Frequently Asked Questions

Tooth Whitening

Date Posted: 7/12/2005

Question
How are surface stains treated?

Answer
There are at least 3 options to consider.

• Surface stains can be removed by a dentist or dental hygienist using a number of cleaning and polishing methods. This is the quickest method, and it can also achieve “tooth lightening” (see below).
• The second option is to use a whitening toothpaste. These have special abrasives included in the paste which allow them to also remove some surface stain from easy-to-reach surfaces during normal toothbrushing.
• The third option is a paint-on whitening treatment (see below), since these have ingredients which can dissolve surface stains.

Regardless of which option you choose, lifestyle factors need to be considered since surface stains can reform quickly depending on your dietary and other habits.
More questions in this category:

Should teeth be white?
Which dentist can bleach my teeth?
What are the likely causes of tooth discolouration?
Why is it important to know the likely causes of tooth discolouration?
How are surface stains treated?
What are “conventional” whitening toothpastes and how do they work?
What is tooth lightening?
How are internal stains treated?
Are there issues with oxygen-based bleaching methods?
Are peroxides safe to use?
What are advanced formula whitening toothpastes and how do they work?
Paint-on whitening treatments
Adhesive strips
“Home tray vital bleaching”
“Power bleaching”
How effective is home bleaching in whitening the teeth?
Is home bleaching safe?
What is home bleaching?
Are bleaching toothpastes very effective?
How long does the bleaching last?

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