How Laser Teeth Whitening Works
By now most everyone has heard about laser teeth whitening. It’s caught on in the last several years because it can whiten your teeth very fast. We’re talking several shades of white in just one treatment fast. It sounds great and it is great, but how in the heck does it work so fast?
The secret to the speed of this kind of dental whitening is the combination of light and whitening gel. You see the whitening gel (or more specifically the active ingredient in the gel) reacts to the light and heat of the laser light in a specific way. The molecules in the gel start to vibrate faster after being exposed to the light – more light, more vibration. This vibration excites, or speeds up, the chemical bleaching reaction inside the gel and what you get is a faster whitening process.
It’s as if the whitening gel decided to work double-time. All of those tiny molecules go after the stains in all of the micro-fractures on the outer surface as well as the inner surface of your teeth just as they would normally, only faster. The result is whiter teeth in less time.
Now the teeth whitening gels that are used for these treatments usually have a relatively high concentration of peroxide. That means they need to be handled and applied to your teeth carefully. And a laser is not something you want to be playing around with either. So these kinds of treatments are still usually the domain of the dentist’s office. But that’s good because it ensures a minimum of gum irritation or other side effects.
So if you think laser teeth bleaching is for you, first have a discussion with your dentist. Find out everything you can, especially how much it will cost. And if you still think it’s the right treatment for you, go for it and be prepared for whiter teeth in no time.
