Professional Whitening Kits: Top 4 Risks of Teeth Whitening

There is a great deal of information available about the benefits of teeth whitening, but much less attention is paid to its risks. When cosmetic dentists are talking to their patients about the possibility of utilizing their dental whitening services they should definitely cover the advantages and potential risks that are involved, and explain how their use of professional whitening kits from Life-Like can help minimize any perceived negatives. Here are some concerns dental professionals should discuss when presenting teeth bleaching to their patients:

• 1. Hypersensitivity: Certain patients who already have a high degree of tooth or tissue damage might be overly sensitive to some of the ingredients found in teeth bleaching kits. Before using a teeth whitener, the patient’s mouth should be thoroughly examined by a dental professional. Any health concerns should be addressed and corrected prior to the whitening process.
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• 2. Gum irritation: Some over-the-counter tooth bleaching products come with a one-size-fits-all or a heat-and-mold tray to hold the bleaching agent against the teeth. The problem is that these ill-fitting trays can irritate the gums and cause tissue damage. A dental professional fashions a custom-molded tray, and closely monitors the bleaching procedure for any signs of irritation.
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• 3. Uneven results: If teeth are overly stained in one area before bleaching, the post-bleaching results might be rather uneven. Lacking post-bleaching instruction, patients could also fail to realize that they might need to avoid certain types of foods initially so as to avoid quickly re-staining their teeth. A dental professional can provide education, monitor the teeth whitening progress, and provide whitening touch-ups as needed.
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• 4. Over bleaching: If a little is good a lot must be better, right? So some patients overdo the home bleaching process. Other products that promise quick results also lead to an overly-exaggerated state of whiteness. The dental whitening process is different based on each patient’s overall and dental health, and should be initiated in a dental office over a reasonable period of time.

In general, bleaching is not recommended for women who are pregnant, and should be postponed until after the baby is delivered. Also be sure to ask your patients if they are smokers, as bleaching may have a damaging effect on tissue that has already been compromised.

The key to success in tooth whitening is to have a high degree of communication and education between the dental professional and the patient. Call Life-Like at 800-543-3545 to learn how to educate patients about the benefits and risks of teeth whitening.

Dr. Rodney Ogrin, Founder and Owner

Life-Like Cosmetic Solutions

About Life-Like: Life-Like Cosmetic Solutions provides dental products for teeth whitening. Cosmetic dental practices use Life-Like’s professional whitening kits and at-home teeth bleaching kits to provide whiter teeth for patients. Visit the website at http://life-like.com to participate in the company’s “Marketing for Dentists” program at no cost. “Like” the Facebook page to receive regular tips on its teeth whitener products. Call 800-543-3545 for more information about increasing practice revenue by marketing dental whitening.

Dental Products: Ancient Romans used urine and goat milk to whiten teeth…

Perhaps the most popular cosmetic dentistry procedure today is teeth whitening. The American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry indicates that most people believe a brighter smile leads to a happier, more successful life. Modern Americans spend over $11 billion per year on tooth whitening because they are convinced of the benefits of a great smile. But this is not a recent phenomenon. People have searched for ways to make their teeth whiter for thousands of years.

There have been some strange methods of teeth bleaching in the past. While the results may have been satisfactory for the times, current methods of dental whitening are far safer and more effective. Here are just a few of the ways people have gone about the business of whitening their teeth:

• The Seattle Times reported that evidence of people trying to scrape food particles from their teeth dates back to about 3000 B.C. In those days they would use a chew stick or small twig, much the same way some people use toothpicks today.
• About 4,000 years ago the ancient Egyptians saw whiter teeth as a sign of wealth and beauty. They used their chewing sticks to apply a whitening paste that consisted of ground pumice stone in wine vinegar.
• The Romans actually used a mixture of goat milk and stale urine to try to keep their teeth white. The urine’s ammonia served as a bleaching agent.
• During the medieval times, it was thought that worms caused tooth decay. A French surgeon by the name of Guy de Chauliac recommending adding vinegar to a mixture of burnt salt and honey, and using that to clean the teeth.
• During the 1600s, people came to rely on barbers, strangely enough, for the care of their teeth, as well as their hair. The barber would actually file down the customer’s teeth and apply nitric acid in order to whiten them. This would, unfortunately, eventually lead to the erosion of tooth enamel and decay.
• Finally, by the late 1800s, substances such as oxalic acid, calcium hypochlorite, and peroxide were being used as bleaching agents.

Dental whitening today remains one of the single most economical ways to enhance a patient’s smile. Since 1990, Life-Like has supplied cosmetic dentists with safe and effective professional whitening kits to help patients achieve the smiles they want.Dental products from Life-Like can help respond to the demand for whiter teeth while serving to increase practice revenue. Call 800-543-3545 to learn about the modern-day original teeth whitening system from Life-Like.

Dr. Rodney Ogrin, Founder and Owner

Life-Like Cosmetic Solutions

About Life-Like: Life-Like Cosmetic Solutions provides dental supplies for teeth whitening. Cosmetic dental practices use Life-Like’s teeth bleaching kits to provide whiter teeth for patients. Visit the website at http://life-like.com to participate in the company’s “Marketing for Dentists” program at no cost. “Like” the Facebook page to receive regular tips on its teeth whitener products. Call 800-543-3545 for more information using modern dental whitening techniques to increase practice revenue.

The Epidemic of Bleachorexia: Over-Fascination with Tooth Whitening

At Life-Like Cosmetic Solutions we consistently promote the benefits of teeth whitening. Having whiter teeth can make people feel and look better, and often leads to job and relationship success. But, as with anything else, patients can become obsessed with the teeth bleaching process, and may be tempted to use whitening products beyond their recommended purposes.

This over-fascination with tooth whitening, or bleachorexia, falls under the category of a body dysmorphic disorder, such as anorexia or bulimia. Even though the teeth are already white, the patient still feels that they are not white enough and continues to use teeth whiteners in an unhealthy effort to obtain a perceived “ultimate smile.” Despite what loved ones may say, the afflicted person repeatedly requests more dental whitening procedures or uses an abundance of over-the-counter whitening substances.

Bleachorexia has been documented in Contemporary Esthetic Dentistry by George Freedman and chronicled in national media such as ABC News online. These people will continue to whiten their teeth even though they are already white and will not become any whiter through continued treatment. Some of the dangers of over-whitening include:

• Teeth may become an unnatural shade or translucent.
• Enamel may erode and core structure of the teeth may become compromised.
• Patient could experience increased dental sensitivity.
• Gums may recede and soft tissue in the mouth could be negatively affected.
• Extensive damage to the teeth may result in a need for veneers or dental crowns.

These patients tend to go beyond the recommended directions and utilize an unhealthy combination of dental visits, home kits and spa bleaching treatments to attempt to reach their unattainable goal. Ironically, overdoing the attempt to achieve the whitest smile can actually result in darker, unhealthy-looking teeth. Dentists should be on the watch for these patients and intervene with education and treatment alternatives, when appropriate.

The most effective way to achieve the goal of whiter teeth is under the supervision and direction of a dental professional. Since 1990, Life-Like has supplied cosmetic dentists with safe and effective professional whitening kits to help patients achieve the smiles they want. We recommend that dentists talk to patients about the benefits and risks associated with using over-the-counter dental products and that they agree on an appropriate target shade before even commencing the bleaching treatment.

Dental supplies from Life-Like can help dental professionals respond to their patients’ desire for whiter teeth with a combination of in-office and at-home teeth bleaching kits. Call 800-543-3545 to learn about the modern-day original teeth whitening system from Life-Like.

Dr. Rodney Ogrin, Founder and Owner

Life-Like Cosmetic Solutions

About Life-Like: Life-Like Cosmetic Solutions is the original teeth whitener supplier. The company provides teeth bleaching kits which cosmetic dental practices use to achieve whiter teeth for patients. Visit the website at http://life-like.com to participate in their “Marketing for Dentists” program at no cost. “Like” the Facebook page to receive regular updates on teeth whitening products. Call 800-543-3545 for more information using professional dental whitening techniques to safely whiten teeth.