Dentists wary of salon teeth-whitening treatments (AP) (Yahoo)

[NewsBot]

http://d.yimg.com/img.news.yahoo.com/util/anysize/130,http%3A%2F%2Fd.yimg.com%2Fa%2Fp%2Fap%2F2009022 5%2Fcapt.5e76f4f7d2844cd0b445c829e3914b9f.teeth_wh itening_dispute_aljm101.jpg?v=2 (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090225/ap_on_re_us/teeth_whitening_dispute)AP - When Kelly Markos started offering teeth whitening in her upscale salon, she thought it would be a nice addition to her lineup of eyelash extensions, temporary tattoos and custom makeup.




Read the full article... (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090225/ap_on_re_us/teeth_whitening_dispute)

(From Yahoo)

[Bryanna]

My personal opinion on tooth whitening being done in a beauty salon is that it can be permanently harmful to the person receiving the treatment. For the simple reason that many people are not safe candidates for professional tooth whitening and beauticians are not educated in giving the proper oral exam necessary to determine if the customer is a good candidate or not.

Some reasons why professional whitening may not be right for everyone..

1)The whitening solution in professional bleaching kits is highly concentrated. This solution can kill a tooth/teeth that have active tooth decay, periodontal disease, or leaky restortions. These conditions are not always obvious to detect without the proper examination and/or dental radiographs.

2) The gum tissue needs to be properly protected before applying the whitening solution to prevent the tissue from burning. If the whitening solution remains on the gum tissue for any length of time a severe burn will occur. This holds true for the oral tissue anywhere in the mouth as well as the tongue.

3) If the customer has oral cancer, herpes or other irritations in their mouth, which are not always noticable by an untrained eye, the whitening solution will have caustic affects on those diseased, inflammed areas.

4) Dental restorations are not whitened or lightened by tooth whitening solutions. People with white fillings, crowns or veneers, anyplace in their smile line will find that the only teeth or portions of their teeth that will change color are those areas or teeth that are not restored. This can leave a customer with a smile that has many shades of color and not at all the uniform white look that they are seeking.

In my opinion, it is irrelevant whether or not the beauty technician or their customer is placing the whitening appliance in their mouths, the proper oral examination is not being done to protect the customers well being. For that reason alone, this service should be restricted to dental offices only.

With regard to over the counter bleaching solutions........ again, a complete oral evaluation should be done prior to rule out periodontal disease, decay, leaky fillings, or lesions of the oral tissue. Ironically, all whitening solutions work much more efficiently and are much more effective after a dental cleaning which removes the debris and staining from teeth which cannot be achieved with routine brushing at home.

With regard to the whitening tooth pastes..... if these are used on a daily basis, they will cause various degrees of erosion to occur on the enamel of the teeth due to the harsh abrasives contained in the paste. Enamel that has been erroded away...... permanently discolors the teeth to a yellow/brown shade!!

I hope those reading this will exercise some caution before whitening their teeth and take the proper steps to determine if they are a good candidate for it or not. After all, it is an elective procedure and the goal is to be happy with the outcome!

NewBot, thanks for posting this article!

Bryanna









http://d.yimg.com/img.news.yahoo.com/util/anysize/130,http%3A%2F%2Fd.yimg.com%2Fa%2Fp%2Fap%2F2009022 5%2Fcapt.5e76f4f7d2844cd0b445c829e3914b9f.teeth_wh itening_dispute_aljm101.jpg?v=2 (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090225/ap_on_re_us/teeth_whitening_dispute)AP - When Kelly Markos started offering teeth whitening in her upscale salon, she thought it would be a nice addition to her lineup of eyelash extensions, temporary tattoos and custom makeup.




Read the full article... (http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/health/*http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090225/ap_on_re_us/teeth_whitening_dispute)

(From Yahoo)

[Koala77]

Thank you so much for your comments Bryanna. They've certainly come at just the right time for me.

I'm embarrassed by my teeth now because they're no longer pearly white. I used to smoke, and lately I've seriously been thinking about whitening them. Because I'm disabled and no longer work, I have to survive on a disability pension and cannot afford non urgent dental treatment, so a dentist doing the treatment for me is completely out.

I saw a tooth whitening treatment on TV recently, which I guess by your comments is a bleach of some kind, but I had decided to order that until just now when I read what you wrote. I know the pastes that one can buy from pharmacies don't really whiten, and now I see that they erode the enamel off our teeth! :eek:

I won't be buying that product now, but apart from brushing etc, is there any other way I can whiten my teeth at home?

[Bryanna]

Hey Koala!

The over the counter whitening products contain a high concentrate of peroxide. If used correctly, it may harmlessly brighten your smile. However, it should not be used daily for more than a week at a time or for longer than a half hour at a time. These products will not work if your teeth are stained from coffee, tea, wine, or cigarettes unless the stain is professionally removed.

Some less abrasive ideas........
Baking soda. Brush with baking soda. It is naturally abrasive without any harmful effects on the enamel and it is great for the health of the gums. It can keep the stain on the teeth down to a minimum if used once daily (alternate with your other toothpaste or the one below) and that alone will make the teeth lighter!

Another good product is called Jason Powersmile Toothpaste. It is a nonabrasive all natural toothpaste with three natural whiteners.... Bamboo powder, calcium carbonate and silicia. It also has other ingredients that help block sugar acids and bacteria from building up in the mouth. My family has used this toothpaste for years with great results!

Let us know how you make out!

Bryanna



Thank you so much for your comments Bryanna. They've certainly come at just the right time for me.

I'm embarrassed by my teeth now because they're no longer pearly white. I used to smoke, and lately I've seriously been thinking about whitening them. Because I'm disabled and no longer work, I have to survive on a disability pension and cannot afford non urgent dental treatment, so a dentist doing the treatment for me is completely out.

I saw a tooth whitening treatment on TV recently, which I guess by your comments is a bleach of some kind, but I had decided to order that until just now when I read what you wrote. I know the pastes that one can buy from pharmacies don't really whiten, and now I see that they erode the enamel off our teeth! :eek:

I won't be buying that product now, but apart from brushing etc, is there any other way I can whiten my teeth at home?

[Koala77]

Thank you Bryanna. I'll give them a try.

[Kitt]

So what is good to use to clean a permanent bridge? I've always just brushed with simple toothpaste (Crest Cavity) - nothing added. Would baking soda be O.K. on the permanent bridge? Thinking about it, baking soda is what people brushed with in the old days;)

I hesitate now in the past few years to have them cleaned (permanent bridge) during my six month professional cleaning by a dental hygenist with her tools (rotating thing). The reason being that I think some of the finish is taken off by what they use. Perhaps not. (I don't know that finish is the right word - the glossy - the gleam or):D The bridge now is 48 years old. Thank you.

I would never use any whitening kit or toothpaste. Never had wanted to and my hygenist told me not to and I'm sure rightly so for me. My teeth are white enough and not discolored. All of them permanent bridge included.

[Bryanna]

Hi Kitt,

I'm assuming that your permanent bridge is not a removable appliance called a partial denture. It is permanently cemented on some teeth and replaces one or more missing teeth. Is that correct? Sometimes people refer to partial dentures as permanent bridges...... that's why I'm asking :-)

If it is in fact a permanent non removable bridge then there are a few things you should know if you have not already been told by your dentist. First, the cement that is used to hold permanent crowns and bridges only lasts for about 10 to maybe 15 years. After that time, the cement loses it's adhesiveness and although the crown or bridge may or may not feel loose, bacteria is able to get in underneath the crowns or bridgework. Perhaps you have had the bridge recemented a few times?

Secondly, porcelain naturally loses it's luster over time, again about 10-15 years from the time it was originally made for you. Your hygienist should be cleaning thoroughly around the gumline of that bridge and her rotating polisher will actually remove some of the stain on the porcelain making it appear to be more newer looking. It will not hurt the porcelain at all.

Toothpaste is good to use to clean your bridge every day. Brush it just like you do all of your teeth, especially the gumline. If you are content with the shade of your teeth, then by all means don't bleach them! You can achieve a brighter smile by using baking soda or a toothpaste like Jason Power Smile. Yes, baking soda can be used on your bridge as well .........

Thanks for sharing your story with us!

Bryanna




So what is good to use to clean a permanent bridge? I've always just brushed with simple toothpaste (Crest Cavity) - nothing added. Would baking soda be O.K. on the permanent bridge? Thinking about it, baking soda is what people brushed with in the old days;)

I hesitate now in the past few years to have them cleaned (permanent bridge) during my six month professional cleaning by a dental hygenist with her tools (rotating thing). The reason being that I think some of the finish is taken off by what they use. Perhaps not. (I don't know that finish is the right word - the glossy - the gleam or):D The bridge now is 48 years old. Thank you.

I would never use any whitening kit or toothpaste. Never had wanted to and my hygenist told me not to and I'm sure rightly so for me. My teeth are white enough and not discolored. All of them permanent bridge included.

[Kitt]

Yes, it is a permanent bridge. It is not removable. It has never been recemented. Yes, she is cleaning thoroughly around the gum line. I've been going there for probably 25 years now. It is good to know that I don't have to worry about her cleaning the four teeth that make up the bridge which is attached to the eye teeth.

It's also good to know that it is fine and always has been to brush them like my natural teeth. That is what I have been doing all of these years. And it's good to know that baking soda is fine as well.

The only problem I've had is that two years ago I had a small cavity filled in the top of the right eye tooth. Otherwise, so far so good. It certainly will be interesting to see how much longer this permanent bridge will last. I suspect from what you have said, that the eye teeth are decaying. Guess one day I'll know for certain. UGH! I have two lower molars which each have a crown. They are on the bottom - one on either side. So I suppose in 10-15 years they too will be pretty much gone. Nothing lasts forever. Learn something new everyday.

When it does fail and say the eye teeth or one of them at least is no good, should I have an oral surgeon pull it or the dentist if he will? Just wondering. He could not believe that my eye teeth were ground down to points at the time all those years ago and not to a nubbin as they do now I guess. My bridge is older than any of the girls are in the office and I believe my dentist was probably six years old when this was done. Of course he wasn't a dentist yet:tongue: It was a totally different dentist:D:laugh: And it never should have been done. I should have had braces as my teeth were all healthy that were pulled. (I mentioned that in previous posts awhile back).:icon_sad::OuttaHere:

Thanks so much for your help. I appreciate it:)

[Bryanna]

Hi Kitt,

That cavity in the top of the eye tooth 2 years ago is indicative of the cement losing it's bond with the bridge. What happens is the bond or seal is released like old glue on the back of an envelope. It is still there, but it's not sticky anymore. Bacteria seaps in and decay starts to occur. The dentist tries to patch up the area as best as he can, but decay usually occurs around the patched filling.

It would be wise to have periodic radiographs done of that area once a year to see the health of the roots of the eye teeth to make sure they are decaying. Yes, it is unfortuante that all too often the anchor teeth of a bridge are ground down so severely and this will jeopardize the health of these teeth...... and it is usually not necessary to ground them down that much. Hopefully your eye teeth are healthy enough to accomodate a new bridge in the future, if you decide to redue it sometime down the road.

As for your crowned lower teeth....... it is wiser to have new crowns done at least once every 10-15 years than it is to leave them on any longer than the bonding life of the cement. This ensures that the tooth stays healthy under the crown because when the cement gives out and the tooth decays, the tooth could be lost from the decay. If the tooth was prepared properly while doing the very first crown, there would be little to no reduction necessary for any subsequent crown. Of course, crowns are expensive and most people do not replace them every 10-15 years for that very reason! But it would be nice if we could without such financial hardship!! Most insurance plans will cover the cost (policy percentage) of replacement crowns once every 5 years. So that could be an incentive for some people to replace their old crowns.... one year at a time!

Bryanna




Yes, it is a permanent bridge. It is not removable. It has never been recemented. Yes, she is cleaning thoroughly around the gum line. I've been going there for probably 25 years now. It is good to know that I don't have to worry about her cleaning the four teeth that make up the bridge which is attached to the eye teeth.

It's also good to know that it is fine and always has been to brush them like my natural teeth. That is what I have been doing all of these years. And it's good to know that baking soda is fine as well.

The only problem I've had is that two years ago I had a small cavity filled in the top of the right eye tooth. Otherwise, so far so good. It certainly will be interesting to see how much longer this permanent bridge will last. I suspect from what you have said, that the eye teeth are decaying. Guess one day I'll know for certain. UGH! I have two lower molars which each have a crown. They are on the bottom - one on either side. So I suppose in 10-15 years they too will be pretty much gone. Nothing lasts forever. Learn something new everyday.

When it does fail and say the eye teeth or one of them at least is no good, should I have an oral surgeon pull it or the dentist if he will? Just wondering. He could not believe that my eye teeth were ground down to points at the time all those years ago and not to a nubbin as they do now I guess. My bridge is older than any of the girls are in the office and I believe my dentist was probably six years old when this was done. Of course he wasn't a dentist yet:tongue: It was a totally different dentist:D:laugh: And it never should have been done. I should have had braces as my teeth were all healthy that were pulled. (I mentioned that in previous posts awhile back).:icon_sad::OuttaHere:

Thanks so much for your help. I appreciate it:)

[Kitt]

Hi Brianna, I do not think that my dentist has radiographs. All he has, as far as I know, is where an x-ray is taken and you can see the results of the x-ray immediately. I'm wondering if that shows the roots. I would think so since the crown isn't way up there. Maybe I'm wrong. But, I know it did not show what is going on inside the crown. Is that what you mean by radiographs? Anyway, when they took the x-rays, it didn't show any decay up at the roots as far as I know. We'll see when I go in again for my regular cleaning in April.

I see your point about having new crowns put on the lower molars when the time comes. However, I do not have any kind of dental insurance and I never have had any. So that option is out due to the cost of crowns. It's sad but that's how it is for lots of people I suspect.

Also, when they recement a crown, do they take the crown off? If so, isn't there a risk of breaking the tooth? Example the eye tooth? I can't imagine that they are lucky enough not to break the tooth. Maybe it's a hit and miss kind of thing:eek:

Well, we shall see where this all goes. Doesn't look very good now I suspect. It is just too bad that money always has to be the deciding factor when someone does not have insurance to cover anything like that that has to be done.

I appreciate your help very much. I will probably be asking more questions down the line. Again, thank you.:)

P.S. Another question. The right eye tooth has that small cavity (small) which was filled two years ago. It is quite a ways above the end of the cap. Would that eye tooth be O.K. to put another crown on if the rest of it is good and turned out good after the present cap was removed? Or would I just be asking for trouble with that one being it already has a little filling? What do you think without knowing anymore? Thanks much!



Hi Kitt,

That cavity in the top of the eye tooth 2 years ago is indicative of the cement losing it's bond with the bridge. What happens is the bond or seal is released like old glue on the back of an envelope. It is still there, but it's not sticky anymore. Bacteria seaps in and decay starts to occur. The dentist tries to patch up the area as best as he can, but decay usually occurs around the patched filling.

It would be wise to have periodic radiographs done of that area once a year to see the health of the roots of the eye teeth to make sure they are decaying. Yes, it is unfortuante that all too often the anchor teeth of a bridge are ground down so severely and this will jeopardize the health of these teeth...... and it is usually not necessary to ground them down that much. Hopefully your eye teeth are healthy enough to accomodate a new bridge in the future, if you decide to redue it sometime down the road.

As for your crowned lower teeth....... it is wiser to have new crowns done at least once every 10-15 years than it is to leave them on any longer than the bonding life of the cement. This ensures that the tooth stays healthy under the crown because when the cement gives out and the tooth decays, the tooth could be lost from the decay. If the tooth was prepared properly while doing the very first crown, there would be little to no reduction necessary for any subsequent crown. Of course, crowns are expensive and most people do not replace them every 10-15 years for that very reason! But it would be nice if we could without such financial hardship!! Most insurance plans will cover the cost (policy percentage) of replacement crowns once every 5 years. So that could be an incentive for some people to replace their old crowns.... one year at a time!

Bryanna

[Bryanna]

Hi Kitt,

Radiographs are xrays. You described what is called digital xrays/radiographs. They do show the tooth and roots in their entirety if they are taken correctly. No xray can shoot through the metal substructure of a crown, so no, you can't see if the tooth is decaying underneath the crown. Crowns that are all porcelain without any metal are a different story. Xrays do penetrate porcelain which makes the inside of the crown visible on the radiograph.

Yes, anytime you remove a crown you take the chance of ruining it. If the tooth is healthy, it will not break but the porcelain on the crown can chip. Sometimes when the bond of the cement has broken, the crowns or bridge can be easily removed and recemented. Does your hygienist and dentist check your bridge for mobility when they check your teeth?

It is very hard to properly fill a cavity that is way above the gumline. Visually, the dentist cannot see it so he checks the filling on an xray. Another issue with a filling below the gumline is that the filling material itself is irritating to the gum tissue and this eventually causes some recession in that area of the gumline. To be truthful...... it is questionable whether or not that eye tooth would be able to hold another long span bridge like you have. Chances are your dentist would suggest to make a longer span bridge which would include the teeth behind each eye tooth. But for now, just keep it clean and watch for any signs of the gum receeding or any swelling or unusual discomfort. You may get more time out of this than you think!

It is funny how few people are actually proactive in replacing their old crowns. It is the way we are taught to view dentistry and have been misinformed that a dental restoration is good forever. If we were taught that our teeth are just as important as say the tires on our car, we'd be more inclined to replace the restorations when they wear out. But it's hard to afford tires and dental crowns at the same time!!

So many of us are just trying to squeak by and we can only do...... what we can do.

Kitt, thanks for sharing your story......

Bryanna





QUOTE=Kitt;472992]Hi Brianna, I do not think that my dentist has radiographs. All he has, as far as I know, is where an x-ray is taken and you can see the results of the x-ray immediately. I'm wondering if that shows the roots. I would think so since the crown isn't way up there. Maybe I'm wrong. But, I know it did not show what is going on inside the crown. Is that what you mean by radiographs? Anyway, when they took the x-rays, it didn't show any decay up at the roots as far as I know. We'll see when I go in again for my regular cleaning in April.

I see your point about having new crowns put on the lower molars when the time comes. However, I do not have any kind of dental insurance and I never have had any. So that option is out due to the cost of crowns. It's sad but that's how it is for lots of people I suspect.

Also, when they recement a crown, do they take the crown off? If so, isn't there a risk of breaking the tooth? Example the eye tooth? I can't imagine that they are lucky enough not to break the tooth. Maybe it's a hit and miss kind of thing:eek:

Well, we shall see where this all goes. Doesn't look very good now I suspect. It is just too bad that money always has to be the deciding factor when someone does not have insurance to cover anything like that that has to be done.

I appreciate your help very much. I will probably be asking more questions down the line. Again, thank you.:)

P.S. Another question. The right eye tooth has that small cavity (small) which was filled two years ago. It is quite a ways above the end of the cap. Would that eye tooth be O.K. to put another crown on if the rest of it is good and turned out good after the present cap was removed? Or would I just be asking for trouble with that one being it already has a little filling? What do you think without knowing anymore? Thanks much!

[/QUOTE]

[Kitt]

Hi Breanna,

I understand it now. I googled radiographs and found as you said that they cannot show anything under the metal. My crowns obviously have metal under the porcelain.

The filling isn't really that far up. It's just that I cannot see it. There is no swelling or aching going on. If there was, I would know that I am in trouble.

It makes sense too that when removing a crown a healthy tooth shouldn't break. However, one that has decay, etc. more than likely would. And yes, they do check my bridge for mobility.

My dentist is very careful in explaining different things and what the options might be if I did have to think about having the bridge and crowns removed. Options, of course, would be whatever might be found when the bridge and crowns have to come off. And the decisions made will be whatever I decide to do along with the help of my dentist when the time comes.

I am not going to jump into anything. I will bide my time and I really hope that I can squeeze out at least another five years or so. That would be great. But, I will take what comes.

Thank you for helping me.