To carry out a dental whitening, the patient must meet a series of conditions:
The surfaces of the teeth must be very clean and free of Bacterial Plaque.
Very careful dental hygiene is required
The gums must be healthy
There must not be any caries present, nor sign of infection, or filtered fillings.

In certain circumstances it is not advisable to undergo dental whitening:
During pregnancy or breast-feeding
If the teeth present deep fissures
In some anterior teeth with fixed prostheses
In very young teeth (under the age of 13)
In cases of dental hypersensitivity

Modern dentistry places within our reach different dental whitening techniques. The current methods for dental whitening are simple, they do not require many sessions, they do not damage teeth, they respect the tissues and deliver proven results.

The tonal colour, or hue, of the teeth constitutes an innate characteristic, as it is genetically conditioned. This hue depends on the width and quality of the enamel (which is almost transparent) and the colour and quality of the dentine of each tooth.

In other words, the colour of the teeth is an expression of the quality and hue of the anatomical structures that make up the teeth.

These elements are made up of chromophoric substances, which give colour to the natural tooth.

In the whitening process the chemical products act upon the double links of the chromophores and convert them into oxidised molecules and particles of a less intense colour.

There are a series of factors that can alter the initial colour which nature bestowed upon the teeth. Amongst them, the passage of time, which is a physiological process, but also others than we can easily prevent.

Poor buccal hygiene is one of the reasons for the appearance of stains on the enamel and the darkening of the teeth. This is why it is important to brush the teeth after each meal and use dental floss.

We must avoid excessive consumption of coffee, tea, tobacco, red wine, chocolate and fizzy drinks, all substances that can darken our teeth.

Some medications that contain tetracycline have amongst their side effects the provocation of dental colouring. Some iron-based vitamins or the use of mouthwashes with a high concentration of clorhexidine can also lead to stains on the teeth. Occasionally the teeth will darken after suffering trauma or after Endodontia (root canal treatment).

There are currently a wide range of products that promise white, sparkling teeth. However, the inappropriate use of these products, dispensed without medical prescription, may harm the gums as they are often very aggressive.

Dental whitening is a clinical procedure that seeks to lighten the colour of the teeth by between 2 to 3 shades. If someone were to whiten their teeth too much they can over-do it to the point of colour saturation and their teeth will cease to look natural.

Before undergoing a whitening procedure, the dentist will take down your clinical history, a personalised diagnosis for each patient and measurements of the patient’s dental arches.

There are two types of whitening agents: hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide, both used in different concentrations, depending on whether the patient undergoes the treatment at the dental surgery or at home.

Dental whitening at home
If you are going to carry it out at home you must do so under the supervision of your dentist and come to the dental surgery once a week.

To apply the whitening gel the dentist will take some moulds of your mouth in order to produce a clear plastic splint or tray that fits each dental arch perfectly.

The whitening agent is placed in these splints. The patient must use them from 3 to 5 hours each day during approximately 12 to 20 days, depending on the intensity of the tooth colouring.

The gel acts without damaging side effects to the teeth, as it consists of a procedure that does not weaken the teeth, although it can cause hypersensitivity of the teeth or the gums for the first hour after removing the splints.

This hypersensitivity is due to the glycerine contained in the whitening gel desiccating the tooth, but this can be alleviated with mouthwashes that contain fluoride.

You must not overfill the splints with the whitening gel in order to ensure that the gums do not get irritated or damaged at all.

When placing the splints in the mouth, any excess gel that overflows must be eliminated, either with a clean, damp toothbrush or with a sterile gauze. It is also advisable to protect the gums with a little Vaseline.

Dental whitening at the Clinic
With these techniques the results are more immediate, but the same as those achieved at home.

With the halogen lighting with plasma arch system, the whitening gel is placed in some plastic trays and then heat is applied, it is therefore necessary to protect the gums from possible burns. Both the halogen light and the laser help to accelerate the chemical reaction facilitating the penetration of the whitening substance into the tooth.

With the laser system it is necessary to protect the gums, the lips and the eyes, to avoid burns, as the laser elevates the temperature of the materials upon the teeth to 60ºC.

During the whitening and for the month thereafter, you must avoid consumption of citric liquids, tea, coffee, coca-cola, chocolate, red wine, fizzy drinks, tobacco, food with a lot of colouring...

Following these recommendations and maintaining correct buccal hygiene, the colour obtained from the whitening can be maintained for 2 to 4 years, depending on each patient, the quality of their teeth, on the base colour they have, the type of staining affecting them and the dental care they have received.

The dental whitening results are long term, although it is necessary to have a reminder session every two years, in certain cases, in order to keep the smile white and in perfect conditions.