05/22/2024
Do you want healthy, hard, strong teeth that reflect light and appear white, or glowng white teeth with a mouthful of consequences?
Here’s what I’ve learned in a recent oral care bootcamp.
Many whitening products use acids to pull minerals from teeth, a process similar to etching glass. Other methods involve abrasive scrubbing, which removes vital layers of enamel and healthy biofilm. Peroxide-based products bleach teeth by etching enamel and altering structural proteins within the tooth, which can make teeth appear whiter but also changes their structure.
A mineralized tooth, packed with minerals, is hard, strong, healthy, and white looking. The surface of a healthy tooth behaves like a translucent diamond, reflecting light to appear white and bright. In contrast, soft or rough teeth absorb light, look darker, and may reveal the yellowish dentin beneath the surface.