Whitening
Tooth whitening uses peroxide to lighten stain in natural teeth, but a dental examination comes first when decay, gum disease, or sensitivity is present.
The short answer
Tooth whitening uses peroxide to lighten stain in natural teeth, but a dental examination comes first when decay, gum disease, or sensitivity is present. Existing restorations do not whiten like enamel.
What is the direct answer?
What does this question mean?
Hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide breaks down coloured molecules within enamel and dentine. Surface deposits may also improve with professional cleaning, while intrinsic changes such as fluorosis, trauma, or tetracycline staining may respond differently.
What can you do next?
Arrange an examination and cleaning before selecting in-clinic whitening, a dentist-made tray, or another supervised method. Follow the prescribed gel amount and contact time, and pause if sensitivity or gum burning develops.
When should you seek dental care?
Seek care for toothache, a single dark tooth, bleeding gums, exposed roots, or sensitivity that continues after whitening. These findings can signal pulp disease, decay, cracks, recession, or another problem needing diagnosis.
What should you ask the dentist?
Ask which stain is present, whether whitening will match your fillings or crowns, and which method fits your enamel and gum condition. Ask how sensitivity will be reduced and when the shade should be reviewed.
Frequently asked questions
Does whitening remove dental plaque?
No. Cleaning removes plaque and calculus; whitening changes the colour of natural tooth structure.
Why is one tooth darker than the others?
A dark single tooth can follow trauma, pulp damage, decay, or a restoration and should be examined before whitening.