Post tooth whitening care: 4 ways to help repair the damage

Whitening treatments can cause tooth damage after whitening care products can help repair the damage.

Types of whitening

There are two main types of whitening treatments, those that clean surface stains and those that bleach the tooth.

Most of the supermarket brands of toothpaste that claim ‘whitening’ contain nothing more than abrasives that help remove surface stains.  In Australia, there currently is no requirement for manufacturers to substantiate the ‘whitening’ claims of these toothpaste. Interestingly some dental researchers are now suggesting that toothpaste should reduce their abrasiveness because of the long-term damage that can be done to the tooth’s surface.

For more noticeable results bleaching products are generally used. These contain a type of peroxides such as urea peroxide or carbamide peroxide that break down into hydrogen peroxide. The hydrogen chemically bleaches surface stains and the tooth itself.  Peroxide bleaching kits can be purchased at chemists, are used in salons and kiosks and by dentists.  Due to toxicity concerns only dentists can use or sell kits that have greater than a 6% hydrogen peroxide content (18% carbamide peroxide).

When undertaking whitening treatments, it is advised to consult a dentist. Only they can advise which whitening treatment will work for each patient and the potential side effects that could occur. This is especially important if you have fillings, crowns, sensitive teeth or extremely dark stains. Also, important to note that people with veneers cannot use whitening treatments.

Damage caused by peroxide-based whitening products

For bleaching to work it must penetrate the tooth, this causes mild pulpits to form which can last up to 2 weeks after the whitening process. To protect the tooth, it is suggested that a remineralising toothpaste be used to replace the minerals lost during the whitening process also the tubules that have become exposed or opened as part of the whitening process need resealing (occlusion).

BioMinF a solution to assist with damage caused by tooth whitening products

BioMinF toothpaste has 4 mechanisms that can assist with the repair and strengthening of the tooth’s enamel following a whitening treatment.

1. Slow-release fluoride. BioMinF has a unique slow release mechanism that delivers therapeutic levels of fluoride to teeth up to 6X longer than standard toothpaste.  All whilst having almost 60% less fluoride content!
2. High Remineralization rate. BioMinF has a high remineralisation rate, higher than the market leaders. High phosphate content and continually available fluoride work together to remineralise the tooth to a greater extent and faster than many traditional kinds of toothpaste.

3. Tubule Occlusion. A portion of BioMinF particles are capable of entering the tubules that have been exposed/opened up by whitening treatments. The ability to enter the tubules combined with available fluoride enables for superior occlusion with acid resistant fluorapatite forming on the dentinal tubules walls.
4. pH Balancing. Whitening treatments can cause an acidic environment. BioMinF dissolves at an increased rate in acidic environments helping to push pH towards neutrality and help to prevent tooth demineralisation.

Tooth whitening is commonplace today, with treatments ranging from a few visits to more than 10 sessions. Use BioMinF to help repair the damage and keep your teeth healthy.

Always consult your dentist prior to undertaking any treatment.

Fluorapatite is more resistant to acid than tooth enamel (hydroxyapatite) and hence gives greater protection against acid attack. Conventional toothpaste introduces fluoride during brushing, however, the fluoride rapidly diminishes at an exponential rate.

Article by Moira Crawford.  Fluoride contained within the glass structure of BioMinF is used more effectively, therefore less is required.

Note: This article makes mention to sensitivity. In Australia and NZ BioMinF is not approved to make sensitivity claims

The BioMinF molecule is able to slowly release fluoride, calcium and phosphate ions over a period of 8 to 12 hours. Effectively reducing demineralisation and help to increase remineralisation of the tooth and fight decay.