The whiterexia It is the obsession, increasingly present in Spain (largely caused by social networks), to achieve whiter teeth, an objective for which the patient may undergo surgery. overly invasive treatments without adequate medical control. If this happens, we put our tooth enamel, tooth sensitivity and some other issues at risk that we are going to analyze with the help of four experts.
Teeth can be lightened, effectively, and there are increasingly more refined and less harmful techniques for this. But for avoid certain dangers derived from malpractice, in many cases based on the eternal dissatisfaction of the patient who never sees his teeth white enough, you have to do it right, and let yourself be advised by experts in the field.
White teeth and their effects on self-esteem
The first expert consulted is Dr. LaiQi Xiang Zhouspecialized in dental aesthetics at CORE Centro Dental, (Madrid), who tells us about the security that, in many cases, showing off beautiful teeth provides.
“Having aligned and well-proportioned teeth, as well as white teeth, certainly helps the patient feel more confident about their appearance, something essential to reinforce self-esteem. In addition, having whiter teeth makes the smile look more youthfulwhich places whitening among the anti-aging therapies that are so in demand today.”
Dr. Fernando Soria, an expert in reconstructive and aesthetic dentistry, adds that “discolored teeth can cause a bad first impression. stained teeth They can destroy your self-esteem and affect your personal life. People see those with yellowed teeth and stained as if they were in poor health or not as attractive as they could be.
And he adds: “This problem has a component that affects the patient.” more psychological than biologicalsince discoloration is an aesthetic and not a pathological affectation.
The teeth are actually not white, but rather ivory.
To begin to understand this obsession with dental whiteness, Dr. Zhou from CORE Dental Center clarifies that “in reality, teeth are not really white, but ivory in color. Our perception of tooth color is not only influenced by the color itself, but also by the position (a back tooth will be perceived as darker or grayer) , the texture or shape of it”.
Currently “there are techniques that allow us to lighten the color of the tooth, but, in general terms, the longer the whitening lasts and the higher concentrations of the whitening product are used, the more the results will also increase.” possible side effects such as dental sensitivity,” explains the expert.
Therefore, as a first recommendation, it is especially important to be “correctly advised by an experienced professional. Only in this way can the best aesthetic results be achieved, minimizing the risks.” In principle, a state-of-the-art professional whitening It should not harm the tooth.
“The most commonly used product is carbamide peroxide in different concentrations, which penetrates the tooth to lighten the color. It does not alter the tooth structure and is usually reversible; That is, if recall sessions are not performed, the tooth can return to its original color. In more extreme cases, we can always resort to veneers.”
Why is there this excessive fever for white teeth?
He doctor Fernando Soria talks about whiterexia as an important psychological disorder, which bases its causes on intrinsic factors of the patient; in the advertising bombardment; on social networks; and in the desire to imitate celebrities“who show off teeth that are often exaggeratedly white. This is an unnatural ideal.”
In traditional Dentistry, this new concept of ‘extra white’ in aesthetic restorations, whether of ceramic or composite“it is difficult to accept, given that the appearance conveyed by that smile will be very unnatural. However, we must pay attention to trends, and blancorexia is one of them.”
‘Teeth lightening’, not whitening
Dr. Soria likes to talk about ‘dental lightening’ rather than whitening. “Teeth have a porous surface on which, over time, they become depositing different pigments of our diet, causing the teeth to darken (sometimes even due to the intake of certain medications)”.
Therefore, when we perform a whitening treatment, the chemical product we use, hydrogen peroxide or carbamide activated with a light source, will penetrate those pores and eliminate the pigments. The result will be a lightening of the tooth, returning the patient to the color he had when he was young. This is very important to know for do not generate false expectations“.
The ‘lightening’ techniques have a specific durability, 3 to 5 years, and then they will need a ‘reminder’.
Temporary whitening or veneers?
The decision between undergoing one or the other will depend on the individual need of the patient, and the clinical diagnosis of the dentist.
“The treatment proposal will depend on whether a patient, based on knowledge of the canon of the perfect smile, has a state of balance between shapes, sizes and proportions of your teeth, and of course the color.
Depending on the presence or absence of the canon of the perfect smile, we will indicate the treatment to achieve it. Tooth color is only one component of the canon of a beautiful smile, not the only one,” explains Soria.
The so-called whitening consists of “applying a gel containing hydrogen peroxide which, in a concentration of 15-30% oxygenates the tooth and whitens it. The gel is activated with a cold light and the treatment lasts one hour. “Then, the patient continues with daily sessions at night at home, with individualized trays for their mouth.”
Those patients who want an extremely white smile,’Hollywood smile‘, they have the option of Porcelain veneers. “The advantages of this treatment: it will allow you to modify the shape, size, proportion, three-dimensional alignment and of course the color.”
‘No-cut’ veneers, the latest
For its part, the Dr. Irene Estevedentist and dentofacial expert, opts for veneers with the new technique without tooth grinding that they use in their clinics, and that have a definitive result that does not hurt the tooth.
Teeth whitening treatments, for their part, “have improved over time thanks to advances in technology and the formulation of products that reduce sensitivity and improve the effectiveness of treatment“.
Dangers of tooth discoloration, according to experts
In the section on the dangers that gel whitening can cause, Dr. Esteve begins by talking about “dental sensitivity, gum irritation and enamel damage dental if the treatment is not carried out properly. Additionally, excessive whitening can result in an unnatural look and cause weakening of the enamel.”
“We dentists warn that you should not abuse whitening techniques, they must always be done under our supervision, so as not to cause problems. In addition, abusing home remedies or false miracle products can be very harmful and irreversible for our teeth.”
The feared ‘extreme sensitivity’ of whitening
Nadia Sarmini, doctorfrom the Bernabéu Dental Clinic, focuses on one of the main consequences of the abuse of whitening products: hypersensitivity. “This happens especially when the products are applied without a prior analysis of the patient’s oral health.”
“The first thing professionals have to do before recommending whitening is to make sure that the patient He has no cavities or any gum problems.”says the doctor.
If you have sensitivity, “which is reversible,” the doctor recommends teeth whitening activated by photoactivation, which she combines in her consultation with desensitizing treatments patented.
Be very careful with ‘home’ whitening
Dr. Sarmini explains that “it is normal for the shade of the teeth to tend to darken, either due to the passage of time or due to the consumption of products such as wine, coffee or tobaccowhich stain the tooth”.
But beware. “It is not the first time that we see people on social networks recommend products that act to achieve home whitening at home, such as baking soda, activated charcoal, lemon juice or hydrogen peroxide, without realizing the consequences of their use,” says the doctor.
