If there is one cosmetic procedure in Fayetteville NC which has become the most sought after of the entire bunch, that would be the dental whitening procedure. The safest way to whiten your teeth has been and will always be through in-office dental whitening procedures with Dr. Barber. This is because there is a trained professional who will be supervising the entire treatment process, making sure that the chemicals found in the whitening gel won’t adversely affect your protective enamel.
So what is in the whitening gels which make them effective in bleaching your teeth and what are some of the consequences of your teeth being exposed to such substances for a long period of time?
The Active Ingredient
The specific chemical found in most dental whitening systems is hydrogen peroxide. Most of the time, the only difference between one whitening system and another is the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide. Generally, whitening professional whitening system gels can contain as little as 15 percent and as much as 50 percent of the active ingredient. On the other hand, at-home whitening kits often have hydrogen peroxide concentrations of just 3 to 10 percent.
How It Works
Hydrogen peroxide can whiten your teeth by splitting so that it can become free radicals. These free radicals are very reactive and can cleave the microscopic molecules which make up the dental stain.
According dental experts, hydrogen peroxide works so much better when the chemical has a neutral pH. The reason for this has to do with whitening your teeth without doing to much damage to it. Your teeth are made up of mineralized enamel crystals which can dissolve when exposed to acidic substances. For this reason, it’s always advisable if the hydrogen peroxide gel is of neutral pH to prevent extensive damage to your teeth.
The Use of Activators
A controversial part of dental whitening is the need for whitening activators. An activator is needed so that the hydrogen peroxide can be converted into the free radicals necessary for the whitening action to happen. One type of activator is the chemical variety which is added to the reagent. On the other hand, light activation refers to the use of a specific wavelength of light in order for the hydrogen peroxide to be activated and effective in bleaching teeth. Patients may require the use of goggles which can protect your eyes from the effects of the laser.
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