Teeth Whitening vs. Teeth Bleaching

Believe it or not, teeth whitening is not the same as teeth bleaching. While they generally have the same result (whiter teeth), they aren’t the same process. The difference lies in what the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) determines in “bleaching.”

Bleaching is the process of removing color from a substance. Seems like kind of a dumb semantic difference, but it’s important in one aspect: teeth bleaching does not necessarily mean teeth get whiter, just that they have color removed.

The reason this is an important difference is because cosmetically, teeth bleaching can only remove color, but the base color of the teeth will remain. People generally have an undertone of light brown, gray, or yellow to their teeth due to the coloration of the substrate underneath the enamel. Coloration on that level (under the enamel) is usually called intrinsic coloring, referring to the “base” coloration of the teeth.

Usually, only the deep “intrinsic” bleaches used in a dentist’s office can really change that base color. So most teeth bleaching will not make teeth “white” per se, but they can reduce the discoloration that makes them appear dirty. The everyday coffee, tea, tobacco, and other stains that make most of our teeth’s discoloration can be reduced or eliminated with teeth bleaching.

teeth-whitening2 For true teeth whitening, however, you’ll likely need to see a dentist and take part in a more intensive therapy to remove the discoloration. No matter what your teeth whitening plans, you will want to get a good cleaning before you start as even teeth bleaching can only do so much for very dirty teeth.

When you are shopping for a teeth whitening solution, make sure that you look for the seal of the American Dental Association (ADA) so you know that you’re getting something that’s been approved to be safe for your teeth. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only tests over-the-counter teeth bleaching solutions to be safe for ingestion (food) as they are not considered medicines (drugs).

So be aware of what you will be using and whether it is effective and safe to use.

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