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The brightness of a tooth is a function of how light is reflected off the enamel. Whitening agents work by dehydrating the enamel, that is, by removing moisture on a molecular level from within the enamel. This increases the amount of light that is reflected off the tooth, and therefore it makes them appear whiter. There is no indication at this time that this is harmful to the teeth in the long term, however, some people will experience an increase in temperature sensitivity when they whiten their teeth. Porcelain crowns and tooth-colored fillings do not bleach because the agents cannot remove moisture from them as they do with natural enamel. Over time, the moisture will return to the enamel, and the whitening process will have to be repeated to maintain the new whiteness of the teeth.

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19y ago

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