It can be tempting to try and get your teeth as white and bright as possible, in the mistaken belief that this will keep your teeth looking good for longer. However, overuse of whitening treatments can actually make your teeth look a lot worse over time, as well as causing lasting damage.
What Causes Uneven Color After Teeth Whitening? Here are a couple of reasons why your teeth may appear patchy after undergoing teeth whitening near you: A lot of the time, the edges of your teeth respond more quickly to bleaching than the inner areas since the bleach can penetrate the enamel more rapidly.
Dehydration: The bleach that is used for whitening teeth contains hydrogen peroxide. This is a dehydrating agent which may leave some white lines on your teeth. This is just a temporary issue and doesn't cause any harm to your oral health.
White spots on the surface of your teeth are usually the result of a loss of minerals in your tooth's enamel layer. It is not uncommon for patients to notice these white spots on the surface of their teeth, especially after completing an at-home teeth whitening treatment.
Beverages like coffee, tea, and wine along with foods like berries and soy sauce all stain the enamel of your teeth, and these stains can return after a teeth whitening. As well as reducing your intake of these foods and drinks, try to improve your diet as a whole.
Can my teeth become white again after turning yellow? Yes, there are a number of ways that you can help whiten teeth again after they have yellowed, from changing toothpaste and mouthwash to dental hygiene appointments.
Consuming Certain Foods and Drinks
“Certain foods that are high in tannins, such as red wine, are potential causes of yellow teeth,” notes Crest. Other teeth-staining foods include coffee, citrus fruits and juices, soft drinks, teas, berries, tomato-based sauces, curry, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce.
Whitening doesn't hurt, but it's common to experience some mild sensitivity either during or after the initial treatment. This should settle down after a couple of days. If it doesn't, get in touch with your dentist who can give you further advice.
Your Gums Are Swollen
If your gums get red and sensitive, you should stop using your method of tooth whitening right away. Should you be using a method that only presents these systems after multiple applications, then this means you've overdone it.
Dehydrated teeth can initially appear whiter after bleaching, but as rehydration occurs (usually within 7 days), the tooth color “rebounds” to a darker shade.
When you have bleaching done, you always do the maintenance because you're never going to stop drinking tea, coffee, soda, or juice and eating the colored fruits and vegetables. All those things have pigments, and those pigments will be absorbed by teeth and it will get darker again.
Porcelain Veneers
These are very popular amongst celebrities because of their incredible results. Veneers are thin, strong shells that are custom-made from dental porcelain to cover the front surface of your teeth.
Teeth appear translucent instead of white. This is caused by exposure to too much peroxide. The discoloration appears around the edges of your teeth. It is likely irreversible.
Professional teeth whitening treatments are typically performed no more than once per year. These treatments involve using powerful bleaching agents. Overdoing these treatments can lead to permanent damage being done to the enamel.
How often teeth whitening treatments are recommended by dentists. Professional teeth whitening performed in the dentist's office is recommended once every year to every 18 months, depending on how long the results last. At-home kits can be used as often as once every four to six months.
The myth that teeth whitening will make your teeth more susceptible to staining is mostly untrue. In the first couple days after whitening, you must avoid foods and beverages with dark pigments, such as coffee and berries. After the pores in your enamel close, your teeth will retain their newly whitened color.
Some people respond very well and teeth can get up to 3-4 shades lighter after just 5-7days of bleaching or up to 5 shades whiter with one ZOOM in office treatment. Others may not notice as much change. Your teeth will continue to lighten for a couple of days even after you stop a whitening session.
#3 Brushing Isn't Designed to Whiten Teeth
Brushing your teeth is meant to remove harmful bacteria and plaque but not to whiten them. As recommended by your dentist, brushing twice a day is vital because it prevents cavities and tooth decay.
Natural Enamel Thickness & Translucency
However, the underlying dentin layer has a slightly yellowish color. This yellowish hue shows through the enamel in almost everyone, but more so for those with naturally thinner or more translucent enamel. So your yellow teeth may be perfectly normal due to your genetics!
This is because teeth can become translucent due to the effects of enamel erosion, which is a slow, gradual process. As the enamel wears down and becomes thinner, it begins to lose its natural color. This allows the underlying dentin layer to show through.
If your teeth have biofilm or plaque buildup, this can prevent the bleaching agent from reaching the target stains. Before considering any teeth whitening treatment, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment for a dental cleaning. These cleanings remove all signs of biofilm and plaque on the surface of your teeth.
Use Hydrogen Peroxide and Baking Soda
Using this mixture removes bacteria and buildup of plaque to get rid of surface stains. Create a hydrogen peroxide and baking soda paste and use it to brush your teeth. After that, use water to rinse the mouth. You can also create a mouthwash using equal amounts of each ingredient.
Make your teeth look whiter – Darker shades like royal/navy blue, purple, and even black can make the color of your teeth appear whiter. Even so, be aware that colors like dark green and brown can look like food.
In some instances, teeth whitening does not result in perfectly white teeth. This may be due to the severity of the stains, or even genetics. Some teeth are naturally less white than others, and whitening procedures only work to get teeth back to their original brightness rather than make dull teeth brighter.