Surface stainings caused by the consumption of coffee, tea, or tobacco can be removed by a professional dental cleaning. Subjacent stainings of teeth, however, require the use of special bleaching agents, to regain the natural white, provided, of course, teeth and periodontium are healthy. If the bleaching agents were used on a tooth with caries or a defective filling, they could enter the dental structure and cause further damage.

A distinction is made between home and in-office bleaching:

In-office bleaching

Here, the dentist applies the bleaching agent onto the teeth externally. Depending on the situation, the teeth are whitened altogether or adjusted to the brighter colour of a chosen veneer or crown restoration. The treatment takes about one hour and has to be repeated up to three times depending on the bleaching agent and the degree of staining.

Home bleaching

Home bleaching is carried out at home according to the exact instructions of the dentist. The dentist will provide the necessary equipment: an individually customized plastic splint together with the bleaching agent. The splint is filled with the agent and applied to the teeth for one or more hours a day. The desired result is usually reached within 7 to 14 days.

Additionally, numerous over-the-counter-bleachings are available at chemists and supermarkets. But caution: if used without the advice of a dentist, there is an increased risk of damages to teeth and periodontium, while the efficiency of such means is small compared to professional methods.