NYTimes “Well” Blog: Dentist Should Be Consulted Before Any Whitening Procedure

The New York Times (3/21, Saint Louis) “Well” blog considered “the healthiest and most effective way to whiten” teeth. The Times reports that “higher concentrations” of hydrogen peroxide “can be delivered in a dentist’s office, so those procedures tend to be quicker than drugstore aids.” While adding light to bleaching procedures is popular, “the light doesn’t really do anything, but the marketing behind it is so powerful,” director of the Gavel Center for Restorative Research at Tufts University School of Dental Medicine, Dr. Ronald D. Perry, said. Additionally, adding heat and lasers “may have an adverse effect on pulpal tissue,” according to a 2007 systematic review of evidence in the journal Dental Materials. Still, the Times reported, “Before any bleaching, even when it’s done at home, a dentist should check fillings and crowns, because, Dr. Perry said, applying peroxide to a restoration that is no longer perfectly sealed will be very sensitive.”