is it bad to...?

Question

is it bad for a 12 almost 13 year old kid to bleach their teeth? i dont mean on a spoiled meter, i mean is it harmful to their teeth, cause my daughter wants to and i told her yes but first we are going to find out if it will casue damage, her teeth are not very sensitive, and i am an adult that can help her, i am only letting her bleach them every-so-often. is this going to destroy my daughters teeth? i am letting her do it now, then again in 6 months, and then a year on after that so pretty much once a year. i no her very well, she probably has never missed a day of brushing, but ill admit her teeth are sort of dull, not really yellow, just dull, not sparkling white. the dentist said that teeth whitening could help, but he thinks i should do research on which products to use. i am thinking maybe WhiteLight or Plus White Whitening and Brightening System. both not very expensive and from what i hear if u follow the directions they are safe and work well. please help!

Answer 1

I would be extremely careful about allowing a young person to use any type of whitening system for their teeth.

Teenagers teeth tend to be softer than adults teeth, and the natural enamel coating the teeth is thinner and less durable.

I know several older teenagers who have damaged the enamel on their teeth using whitening products a few times per year, and now the surface of their teeth is uneven and permanently damaged.

I would encourage your daughter to use more natural whitening methods such as brushing with a combination of baking soda and salt with regular toothpaste.

Sparkling white is not a normal color for a majority of peoples teeth. Teeth are supposed to be a shade of white, depending on each individuals genetic background.

I work in an oral surgeons office, and have seen the teens with damaged teeth during their visits to the office while they are trying to save the remaining enamel on their teeth. There are a smaller number of adults coming in with damage, but it is still happening.

I have even seen some patients who have had severe allergic reactions to various teeth whiting systems, and it is very difficult to clear up as your mouth allows for any reaction or infection to travel through your entire body very quickly.

You are putting a "bleaching agent" into your mouth, there are warnings on some products about the dangers of prolonged contact with your skin....don't think I would be putting that product inside my mouth, or the mouths of any of my loved ones.

Good luck, if your daughter is insistent on trying this, you may want to try and convince her to wait until she is at least closer to adult age.

Have a good day.

Answer 2

As a dentist, I would encourage you to take her to her dentist. First, at 12, she very well may not have all of her permanent teeth. If she has teeth coming in, I think the introduction of a bleaching agent is less than ideal.

Also, what is "dull?" Have you tried having her use an electric toothbrush? It doesn't have to be a fancy, expensive one- a battery-powered spin brush will do. Also, consider using baking soda once a day.

Because she is so young, I'd want her to understand the importance of reliable advice. Hence, the consultation with her dentist. The next time she goes in for a hygiene appointment and exam is soon enough if you do not want to schedule a special appointment. Of course, that means she has to wait until then....

Answer 3

Just reading these answers are going to give me a nightmare thinking of if these musicians formed a band. Worst Vocalist: Chad Kroeger Worst Drummer: Meg White (Although I do like The White Stripes) Worst Bassist: Nikki Sixx Worst Guitarist: Herman Lee

Answer 4

I wouldn't at such a young age. I would just stay on top of her flossing, brushing, and try to instill in her the desire to take care of her teeth. And showing her, not just telling her to eat and drink right. If you do it, so will she.

It's usually the parent's who set the chilren on the wrong track with soda, junk food and bad stuff for them. At that age she shouldn't need bleaching.

Just cut out the soda and other teeth staining things, get her the listerine whitening mouthwash, floss, and that child rinse stuff that makes the plaque turn blue in their mouth to make sure she got it all out.

Answer 5

I dont think it will damage her teeth nor do I think it is spoiling her in any way. I have used the rembrandt system and it worked pretty good, it wasnt very expensive either. the crest strips did nothing for me. I would advise putting the past directly on her teeth instead of in the tray, it will keep you from wasting it and keep it from getting a lot on the gums which may make her teeth sensitive. I would ask the dentist about the rembrandt

Answer 6

What I think is bad is a parent coming to yahoo answers for parenting advice. Go to local experts ie dentists.

Answer 7

why bleach when you can go buy those retarded grills

Answer 8

i don't believe in it, myself. i think it weakens enamel, many think so.

carbamide peroxide is the main ingredient and it is different that plain peroxide. the strength varies among different whiteners.

Before whitening your teeth, you should find out if your teeth have thin enamel. This can cause your teeth to have a yellowish or brownish apperance. Whitening will not help in this situation and can make appearance worse and cause sensitivity.

A product called NatureWhite contains carbamide peroxide is supposed to whiten your teeth dramatically with just one 45 Minute application. It is said to be the same thing that dentists use and that dentists use a 12% solution while NatureWhite uses a 22% solution. Crest white strips, by comparison, have a 3% solution.

Chewing on crunchy foods like carrots, apples and celery, is said to cause friction which helps get debris off your teeth that can stain them. There are many old natural remedies and some new natural and/or herbal products, as well as, some chemical products, all claiming to whiten teeth.

The color of teeth comes from genetics originally, and it varies person to person. Teeth will natually discolor over time due to age. The best way to keep teeth as white and you were designed to have, is to avoid foods, liquids, drugs, and products that stain teeth.

Avoid things known to stain teeth, like coffee, tea, red wine, berries, tobacco products, food colorings, etc.... Avoid direct exposure to a lot of raw lemons or citrus products like tomatos, limes, oranges, as the citric acid wears the enamel off the teeth, and when dentin is exposed (like with cavities), it can cause discoloration. If you do eat them, rinse your teeth right away. Avoid carbonated drinks that contain phosphoric acid, like coca cola for the same reason. Sports drinks often contain citric acid, phosphoric acid and organic acid (coffee contains organic acids, also). The latter two are known to break down calcium, along with breaking down enamel. Also, If you eat raw papaya or raw pineapple, rinse your mouth after eating them, as they have enzymes that can cause sores in your mouth and gums, because they break down proteins.

The antibiotic tetracycline is known to cause teeth to stain and so is fluoride and caffeine. Mercury fillings cause teeth to stain where the tooth comes in contact with the filling; This is because of galvanization. So, one should get all amalgams replaced. Gold seems to be ok as long as it is a good quality gold such as high noble, and white composites or porcelain fillings can be used.

Hydrogen peroxide can whiten teeth, but it can penetrate teeth, which are porous, and cause sensitivity. It is used in dental bleaching. It is a special 35% solution, so buying the 2% bottle of it over the counter in hopes to make your teeth white, will not work and could eventually cause sensitivity, irritation, or inflamation of the gums. Myself, I do not recommend teeth whiteners of any kind, for the same reason. If you do decide to use a teeth whitener, either over the counter or from the dentist, if you are not avoiding foods that cause staining, your teeth will stain again, and you will have wasted your money. To whiten your teeth often, will most likely cause sensitivity, enamel breakdown, and can lead to cavities. The long term effects of teeth bleaching on nerves and blood vessels inside the teeth are unknown. Laser bleaching seems to cause more problems with sensitivity than non-laser bleaching. Bleaching does not work on false teeth, crowns, veneers or fillings (even white ones). You may opt to replace those with lighter shades if you don't like the color. Bleaching is not recommended for children whose teeth are still developing or for pregnant or breastfeeding women.

It is important to brush after meals to avoid plaque and tartar build up, which can also cause discoloration. Avoid toothpastes that contain abrasives to fight plaque and tarter, as they can wear away enamel and make the dentin show through (which has a yellowish or brownish tint), which can cause staining, or cavities or cause your teeth to appear brown or yellow. Also, avoid brushing too hard for the same reason. If you do consume products that cause staining, use water to rinse your mouth directly afterward.

There is a technique called internal bleaching. The only way it can be done is to have a root canal, and root canals cause devastating health effects and should be avoided altogether.

The British Dental Association has expressed concern that the smokers' whitening toothpastes Clinomyn and Pearl Drops are too abrasive. Many whitening toothpastes contain titanium dioxide, a suspected carcinogen and can be absorbed by the skin, and, when the effluent containing it is discharged from manufacturers, it acidifies rivers and seas.

Smokers toothpaste, Topol, containing an abrasive form of silica to remove heavy stains from tar and resin deposits can cause damage to cementum and dentin in people with gingival recession, resulting root exposure.

Tooth whitening actually requires modifying the intrinsic tooth color, chemically alterating the chromophores within the tooth. Whitening toothpastes using bicarbonate, alumina and polyphosphates cannot whiten teeth; All they can do is contribute to stain removal. Whitening requires bleaching or enzymatic disruption.

Acid penetration and dissolution has not been an acceptable method of whitening for nearly a century.

Many products claim whitening ability with various peroxides -- hydrogen, calcium or carbamide. For over-the-counter peroxide content is kept low. It has effervescence and maybe some short-lived bleaching because peroxide is rapidly broken down by oral enzymes from bacteria and saliva. Gels stay on longer, but must be used with a tray to work. Only whitening products used by dentists have ADA acceptance. Over-the-counter product manufacturers have never attempted such claims.

A product called NatureWhite contains carbamide peroxide is supposed to whiten your teeth dramatically with just one 45 Minute application. It is said to be the same thing that dentists use and that dentists use a 12% solution while NatureWhite uses a 22% solution. Crest white strips, by comparison, have a 3% solution.

Before whitening your teeth, you should find out if your teeth have thin enamel. This can cause your teeth to have a yellowish or brownish apperance. Whitening will not help in this situation and can make appearance worse and cause sensitivity.

There are herbs that have been used throughout history to whiten teeth. Sage boiled in water to make tea was said to strengthen gums and whiten teeth. During the middle ages, powdered mint leaves were used to whiten teeth. Charcoal was touted as the best powder to use for whitening teeth, removing tartar and preventing decay. Other common ingredients in tooth powders included: cream of tartar, camphor, white castile soap powder, cuttle fish bone, precipitated chalk, powdered borax, powdered gum myrrh, powdered orris root, and talc. The majority of these ingredients cleaned and whitened teeth.

Here are some other natural remedies :

Take a teaspoon of lemon juice and a tsp of salt. Make a paste. Apply this on the yellowish tint.

Use the inner white part of an orange peel to rub teeth for a lovely white shine.

Take half teaspoon of bi-carbonate of soda mixed with a little water to form a paste. Rub this on your teeth.

Dried & powdered Bay leaves combined with dried orange peel is an excellent whitener.

Strawberries, oddly enough are said to have cleansing and bleaching properties that can help remove of tea and coffee stains, especially from dentures. Crush the strawberries gently and rub the pulp onto your teeth. Rinse with water.

There are some new tooth pastes and products with Bromaine Complex, a combination of the natural enzymes, Bromelaine from pineapple, and Papain from papaya, said to be clinically proven to whiten teeth.

Dentizyme is an herbal remedy; it consists of a unique blend of bio-active plant enzymes, organic botanicals, rainforest botanicals, and essential oils. Dentizyme users report fewer or no gum disease symptoms, they also report that their gums look pinker and healthier along with excellent teeth whitening results and teeth stains are said to disappear entirely with continued use of this herbal extract.
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here is some info on zoom:

http://www.rebeccablood.net/archive/2007/01/teeth_whitening_caution.html

Price is $500 to $675

How does Zoom teeth whitening work?

This method consists of a mixture of gel and special light wave treatments. The patient is seated and the dentist uses a retractor to separate the lips from the teeth so that the gel can be applied. A special gel is then applied on all the exterior faces of the teeth. The dentist is careful, at this point, not to let the gel touch the patient’s gums too much, as it may cause irritation or lesions.

How long does it last and what effects can I expect?

The answers to the questions are different from one person to another. In most cases, a Zoom teeth whitening procedure is done twice a year. An average person who drinks coffee frequently and smokes daily will have improved tooth brightness - around 10 shades brighter. After the procedure is completed, the teeth will gradually start to regain their yellowish color over time, depending on how well you take care of them. On average, people who went through in office tooth whitening procedures noticed that their teeth stay white for months, although the initial brightness does not last more than a few weeks.
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for toothpaste, i recommend neydent or apagard and for a toothbrush, i recommend an ionic (not sonic) brush.

Neydent

NeyDent ® prevents caries and pain when the teeth are extremely sensitive. NeyDent ® also improves the blood flow, which strengthens the gums and builds up resistance against colds and infections.

or

APAGARD remineralizing toothpaste

• According to the Japan Corporate News Network, Japanese toothpaste manufacturer Sangi has developed a technology to control ultrafine particles. The company will start to distribute New-Apagard, a toothpaste based on the technology, in April 2004. Sangi claims the paste is highly effective in re-calcifying and whitening teeth.

Answer 9

No...