The technology of teeth whitening solutions

Teeth naturally get darker in colour though time. When we use tobacco as well as wine, tea, coffee and other products that have a strong and lasting pigment content, this darkening gets worse and is harder to lighten. 

Whitening toothpaste that contains abrasives wears away tooth enamel. Others that contain hydrogen peroxide, cost more money but  some researchers are debating whether this is carcinogenic or has long term effects

There are other home-based as well as in-office solutions said to safely whiten teeth.

Philips recently showed off some of their products and solutions as part of their Philips Zoom! whitening lines, which are available directly through dentists.

In-Office Treatment       

People interested in getting their teeth whitened have various options and can either have their teeth whitened at their dentists office using the Zoom! WhiteSpeed Light Activated Whitening System, which is said to be the fastest, easiest and most effective method.

Philips says the method is proven to whiten teeth up to eight shades in just 45 minutes.

The procedure is straightforward. Once the patient’s gums are protected with a special covering, a unique hydrogen peroxide gel is applied. This gel breaks down into stain-fighting radicals, which break the molecular bonds that make up stains all over the teeth.

Light is applied using Philip’s LED (Light Emitting Diode) whitening technology to accelerate and enhance the whitening results. The hydrogen peroxide effectively bleaches the teeth.

After the in-clinic treatment, patients take home ACP Oral Care Gel. ACP or Amorphous Calcium Phosphate, spreads over the surface of the teeth and then bonds with the enamel to smooth out surface defects to add luster and shine with reduced sensitivity.

In-clinic treatments are costlier but promise instantaneous results that are visible within 45 minutes, which is how long the preparation and treatment time takes. Do consider that these may require multiple visits to the dentist to complete and can add up to a substantial cost.

Home Treatments

The other option is to employ products like the Zoom! DayWhite and NiteWhite take-home whitening formulas, which come in the form of custom fit trays with whitening gel to be used at home.

These are different from whitening strips that can be purchased over the counter in most pharmacies, since they are customized and require a dentist’s evaluation and approval.

Philips offers a variety of home solutions that people can ask their dentists about. These include Whitening Pens that have pocket applicators that can be applied directly on teeth for touch-up purposes in between whitening treatments.

Those looking for longer lasting results can ask their dentists for either the NiteWhite or DayWhite formula systems to be applied at home. 

DayWhite is worn twice a day for 15 to 30 minutes and uses hydrogen peroxide gel to deliver a maximum bleaching effect in the shortest amount of time.

The NiteWhite system is used while the patient sleeps and works on a minimum 4-6 hour cycle. Carbamide peroxide gel employs a timed-release formula to enable bleaching of teeth through the night.

Philips claims that both formulas will whiten teeth in two weeks, but the NiteWhite system’s results can be seen in one week’s time. There’s also less chance of fading back to the original tooth colour after six months. 

Both products are available with three peroxide concentrations to suit patient’s varying degree of sensitivity.  This is why only dentists can prescribe these solutions since each person responds differently to the treatments and the chemical elements.