Teeth whitening light can be a solution if you find your teeth having that yellow tinge or having those brown stains from coffee or tobacco. There is a difference between whitening and bleaching in that the latter is a term designated only to procedures using products with bleach. This means products containing a certain amount of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Whitening, on the other hand, can refer to the simple act of removing dirt and debris from the teeth.
There are basically two types of stain that teeth whitening light– oftentimes a term used for bleaching – takes care of. There are the intrinsic stains and there are the extrinsic stains.
Intrinsic stains form on the inside of the teeth and, until recently, were thought to be impossible to remove. Causes for intrinsic stains include aging, trauma, and exposure to minerals while the tooth was developing. Today, experts on cosmetic dentistry have begun to look at the possibility if having intrinsic teeth stains removed through supervised, ‘at-home’ whitening kits applied regularly over a period of months leading up to a year.
Extrinsic stains are acquired through prolonged exposure to foods and beverages and the micro cracks where dirt and debris get in. Prophylaxis, regular brushing of teeth and moderate intake of dark-colored food and beverages are ways to fix this type of stain. Only the most stubborn stains are subjected to bleaching or teeth-whitening procedures. It is still better to arrest dirt and debris before they penetrate deeply into the tooth.
