Did you know that your teeth are like onions? They have layers, and each one is different from the last. Many people don’t know about the layers of their teeth, leading to confusion when it comes to dental procedures and the teeth whitening process. The Novashine Smile Team decided to break down the major layers of your teeth and how whitening products impact them.
The Enamel
The enamel is the outermost layer of your teeth, aka the white part that makes up our smiles! While it’s a fairly thin covering around the more sensitive parts of your teeth, it’s also the toughest tissue in our entire body. This layer protects the soft tissue underneath while you bite and break down food. It also shields you from temperature and chemical sensitivity. When your teeth become sensitive to pressure or temperature, the most likely culprit is your enamel wearing down and exposing the inner layers of your teeth.
When it comes to whitening, the enamel is the key component to focus on. Since it’s the outermost layer, it develops surface stains from food, drinks, and other products you put in your body. The main goal of teeth whitening is to remove extrinsic stains from the surface of your enamel and penetrate the enamel to reach some intrinsic stains.
The Novashine Teeth Whitening Kit uses hydrogen peroxide as its main bleaching agent to remove stains from the enamel. The hydrogen peroxide penetrates the enamel through small pores in its surface, allowing for deeper whitening results.
Any whitening product can strip minerals from your teeth since they contain bleaching agents. While saliva usually re-mineralizes your teeth throughout the day, It’s important to have ingredients that can amplify it when whitening your teeth. The Novashine Teeth Whitening Kit contains small amounts of fluoride to enhance your enamel while whitening.
The Dentin
The dentin is the layer that sits under the enamel. This dense layer is made up of microscopic tubules. The tubules are small, hollow canals that lead to the center of the tooth. Imagine a bunch of tiny little straws packed together: That’s the dentin. As soon as your enamel wears away, chemicals and substances with intense temperatures (ex: ice cream) can stimulate the nerves deep in the center of your teeth.
A lot of people have been turned off from whitening their teeth because the product they used allowed hydrogen peroxide to pierce the enamel and travel through the dentin to the nerves.
The Novashine Teeth Whitening Kit uses potassium nitrate, an ingredient commonly found in toothpaste for sensitive teeth. Potassium nitrate temporarily clogs the tubules found in the dentin, preventing painful substances from reaching the nerves on your teeth!
The Pulp Chamber
Finally, the pulp chamber is the innermost layer of your teeth. This chamber contains soft tissue, nerves, and blood vessels. The blood flow through this area aids the dentin and the enamel in fighting off and repairing damage done by bacteria. You never want chemicals to reach the pulp of your teeth!
Other Considerations
The layers of your teeth aren’t the only things to consider when whitening. The gums are extremely sensitive and prone to receding, exposing more of your teeth. It’s important to choose safe whitening products that protect your gums as well as your teeth! The Novashine Teeth Whitening Kit uses a mouthpiece to keep the whitening gel on your teeth and off your gums. And, as an added bonus, our whitening kit uses Xylitol as a sweetener. This sugar alternative is beneficial for the enamel and gums, as it prevents decay causing bacteria and plaque from growing over time.
Reminder: The layers of your teeth are unique to each person! Before whitening, each user should consider their experience with sensitivity and surface stains then research the product they plan on using! Novashine has the ingredients to improve the appearance of your teeth while still keeping them safe.