happens to Our Teeth?

As we get older, the color of our teeth changes. Deciduous teeth or a child’s teeth is generally whiter, but as this is replaced by permanent teeth or adult teeth, the color changes and the teeth become whitish or yellowish. Changes in the mineral structure of the adult tooth and a more porous enamel contribute to this color change. Food particles, bacterial pigments, and nicotine can also stain the teeth, causing it to be less brilliant and white. Though these factors affect the color of one’s teeth, there are several measures on how to restore and improve our teeth color. Laser Teeth Whitening is one of them.

Tooth Whitening Methods

Laser teeth whitening light accelerated bleaching is a method of teeth whitening through the use of light energy that hastens the process of bleaching. Bleaching is the process of teeth whitening that aims to whiten teeth beyond its natural color. This is in contrast to whitening, which aims to restore or whiten teeth to its natural color. This process is usually done in the dental office, on an outpatient basis. Light energy used to accelerate the bleaching process includes LED, plasma arc or halogen. Among these three, halogen light has been found to be the most effective. What light accelerated bleaching does is to stimulate the peroxide molecules to work faster in bleaching the teeth. This method is preferred because although the light source is of high energy, it doesn’t necessarily overheat the pulp of the tooth. Laser teeth whitening commonly uses a blue light spectrum. The blue light spectrum is found to be the most effective wavelength to facilitate hydrogen peroxide reaction. These treatments can last for 30 minutes to one hour and in certain cases requires more than a single visit.

Side effects of laser teeth whitening

Some of the side effects of the treatment emanate from the individual’s sensitivity to the bleaching agents used, although this only happens to a fraction of people who avail of the treatment. It is still important for us to know the side effects and how these can be avoided.

Irritation from the bleaching gel – some may experience chemical burns from the bleaching agents used in the procedure. If you have a history of sensitivity to oxidizing agents, consult with your dentist on how the procedure will be done.

Overbleaching – the bleached effect? which commonly happens to people who have undergone intensive treatments for a short period of time. To avoid this, multiple sessions are usually implemented lasting for 30 minutes to 1 hour to get the optimum result.

Pain – this is experienced by those who have sensitive teeth due to exposed dentinal tubules. Once these tubules come in contact with the bleaching agent, the nerves get irritated causing a sensation of pain.

It is important to consult with your dentist the advantages and disadvantages of laser teeth whitening; this helps you set your expectations about the treatment result.