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CNN Saturday Morning News
Weekend House Call
Aired February 14, 2004 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, Weekend House Call with Holly Firfer.
HOLLY FIRFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning and welcome to Weekend House Call.
It's Valentine's Day so we're going to do our best to keep you kissable. Teeth whitening is just one of those ways. It's become a billion dollar a year industry, with options ranging from grocery store brands to the dentist's office.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FIRFER (voice-over): To most of us, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart's kiss was more than just a kiss in "Casablanca." And who didn't wish they were "Here To Eternity" and in Burt Lancaster or Deborah Karr's arms? If you want to keep your mandible magical, there are plenty of options to keep those pearlies white. If your teeth are slightly discolored, you might be a good candidate for over the counter whitening products like strips or paint on materials. The cost for these range from $10 to $100 for a two week treatment.
What about those toothpastes that claim to whiten, brighten and perk up your pucker? Well, some of those products are not bleaching agents, they're abrasives, so they work by polishing off surface stains.
DR. CARY GOLDSTEIN, DMD, GOLDSTEIN CENTER: Whitening is taking the stains off. Bleaching is actually going into the tooth and whitening the tooth from the inside out, because the discoloration that most of us see is inside the tooth.
FIRFER: Bleaching trays, which you can get from your dentist, are an option to remove those deeper stains for whiter results. OK, going to bed looking like a hockey player may not be so romantic, but it holds the bleaching gel against the tooth and...
GOLDSTEIN: It oxidizes much faster and you get a better result. And with some of the materials, you can get a whitening in three or four days.
FIRFER: The cost? Up to $500 for the trays and gel.
GOLDSTEIN: Other people want something that's much faster and they want a laser style treatment, meaning that we'll use a very strong, usually between 25 and 35 percent hydrogen peroxide, and we use that strong bleach for about an hour and a half three to five visits to get a very bright white color.
FIRFER: Each of those treatments is about $500. Dentists warn there are certain people who should not whiten their teeth -- if you're pregnant or nursing, children whose teeth are still developing and those with gum disease or cavities. The American Dental Association says, however, there are no studies that have shown adverse effects from tooth whitening when properly administered, but warn over use or abuse of any product can be harmful.
The most common side effects for patients, they say, are sensitive gums. So pucker up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FIRFER: As you can see, there are a lot out there to choose from when it comes to whitening your teeth. But what causes them to darken in the first place? That's a good question.
Teeth naturally get duller as we age and certain medications taken as a child, such as tetracycline, can give teeth a grayish hue. Now, excessive fluoride use can also give your teeth a chalky look and if you're teeth get banged or injured, they can also get discolored.
But there are some things we can do to stop our teeth from darkening unnecessarily like stop smoking and avoid drinks such as coffee, tea and red wine or eating dark berries. Basically, if it stains the carpet, it's going to stain your teeth.
Call in with your questions now about getting a whiter, fresher smile. That's 1-800-807-2620. Or you can e-mail us at housecall@cnn.com
Well, joining us this morning to talk about keeping your teeth healthy and bright is Dr. Peter Vanstrom.
He's got his own practice here in Atlanta and provides a full range of services, from oral health and hygiene to cosmetics and implants.
Good morning, doctor.
Thanks for joining us.
DR. PETER VANSTROM, DENTIST: Good morning.
Good to be here.
FIRFER: Glad to have you here.
We've got a lot of e-mails and calls lined up, so let's just jump right in with these e-mail from Sonny in Massachusetts, who writes, "I used to have extremely white teeth, but after I had braces in my 30s, they became dull. They seem to really pick up coffee and red wine stains. Am I doomed to this condition or is there something I can do about it?"
Does having braces make a difference or is this just a difference or is this just a sign of being in your 30s in age?
VANSTROM: Well, actually, having braces can make a difference. Initially, you want to be sure that you get all the composite bonding that held those braces in place off your teeth. Once that's off your teeth, then whitening should be no problem at all and bring it back up to that smile that he had before.
FIRFER: Great. I'm sure Sonny's glad to hear that.
OK, another e-mail now, getting a little bit more specific about coffee stains. Kasja -- I hope I'm pronouncing your name right -- she's from Connecticut and asks, "How can I get my teeth whiter? I drink coffee and I don't want to stop." I can relate. "What should I do?"
And, doctor, there's a rumor around that drinking through a straw, you know, we've all heard that, if you drink through a straw you, it doesn't touch your teeth so they won't darken.
Is that true?
VANSTROM: Well, I think that would be quite a challenge, actually, to drink through a straw and avoid your teeth completely. I think the important thing here is I'd like to see her keep drinking her coffee. There's a lot of ways that you can maintain that white, bright smile after you've achieved that. There are whitening toothpastes that you can stay on a maintenance program and also after you get your teeth cleaned at the dentist you might do a touch up. We have touch up kits of one or two gels that go back and you can use in your tray and you can touch up that smile about every six months and keep it right where it was.
FIRFER: And when you said there's toothpaste, as we saw in our story, that, explain to us again. That's just for the surface.
VANSTROM: That's just for the surface. There are some on the market that do have the actual whitening gel, the carbomide peroxide is what whitens our teeth through the oxidation process. So you might look for that in those toothpastes.
FIRFER: OK, Amy in Pennsylvania is on the phone right now.
Good morning, Amy.
What's your question?
AMY: Well, I was wondering if there's any way to whiten dental work in addition to my natural teeth, because I have a partial plate in the front and I'd love to whiten my teeth, but I don't want it to look uneven.
FIRFER: So things like that, with bonding, that's a good question, Amy. Like the bonding or if you have fillings, will that change color or are you sort of stuck with what it is?
VANSTROM: Actually, you're pretty much stuck with what it is. That particular veneer that you have or particular crown, it will not get any whiter than it is. So you have to work with your dentist at that time to decide is it time for maybe some new teeth, some new crowns if you want to go up in shade.
FIRFER: OK, so you can match it? Or just match what you already have?
VANSTROM: Exactly.
FIRFER: OK. Got you. J.R. in North Carolina, he e-mails us and writes, "My teeth have had a yellow cast since early childhood and have been a source of constant embarrassment to me. I've tried several commercially available whitening agents, but they only address surface stains. Is there anything out there that can change the natural color of my teeth?"
Now, I know J.R., as we said earlier, there's some basic guidelines when it comes to how effective teeth whitening can be. Yellowish teeth that seem to have darkened as you've aged generally respond well to bleaching. Brownish colored teeth respond less well and grayish or purple stained teeth may not respond well at all or may take longer to see some whitening occur.
So, doctor, what would your advice to J.R. be?
VANSTROM: Well, I think the only thing in that question I'd like clarification on is when he says commercial whiteners, is he using the over the counter whiteners or is he using the professional strength products, which are a lot stronger? I'd look into that if I were him.
FIRFER: Because the professional strength ones go inside the tooth? Is that the difference?
VANSTROM: Well, it's -- no, it's actually the concentration of the bleaching agent itself. It's a higher concentration. It's monitored by your dentist so it's safer to use. Through the dentist we can monitor sensitivity. We can monitor results and we can adjust according to what the patient's needs are.
FIRFER: So would a good rule of thumb be just for someone to say all right, let me try some over the counter stuff and see how that goes and then maybe progress or, you know, talk to their dentist about it and take it one step at a time?
VANSTROM: Actually, that's a nice approach. I have a lot of patients who want to save money, of course, up front, and it's a lot less expensive when you go over the counter.
FIRFER: Right.
VANSTROM: But if you don't get the results you want, come talk to your dentist and he can help you.
FIRFER: OK, great.
Now, Kim in Texas, she wants to know, "What is the best treatment for discolored teeth due to tetracycline?" Now, we know tetracycline was a drug that some people had taken. It makes the teeth grayish and yellow, very difficult, if not impossible, to bleach.
VANSTROM: It is difficult. Tetracycline is probably one of the most difficult. And it is that dark internal stain that's present. There have been studies done where people have whitened their teeth for six months straight to a year and have had some success with the tetracycline stain. But usually those patients, after they've gone through whitening, if they're not satisfied, we go ahead and do porcelain laminate veneers for those people, to get that smile exactly as white as they like.
FIRFER: OK, great.
We have a lot more e-mails and questions coming. From the dentist's chair to your own home, though, we're going to check out those do it yourself whiteners coming up. You've seen them on the shelves promising to make your pearlies white -- toothpaste, gels, strips and brush-ons. Well, how safe are they and who can benefit the most from using them?
Give us a call now to ask your questions about 1-800-807-2620 or e-mail us at housecall@cnn.com.
We're going to be right back.
COMMERCIAL
FIRFER: Welcome back to Weekend House Call.
Every week, winners of ABC's "Extreme Makeover" get new smiles from the truly extreme to teeth whitening and even veneers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The problem on your upper teeth is this dark band. That's called tetracycline stain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tetracycline is an antibiotic. The problem with tetracycline is that it turns your teeth gray.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With zoom whitening and porcelain veneers, Dr. Dorfman restores David's smile.
DAVID: He made me smile a little bit more.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FIRFER: Well, as we talked about earlier, tetracycline stains do require a visit to the dentist for whitening, but not everyone with discolored teeth needs an extreme makeover in order to see results that will make them smile.
Store shelves are brimming with products to help whiten your teeth, from gels to strips to wipes to gum and brush-ons. You can lighten your own teeth in the privacy of your own home and for less money than at the dentist's office.
But are they for everyone?
We've got Dr. Peter Vanstrom with us this morning to help us with all of your questions.
And first, let's go to an e-mail from Richard in Rio de Janeiro. And he wants to know what products are available for the public to use at home to help whiten teeth and also are there any negative side effects to those whitening toothpastes?
VANSTROM: Well, the second question, there's no problem with the whitening toothpastes. They're a little bit abusive, but they're not abusive enough to cause any damage. No problem at all. And the home whitening was the other question. There are a vast array of home whitening products available. You just walk through your drugstore and you can see that this is overwhelming how many products are there. So kind of hunt and choose and pick something you want to try and see how it works on you.
FIRFER: Great.
OK, we have a phone call from Frank in Virginia now.
Frank, good morning.
What is your question for Dr. Vanstrom?
FRANK: Good morning.
These whitening toothpastes over the counter, after a while is that going to damage the gums? Because each time I use next day it's the same thing, you know, I don't get best results. But I buy the best thing which is they are offering over the counter.
FIRFER: That's a good question.
Thank you, Frank.
You know, you get some of that sensitivity and long-term use, could that be dangerous? Is there a certain amount of time you should use these things?
VANSTROM: Well, I don't know if it's as much dangerous as a comfort issue. If you're not comfortable with the ingredients that are in that toothpaste, you may be reacting to those a little bit. And if you're having gum sensitivity or sores in your mouth, I would go back to a nice basic toothpaste, the old, maybe the old-fashioned toothpaste they used in the early days with nothing in it but the paste to clean your teeth and see if that goes away.
FIRFER: And at that point maybe talk to your dentist if you need other options, work with them?
VANSTROM: Right.
FIRFER: OK. Great.
Megan in Pennsylvania has a question. She writes, "I'm currently using an over the counter whitening gel and it's making my teeth ache. Is this normal? And why am I in such pain?"
Is it really her teeth that are aching or is it the gums? Should your teeth be hurting?
VANSTROM: Well, it could be either. It could be her gums or it could be her teeth. My concern would be for her is what is causing the initial pain. If she's using an over the counter, she may not have been to a dentist yet and had an examination. Perhaps she has a cavity or two in there that's causing some discomfort. So go see your dentist and have that checked.
FIRFER: So it's good people will actually go and see their dentist perhaps after something like this.
Marilyn from Ontario wants to know, "Does using over the counter strips, gels and liquids weaken the enamel or diminish the integrity of your teeth?"
And I guess over long-term would that be a problem?
VANSTROM: It doesn't seem to be. I just went through about 250 journals looking up, trying to find some damages that bleaching may cause. Nothing long-term has been established either with the enamel or with the gums themselves.
FIRFER: Great.
OK, we've got a lot more e-mails and questions. Thank you. Bring 'em on. We want to hear from you. We have to take a quick break.
But there's another option out there besides whitening. Stay where you are for that.
Plus, is bad breath putting a crimp on your love life? When we come back, we're going to get some advice about getting fresh. No, your breath fresh, that is.
COMMERCIAL
FIRFER: Welcome back to Weekend House Call.
If whitening or bleaching isn't working for you or if have teeth that are shaped badly or even crooked, veneers may be the option. Veneers are thin custom made shells made of tooth colored materials, oftentimes porcelain. They're designed to cover the front of your tooth after a small amount of enamel is removed. While veneers won't last forever, you can usually expect them to last for several years.
And we've got an e-mail about those veneers from Troy in Virginia, who asks, "Is there anything that a person who has porcelain veneers can do to brighten them once they've started to discolor?" Now, I might be mistaken, but I thought veneers were not supposed to discolor. So if there is discoloration, do we have a problem?
VANSTROM: Not if it's just on the surface of the veneer. That may be just picked up a little bit of stain. But that's easily polished out. When you go in for your routine cleaning, by the time you get your polishing finished up, it's going to be right back where it was.
My only concern on this case is perhaps there's some leakage with that veneer. I'm not sure where he has that discoloration. If it's around the edges and around the periphery and he's got some brown stain, that's a concern. Go in and see your dentist about that.
FIRFER: Good advice.
OK, we have Chris from Virginia, who's on the phone right now.
Good morning, Chris.
CHRIS: Good morning.
FIRFER: What's your question? CHRIS: There's a new kind of veneer that I've seen ads for that doesn't require any enamel to be removed from your real teeth before the porcelain veneer is applied. I wanted to hear the doctor's thoughts on that.
VANSTROM: Well, that's a wonderful question because she's exactly right. There is a new type of veneer available and it takes minimal tooth reduction. I wouldn't guarantee no tooth reduction. You have to be careful when you're working on the veneer itself that it doesn't end up coming out too far. So you may take a little reduction. But it is a minimal prep and it's a really fine product.
FIRFER: Is that as sturdy as another veneer? Because obviously it would have to be a little thinner, I would imagine.
VANSTROM: It's a little thinner, but what they're claiming is that the design and the product itself is very, very strong.
FIRFER: OK. We've given you a lot of options to brighten your smile. But what happens if your breath is what's causing you problems? people spend billions of dollars every year to try and freshen their breath, sometimes to no avail.
And Jennifer in Virginia sounds like one of those people. She writes, "What's the best method to deal with recurring bad breath? I've done all the brushing, flossing, the mouthwash, the mints, etc. Please help."
So, doctor, what do you recommend for someone who might have halitosis?
VANSTROM: Well, it sounds like she's done a good extensive job of trying to find something to cover that up and she's not having great success. So there may be an underlying cause. There may be something that's causing this recurrent bad breath. It could be cavities. It could be gum disease. It could be something to do with acid reflux regurge.
So she needs to see her dentist and have a thorough examination and see what might be causing this and try to eliminate that. And they may even involve an ear, nose and throat specialist.
FIRFER: OK.
Garvey from Maryland asks, "Is it truly necessary to brush and floss morning and night? Is one time of day more important than another to avoid tooth decay?"
I know we brush when we wake up and we brush before we go to bed, but should we do it after meals? Can you brush too much, even?
VANSTROM: I don't think you can brush too much. And in America, especially on Valentine's Day's, like today, there's going to be a lot of people brushing teeth a lot today to get everything off their teeth. But there was a study done several years ago in Scandinavia, a very definitive study that showed that really once every 24 hours a thorough, thorough brushing. We have a lot of electric toothbrushes on the market today, some of them on display here, that really do a fine job. And you get the food and particles off once a day with flossing and brushing, that's sufficient.
FIRFER: Does it matter what time, morning or night?
VANSTROM: It doesn't really matter. Usually it's at night for most of us, because that's the time we get ready to go to bed and take a good night's sleep.
FIRFER: OK, great.
Now, we're not done yet. So grab a pen, because when we come back, we're going to give you some Web sites to check out for more information on teeth whitening and dental health.
COMMERCIAL
FIRFER: Click on ada.org for more information on everything from teeth whitening to oral hygiene. The American Dental Association site can also help you find a dentist in your area. The Cleveland Clinic information center is also a good resource at www.clevelandclinic.org/health. And do a search on teeth and find information on how to get that movie star smile.
All right, we're joined by Dr. Peter Vanstrom.
Thank you for your time this morning.
If there's one thing that people should walk away with this morning, what would it be, about your teeth?
VANSTROM: Well, today's dentistry allows you to have the whitest teeth possible and talk to your dentist about that and pursue that pretty smile and by next Valentine's Day, it'll be a whitest, brightest smile you've ever had.
FIRFER: And get your teeth cleaned how often?
VANSTROM: And get your teeth cleaned at least twice a year.
FIRFER: And see your dentist when you go to get your teeth cleaned?
VANSTROM: Twice a year.
FIRFER: Twice a year, all right.
VANSTROM: Twice a year.
FIRFER: We'll all walk around with great smiles.
Thanks so much for your time this morning.
VANSTROM: Thank you.
FIRFER: We appreciate it.
And that's all we have time for today.
Thank you all for being here and thank you for your e-mails and your phone calls. We sure do appreciate it.
Make sure to watch tomorrow's Weekend House Call when we talk about what's safe to eat these days. From mad cow to bird flu and mercury in the fish, what food is OK to eat? We're going to talk about it tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Thanks for watching.
I'm Holly Firfer.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired February 14, 2004 - 08:30 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
JAMIE MCINTYRE, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Now, Weekend House Call with Holly Firfer.
HOLLY FIRFER, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning and welcome to Weekend House Call.
It's Valentine's Day so we're going to do our best to keep you kissable. Teeth whitening is just one of those ways. It's become a billion dollar a year industry, with options ranging from grocery store brands to the dentist's office.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
FIRFER (voice-over): To most of us, Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart's kiss was more than just a kiss in "Casablanca." And who didn't wish they were "Here To Eternity" and in Burt Lancaster or Deborah Karr's arms? If you want to keep your mandible magical, there are plenty of options to keep those pearlies white. If your teeth are slightly discolored, you might be a good candidate for over the counter whitening products like strips or paint on materials. The cost for these range from $10 to $100 for a two week treatment.
What about those toothpastes that claim to whiten, brighten and perk up your pucker? Well, some of those products are not bleaching agents, they're abrasives, so they work by polishing off surface stains.
DR. CARY GOLDSTEIN, DMD, GOLDSTEIN CENTER: Whitening is taking the stains off. Bleaching is actually going into the tooth and whitening the tooth from the inside out, because the discoloration that most of us see is inside the tooth.
FIRFER: Bleaching trays, which you can get from your dentist, are an option to remove those deeper stains for whiter results. OK, going to bed looking like a hockey player may not be so romantic, but it holds the bleaching gel against the tooth and...
GOLDSTEIN: It oxidizes much faster and you get a better result. And with some of the materials, you can get a whitening in three or four days.
FIRFER: The cost? Up to $500 for the trays and gel.
GOLDSTEIN: Other people want something that's much faster and they want a laser style treatment, meaning that we'll use a very strong, usually between 25 and 35 percent hydrogen peroxide, and we use that strong bleach for about an hour and a half three to five visits to get a very bright white color.
FIRFER: Each of those treatments is about $500. Dentists warn there are certain people who should not whiten their teeth -- if you're pregnant or nursing, children whose teeth are still developing and those with gum disease or cavities. The American Dental Association says, however, there are no studies that have shown adverse effects from tooth whitening when properly administered, but warn over use or abuse of any product can be harmful.
The most common side effects for patients, they say, are sensitive gums. So pucker up.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FIRFER: As you can see, there are a lot out there to choose from when it comes to whitening your teeth. But what causes them to darken in the first place? That's a good question.
Teeth naturally get duller as we age and certain medications taken as a child, such as tetracycline, can give teeth a grayish hue. Now, excessive fluoride use can also give your teeth a chalky look and if you're teeth get banged or injured, they can also get discolored.
But there are some things we can do to stop our teeth from darkening unnecessarily like stop smoking and avoid drinks such as coffee, tea and red wine or eating dark berries. Basically, if it stains the carpet, it's going to stain your teeth.
Call in with your questions now about getting a whiter, fresher smile. That's 1-800-807-2620. Or you can e-mail us at housecall@cnn.com
Well, joining us this morning to talk about keeping your teeth healthy and bright is Dr. Peter Vanstrom.
He's got his own practice here in Atlanta and provides a full range of services, from oral health and hygiene to cosmetics and implants.
Good morning, doctor.
Thanks for joining us.
DR. PETER VANSTROM, DENTIST: Good morning.
Good to be here.
FIRFER: Glad to have you here.
We've got a lot of e-mails and calls lined up, so let's just jump right in with these e-mail from Sonny in Massachusetts, who writes, "I used to have extremely white teeth, but after I had braces in my 30s, they became dull. They seem to really pick up coffee and red wine stains. Am I doomed to this condition or is there something I can do about it?"
Does having braces make a difference or is this just a difference or is this just a sign of being in your 30s in age?
VANSTROM: Well, actually, having braces can make a difference. Initially, you want to be sure that you get all the composite bonding that held those braces in place off your teeth. Once that's off your teeth, then whitening should be no problem at all and bring it back up to that smile that he had before.
FIRFER: Great. I'm sure Sonny's glad to hear that.
OK, another e-mail now, getting a little bit more specific about coffee stains. Kasja -- I hope I'm pronouncing your name right -- she's from Connecticut and asks, "How can I get my teeth whiter? I drink coffee and I don't want to stop." I can relate. "What should I do?"
And, doctor, there's a rumor around that drinking through a straw, you know, we've all heard that, if you drink through a straw you, it doesn't touch your teeth so they won't darken.
Is that true?
VANSTROM: Well, I think that would be quite a challenge, actually, to drink through a straw and avoid your teeth completely. I think the important thing here is I'd like to see her keep drinking her coffee. There's a lot of ways that you can maintain that white, bright smile after you've achieved that. There are whitening toothpastes that you can stay on a maintenance program and also after you get your teeth cleaned at the dentist you might do a touch up. We have touch up kits of one or two gels that go back and you can use in your tray and you can touch up that smile about every six months and keep it right where it was.
FIRFER: And when you said there's toothpaste, as we saw in our story, that, explain to us again. That's just for the surface.
VANSTROM: That's just for the surface. There are some on the market that do have the actual whitening gel, the carbomide peroxide is what whitens our teeth through the oxidation process. So you might look for that in those toothpastes.
FIRFER: OK, Amy in Pennsylvania is on the phone right now.
Good morning, Amy.
What's your question?
AMY: Well, I was wondering if there's any way to whiten dental work in addition to my natural teeth, because I have a partial plate in the front and I'd love to whiten my teeth, but I don't want it to look uneven.
FIRFER: So things like that, with bonding, that's a good question, Amy. Like the bonding or if you have fillings, will that change color or are you sort of stuck with what it is?
VANSTROM: Actually, you're pretty much stuck with what it is. That particular veneer that you have or particular crown, it will not get any whiter than it is. So you have to work with your dentist at that time to decide is it time for maybe some new teeth, some new crowns if you want to go up in shade.
FIRFER: OK, so you can match it? Or just match what you already have?
VANSTROM: Exactly.
FIRFER: OK. Got you. J.R. in North Carolina, he e-mails us and writes, "My teeth have had a yellow cast since early childhood and have been a source of constant embarrassment to me. I've tried several commercially available whitening agents, but they only address surface stains. Is there anything out there that can change the natural color of my teeth?"
Now, I know J.R., as we said earlier, there's some basic guidelines when it comes to how effective teeth whitening can be. Yellowish teeth that seem to have darkened as you've aged generally respond well to bleaching. Brownish colored teeth respond less well and grayish or purple stained teeth may not respond well at all or may take longer to see some whitening occur.
So, doctor, what would your advice to J.R. be?
VANSTROM: Well, I think the only thing in that question I'd like clarification on is when he says commercial whiteners, is he using the over the counter whiteners or is he using the professional strength products, which are a lot stronger? I'd look into that if I were him.
FIRFER: Because the professional strength ones go inside the tooth? Is that the difference?
VANSTROM: Well, it's -- no, it's actually the concentration of the bleaching agent itself. It's a higher concentration. It's monitored by your dentist so it's safer to use. Through the dentist we can monitor sensitivity. We can monitor results and we can adjust according to what the patient's needs are.
FIRFER: So would a good rule of thumb be just for someone to say all right, let me try some over the counter stuff and see how that goes and then maybe progress or, you know, talk to their dentist about it and take it one step at a time?
VANSTROM: Actually, that's a nice approach. I have a lot of patients who want to save money, of course, up front, and it's a lot less expensive when you go over the counter.
FIRFER: Right.
VANSTROM: But if you don't get the results you want, come talk to your dentist and he can help you.
FIRFER: OK, great.
Now, Kim in Texas, she wants to know, "What is the best treatment for discolored teeth due to tetracycline?" Now, we know tetracycline was a drug that some people had taken. It makes the teeth grayish and yellow, very difficult, if not impossible, to bleach.
VANSTROM: It is difficult. Tetracycline is probably one of the most difficult. And it is that dark internal stain that's present. There have been studies done where people have whitened their teeth for six months straight to a year and have had some success with the tetracycline stain. But usually those patients, after they've gone through whitening, if they're not satisfied, we go ahead and do porcelain laminate veneers for those people, to get that smile exactly as white as they like.
FIRFER: OK, great.
We have a lot more e-mails and questions coming. From the dentist's chair to your own home, though, we're going to check out those do it yourself whiteners coming up. You've seen them on the shelves promising to make your pearlies white -- toothpaste, gels, strips and brush-ons. Well, how safe are they and who can benefit the most from using them?
Give us a call now to ask your questions about 1-800-807-2620 or e-mail us at housecall@cnn.com.
We're going to be right back.
COMMERCIAL
FIRFER: Welcome back to Weekend House Call.
Every week, winners of ABC's "Extreme Makeover" get new smiles from the truly extreme to teeth whitening and even veneers.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: The problem on your upper teeth is this dark band. That's called tetracycline stain.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Tetracycline is an antibiotic. The problem with tetracycline is that it turns your teeth gray.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: With zoom whitening and porcelain veneers, Dr. Dorfman restores David's smile.
DAVID: He made me smile a little bit more.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
FIRFER: Well, as we talked about earlier, tetracycline stains do require a visit to the dentist for whitening, but not everyone with discolored teeth needs an extreme makeover in order to see results that will make them smile.
Store shelves are brimming with products to help whiten your teeth, from gels to strips to wipes to gum and brush-ons. You can lighten your own teeth in the privacy of your own home and for less money than at the dentist's office.
But are they for everyone?
We've got Dr. Peter Vanstrom with us this morning to help us with all of your questions.
And first, let's go to an e-mail from Richard in Rio de Janeiro. And he wants to know what products are available for the public to use at home to help whiten teeth and also are there any negative side effects to those whitening toothpastes?
VANSTROM: Well, the second question, there's no problem with the whitening toothpastes. They're a little bit abusive, but they're not abusive enough to cause any damage. No problem at all. And the home whitening was the other question. There are a vast array of home whitening products available. You just walk through your drugstore and you can see that this is overwhelming how many products are there. So kind of hunt and choose and pick something you want to try and see how it works on you.
FIRFER: Great.
OK, we have a phone call from Frank in Virginia now.
Frank, good morning.
What is your question for Dr. Vanstrom?
FRANK: Good morning.
These whitening toothpastes over the counter, after a while is that going to damage the gums? Because each time I use next day it's the same thing, you know, I don't get best results. But I buy the best thing which is they are offering over the counter.
FIRFER: That's a good question.
Thank you, Frank.
You know, you get some of that sensitivity and long-term use, could that be dangerous? Is there a certain amount of time you should use these things?
VANSTROM: Well, I don't know if it's as much dangerous as a comfort issue. If you're not comfortable with the ingredients that are in that toothpaste, you may be reacting to those a little bit. And if you're having gum sensitivity or sores in your mouth, I would go back to a nice basic toothpaste, the old, maybe the old-fashioned toothpaste they used in the early days with nothing in it but the paste to clean your teeth and see if that goes away.
FIRFER: And at that point maybe talk to your dentist if you need other options, work with them?
VANSTROM: Right.
FIRFER: OK. Great.
Megan in Pennsylvania has a question. She writes, "I'm currently using an over the counter whitening gel and it's making my teeth ache. Is this normal? And why am I in such pain?"
Is it really her teeth that are aching or is it the gums? Should your teeth be hurting?
VANSTROM: Well, it could be either. It could be her gums or it could be her teeth. My concern would be for her is what is causing the initial pain. If she's using an over the counter, she may not have been to a dentist yet and had an examination. Perhaps she has a cavity or two in there that's causing some discomfort. So go see your dentist and have that checked.
FIRFER: So it's good people will actually go and see their dentist perhaps after something like this.
Marilyn from Ontario wants to know, "Does using over the counter strips, gels and liquids weaken the enamel or diminish the integrity of your teeth?"
And I guess over long-term would that be a problem?
VANSTROM: It doesn't seem to be. I just went through about 250 journals looking up, trying to find some damages that bleaching may cause. Nothing long-term has been established either with the enamel or with the gums themselves.
FIRFER: Great.
OK, we've got a lot more e-mails and questions. Thank you. Bring 'em on. We want to hear from you. We have to take a quick break.
But there's another option out there besides whitening. Stay where you are for that.
Plus, is bad breath putting a crimp on your love life? When we come back, we're going to get some advice about getting fresh. No, your breath fresh, that is.
COMMERCIAL
FIRFER: Welcome back to Weekend House Call.
If whitening or bleaching isn't working for you or if have teeth that are shaped badly or even crooked, veneers may be the option. Veneers are thin custom made shells made of tooth colored materials, oftentimes porcelain. They're designed to cover the front of your tooth after a small amount of enamel is removed. While veneers won't last forever, you can usually expect them to last for several years.
And we've got an e-mail about those veneers from Troy in Virginia, who asks, "Is there anything that a person who has porcelain veneers can do to brighten them once they've started to discolor?" Now, I might be mistaken, but I thought veneers were not supposed to discolor. So if there is discoloration, do we have a problem?
VANSTROM: Not if it's just on the surface of the veneer. That may be just picked up a little bit of stain. But that's easily polished out. When you go in for your routine cleaning, by the time you get your polishing finished up, it's going to be right back where it was.
My only concern on this case is perhaps there's some leakage with that veneer. I'm not sure where he has that discoloration. If it's around the edges and around the periphery and he's got some brown stain, that's a concern. Go in and see your dentist about that.
FIRFER: Good advice.
OK, we have Chris from Virginia, who's on the phone right now.
Good morning, Chris.
CHRIS: Good morning.
FIRFER: What's your question? CHRIS: There's a new kind of veneer that I've seen ads for that doesn't require any enamel to be removed from your real teeth before the porcelain veneer is applied. I wanted to hear the doctor's thoughts on that.
VANSTROM: Well, that's a wonderful question because she's exactly right. There is a new type of veneer available and it takes minimal tooth reduction. I wouldn't guarantee no tooth reduction. You have to be careful when you're working on the veneer itself that it doesn't end up coming out too far. So you may take a little reduction. But it is a minimal prep and it's a really fine product.
FIRFER: Is that as sturdy as another veneer? Because obviously it would have to be a little thinner, I would imagine.
VANSTROM: It's a little thinner, but what they're claiming is that the design and the product itself is very, very strong.
FIRFER: OK. We've given you a lot of options to brighten your smile. But what happens if your breath is what's causing you problems? people spend billions of dollars every year to try and freshen their breath, sometimes to no avail.
And Jennifer in Virginia sounds like one of those people. She writes, "What's the best method to deal with recurring bad breath? I've done all the brushing, flossing, the mouthwash, the mints, etc. Please help."
So, doctor, what do you recommend for someone who might have halitosis?
VANSTROM: Well, it sounds like she's done a good extensive job of trying to find something to cover that up and she's not having great success. So there may be an underlying cause. There may be something that's causing this recurrent bad breath. It could be cavities. It could be gum disease. It could be something to do with acid reflux regurge.
So she needs to see her dentist and have a thorough examination and see what might be causing this and try to eliminate that. And they may even involve an ear, nose and throat specialist.
FIRFER: OK.
Garvey from Maryland asks, "Is it truly necessary to brush and floss morning and night? Is one time of day more important than another to avoid tooth decay?"
I know we brush when we wake up and we brush before we go to bed, but should we do it after meals? Can you brush too much, even?
VANSTROM: I don't think you can brush too much. And in America, especially on Valentine's Day's, like today, there's going to be a lot of people brushing teeth a lot today to get everything off their teeth. But there was a study done several years ago in Scandinavia, a very definitive study that showed that really once every 24 hours a thorough, thorough brushing. We have a lot of electric toothbrushes on the market today, some of them on display here, that really do a fine job. And you get the food and particles off once a day with flossing and brushing, that's sufficient.
FIRFER: Does it matter what time, morning or night?
VANSTROM: It doesn't really matter. Usually it's at night for most of us, because that's the time we get ready to go to bed and take a good night's sleep.
FIRFER: OK, great.
Now, we're not done yet. So grab a pen, because when we come back, we're going to give you some Web sites to check out for more information on teeth whitening and dental health.
COMMERCIAL
FIRFER: Click on ada.org for more information on everything from teeth whitening to oral hygiene. The American Dental Association site can also help you find a dentist in your area. The Cleveland Clinic information center is also a good resource at www.clevelandclinic.org/health. And do a search on teeth and find information on how to get that movie star smile.
All right, we're joined by Dr. Peter Vanstrom.
Thank you for your time this morning.
If there's one thing that people should walk away with this morning, what would it be, about your teeth?
VANSTROM: Well, today's dentistry allows you to have the whitest teeth possible and talk to your dentist about that and pursue that pretty smile and by next Valentine's Day, it'll be a whitest, brightest smile you've ever had.
FIRFER: And get your teeth cleaned how often?
VANSTROM: And get your teeth cleaned at least twice a year.
FIRFER: And see your dentist when you go to get your teeth cleaned?
VANSTROM: Twice a year.
FIRFER: Twice a year, all right.
VANSTROM: Twice a year.
FIRFER: We'll all walk around with great smiles.
Thanks so much for your time this morning.
VANSTROM: Thank you.
FIRFER: We appreciate it.
And that's all we have time for today.
Thank you all for being here and thank you for your e-mails and your phone calls. We sure do appreciate it.
Make sure to watch tomorrow's Weekend House Call when we talk about what's safe to eat these days. From mad cow to bird flu and mercury in the fish, what food is OK to eat? We're going to talk about it tomorrow morning at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time.
Thanks for watching.
I'm Holly Firfer.
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