The pros and cons of teeth-whitening procedures

As more Egyptians indulge in teeth-whitening procedures to boost their self confidence, Ahram Online consults the experts about the facts

Although the criteria for assessing beauty differs largely from one person to another, and though what men tend to consider handsome in their own features may not necessarily be sought after by females, no one can argue that a dashing, bright smile is a winning card and a common beauty ambition for everybody. That is probably why cosmetic dental surgery in Egypt, as well as the rest of the world, has seen an upward trend in the past few years.
"More people are seeking dental clinics to acquire a more attractive appearance rather than just seeking treatment or easing pain as it was previously," says Dr Wael Nour, a cosmetic and restorative dentist and member of the American Dental Association.
"One of the most sought after procedures is teeth whitening or dental bleaching, obviously, as the pearly color is capable of transforming the appearance of the person for those seeking more than what can be achieved through polishing and scaling, especially since the new techniques of whitening offer complete safety, preventing any damage whatsoever to the structure and strength of the teeth, and minimizing any sensitivity that might occur," adds Nour.
The time required is minimal, assures Nour, the procedure painless, and the only thing required from the patient is to stick to an all-white-diet for a day or two after the procedure.
"In general the effect lasts for a long time depending on the amount of staining food and beverages consumed afterwards," says Nour.
"There are two types of bleaching known that are safe nowadays," says Dr. Ramy El Samman, a dentist and oral surgeon, "The first is home bleaching, which is weaker and requires more time as it is applied to visible teeth every eight hours daily for two weeks in order to achieve a noticeable effect. The second is professional bleaching, which uses a stronger material (hydrogen peroxide) with a greater effect in a shorter time (60-90 mins), but must be handled with extreme caution as it is a caustic material and special precautions must be taken prior to its use, which is why it must be done in the clinic."
"First, you get a pearly white smile with minimal side effects when it comes to sensitivity," says El Samman as he sheds more light on the pros and the cons of the latter procedure, "Secondly, it's one of the most painless and conservative procedures with zero loss of tooth structure compared to other aesthetic and cosmetic treatments applied to natural teeth. The cons are mainly its limited use for restored teeth, and it is not effective with decayed or mal-positioned teeth that require orthodontic treatment first. Flourosis (fluoride toxicity resulting in a brownish pitted surface) and tetracycline (antibiotic) staining can not be treated using this method, and, finally, during the procedure mild gingival (gum) inflammation and sensitivity, due to leakage of the bleaching material into the living tissue, might occur, though its unlikely."