The teeth tend to darken over the years. Although lifestyle, hygiene and food habits play an important role in this process, the truth is that the loss of the original brightness and white affects, to a greater or lesser extent, all people.
For this reason, there are many consultations that arrive daily at our clinic of patients interested in improving the aesthetics of their smile through a whitening.
Tooth whitening is a treatment that clarifies various shades of the color of the teeth, leaving them whiter and brighter, and giving a youthful and healthy appearance.
In addition, this procedure has the advantage that it achieves particularly visible and surprising results in a relatively short time – it lasts only one month.
Once patients are well aware of the type of treatment they are going to undergo, their most common doubts focus on the frequency with which they should carry out such treatment, as well as its duration after the passing of the months.
However, both issues depend on two factors: the type of bleaching and the circumstances of each person.
How much does a dental whitening process last?
As we have just advanced, the duration of the bleaching time depends on two factors: the type of procedure performed and the circumstances of each person.
Type of bleaching
In Aesthetik we carry out a combined tooth whitening, which consists in developing a part of the treatment at the patient’s home and another in the clinic.
This procedure is more effective and stable over time than using only splints (at the patient’s home) or cold light lamp (in the clinic).
Circumstances of each person
At this point, aspects such as the type of enamel of each person as well as habits related to food, tobacco and hygiene are especially important.
Since we cannot act against the first factor – the type of enamel we have -, in one of the following sections we will give you a series of tips to help you keep the white color for longer.
Can it last a lifetime?
Having said all the above, from this article we can only answer for the teeth whitening that we carry out at Aesthetik. That is, we cannot know what the results of another type of bleaching will be to which you decide to submit.
Therefore, what we can tell you is that the combined whitening that we carry out in our dental clinic lasts a lifetime. This is because this type of treatment is very complete, effective and stable over time.
Therefore, it is only necessary for the patient to undergo bleaching once in his life. And, to preserve the result forever, it is recommended that you carry out maintenance or reminders.
This can be done approximately every five years and its cost is much lower than that of bleaching, so it is not inconvenient for our patients.
Do maintenance
Once a whitening has been performed, the teeth will always be whiter than they were before starting treatment. Even so, to preserve the color and brightness achieved, we recommend you do maintenance every five years.
How to extend its duration?
Next, we collect different tips that will help you keep your bleaching intact for longer.
- Daily hygiene
This is one of the most important points to maintain oral health, regardless of whether the person has undergone teeth whitening or not.
To keep at bay the bacteria that accumulate in the teeth after the meal and that generate bacterial plaque, which damages the enamel and causes tooth decay, it is necessary to brush several times a day (after each meal).
Brushing is preferable to be carried out with an electric brush and to be complemented with dental floss (at least once a day). Regarding the rinse, it is preferable to consult with the dentist or hygienist both the right one for each person and the regularity with which it is used.
While some people are advised to use it once a day, others are told not to use it. If used, the rinse should be alcohol free and fluorinated.
- Food
There are certain foods and drinks that have a tendency to produce stains on tooth enamel. Although it is not necessary to stop consuming them, if you want white teeth for a longer time it is recommended to ingest them in moderation. Some examples of these foods and drinks are: red fruits, red wine, tea, coffee, dyes (paprika, saffron …) or sauces (curry, soy …).
- Tobacco
Tobacco is not only one of the worst enemies of healthy white teeth, as it causes stains, but also of a good general health.
Therefore, the more you restrict or eliminate your habit, the more beneficial it will be for the person.
- Maintenance
Once the patient has undergone the whitening treatment, it is advisable to carry out periodic maintenance to ensure the color and brightness of the teeth for a longer time.
The maintenance process lasts for 15 days and consists of splints provided in the clinic that must be used at home by the patient. Maintenance is significantly cheaper than previous treatment and is usually carried out every five years.
However, when talking about periodicity, it must be taken into account that not all of our patients have the same needs -or likes-.
While there are people who keep intact color and brightness five years after treatment – and no reminders are made – there are other patients who are especially demanding with their image that demand maintenance every one or two years.
- Professional dental hygiene
Although the frequency with which to perform a professional dental hygiene also varies depending on each person and the amount of plaque that accumulates, the usual in the case of patients who have undergone a whitening is to perform it once a year.
Despite all these guidelines that will undoubtedly make whitening more effective and lasting, the best advice of our dentists and hygienists is to make a normal life.
Once a whitening has been performed, the teeth will always remain whiter than they were before starting it. And, habits that encourage teeth to become more yellowish, we can compensate with hygiene and periodic maintenance.
Aesthetik is one of the most suitable options in terms of quality service, cost efficiency and professionalism.
