How Tooth Whitening Works

Common concern patients express to their dentists is the color of their teeth. Your teeth can darken and become stained over the years for several reasons. If you’re interested in teeth whitening near Peoria, watch this video for a better understanding of how this cosmetic dental procedure works.

When you visit your dentist for a teeth whitening appointment, he applies a gel to your teeth that contains safe concentrations of carbamide or hydrogen peroxide, which both act as bleaching agents. The bleaching agent has strong, oxidizing properties that break up the chromogens on your teeth, which are what cause them to appear dark and discolored. Teeth whitening agents that are used by dentists contain high concentrations of bleaching agents, providing more rapid results than at-home treatment options.