Is teeth whitening permanent?
The important thing here is, ALWAYS visit a DENTIST if you are considering teeth whitening.
First off, teeth whitening is NOT permanent, and no dentist will tell you that it is.
Secondly, the whitening agent is acidic. For it to whiten the teeth, it temporarily opens up very tiny holes (pores) in the enamel, which is the outer layer of the tooth.
The whitening material seeps through these pores and undergoes reactions that eventually cause the enamel to become white.
Usually, it takes some time (up to 48 hours or more) for the pores to close up again.
In that period, if you eat or drink anything that is coloured and can stain the teeth, like zobo, coffee, food that has palm oil, etc., it will readily seep into the pores and cause more stains on the teeth and makes them look worse.
But after the pores have closed up properly, your enamel is ‘back to normal’.
Again, whitening is not permanent, so your teeth gradually lose that very white shade over the next one or two years.
If you start taking anything and everything because your teeth are now white, the relapse is even faster.
As for “washing off the strongest layer of the teeth”, which is the enamel, this only happens when you over-whiten the teeth. This means leaving the whitening agent for far too long on the teeth, so much that it damages the enamel irreversibly.
If you already have obvious cracks and holes in your teeth as well, you run the risk of more complications and you.
In cases like this, the person can continue to experience tooth sensitivity and even more stains in the teeth and even losing one or two teeth.
There are other side effects and possible complications of teeth whitening but a DENTIST will tell you these, and you will sign a consent form that you want to go ahead with it, while having full knowledge of these possibilities.
The DENTIST will also let you know if your teeth are not in a good state to be whitened, or if whitening will improve the appearance of your teeth.
Whitening is a sensitive procedure, which is why not just anyone should do it for you.
You should visit a dental professional if you are considering teeth whitening, not quacks or spa owners.
Again, DENTISTS will inform you of possible side effects and complications and will even REFUSE to do it for you if they evaluate you and conclude that the risks outweigh the benefits for you.
Your dentist will also recommend teeth whitening without you asking, if you will benefit from it.
A very large percentage of people who do whitening at dental clinics and at the hands of skilled professionals, don’t have sad tales to tell.
The problem is that some people think the dentist that refuses doesn’t know what they’re doing and then go to beauty spa to get it done. Many of them still run back to the dental clinic for treatment when they face the complications.
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Tooth Boy (Practicing Dentist)
