The short answer is yes. A recent study published in the esteemed Journal of the American Dental Association suggests that no harmful effects are suffered by the enamel during these treatments.

Teeth whitening, also known as bleaching, is one of the most popular procedures sought by dental tourists in Costa Rica. In the past, this treatment has been criticized by some people who believe that bleaching could compromise the integrity of the enamel, the hard white substance that covers teeth and makes them nice and shiny like pearls pulled from the shells of oysters in the Mediterranean.

According to popular dentistry website Dr. Bicuspid, researchers from the São Leopoldo Mandic Institute in Brazil conducted an in vivo (live) study of patients who either had bleaching done at a dental clinic or at home. A total of 65 patients completed the study; the specific teeth observed were six mandibular and six maxillary, and all their teeth were natural and without artificial covering.

To evaluate the effects of bleaching on the enamel, researchers conducted microbiopsies that allowed them to collect samples without disturbing the structure of the teeth. Further, they used a spectrophotometer to measure the concentrations of calcium and phosphorous, crucial minerals that form part of the enamel.

The aforementioned mineral concentrations were not disturbed by teeth whitening procedures, not in the weeks during or after the treatment was applied at home or in a clinical setting.

At the New Smile Dental Group, a clinic specially dedicated to dental tourism in Costa Rica, tooth whitening is described as a procedure that brightens discolored or stained teeth. Bleaching may be done completely at the New Smile Clinic in San Jose, or a system can also be provided for the patient to use at home.

For more information about tooth whitening and other cosmetic dentistry procedures, please contact the New Smile Dental Group at 1 (888) 663-9764, this is a toll-free call from North America. Within Costa Rica, please call 2222-4182.