Dental cleaning and teeth whitening are procedures related to aesthetics and health. However, these procedures are not substitutes for one another, they are very different and have different purposes. In today’s post we are going to explain what each one consists of and what their differences are.

Dental cleaning

As we have discussed on previous occasions, a complete dental cleaning includes brushing, flossing and rinsing with mouthwash. In addition, it is also advisable to use interdental brushes to reach all the spaces in the mouth and not let germs stay in our mouth. However, even though your dental cleaning ritual is complete, it is possible that you will not finish eliminating all the bacteria since there are always areas of difficult access where traditional methods do not reach.

This is where professional oral cleaning comes in, always from the hand of a dentist. This process lasts about 30 minutes and the best way to prevent accumulations of tartar and periodontal diseases such as gingivitis or periodontitis, in addition this process allows to eliminate stains on the teeth caused by tobacco, coffee, wine, tea, etc.

There are two types of procedures for a professional dental cleaning:

The first is manual cleaning, in it the hygienist uses a series of instruments to reach each corner of the mouth and remove the tartar located both above and below the gum.

The second is cleaning with ultrasound, this dental cleaning is faster than manual cleaning, since thanks to the use of ultrasound there is a vibration that facilitates the removal of tartar without damaging the tooth.

Teeth whitening

This procedure is purely cosmetic, as it is performed in order to achieve shiny white teeth. Tooth whitening must be carried out by a specialist and several sessions are necessary to achieve a good result, even the treatment can be followed from home with the necessary material and under medical prescription. However, before performing a teeth whitening, the evaluation of the dentist is necessary, since it is not recommended for people who suffer from dental hypersensitivity, who have cavities or periodontal disease.

There is a wide variety of whitening techniques, these are the best known:

Dental whitening in clinic by photoactivation. It is a type of whitening where the results are seen from the first session. The session usually lasts about 45 minutes and with it a lightening of up to 8 tones is achieved. The treatment is simple, it consists of isolating the gums, tongue and palate using a special cover and then applying a hydrogen peroxide-based whitening gel that is activated with an LED light on the teeth.

Teeth whitening at home. This type of teeth whitening is performed at home under the supervision of a dentist, for this you need moulds of the teeth itself and apply the whitening gel to each tooth. The cells are placed in the mouth for a certain time as directed by the dentist.

Mixed whitening. This type of whitening is the most complete since it combines the two procedures mentioned above, photoactivation whitening and that carried out at home. With it, a longer duration of results is achieved and up to 10 teeth whiter tones.

Internal whitening. When a person has a root canal, they run the risk of losing tooth colour. This is because by eliminating the nerve and vascularization within the tooth, it darkens. In this type of case, internal whitening is the treatment that allows the tooth to be restored to colour.

As we have seen, cleaning and teeth whitening are different processes and not substitutes. However, they are perfectly complementary, since combining them is perfect to enhance the benefits of both treatments and achieve healthy, clean and white teeth.