Teeth Whitening Patient Assessment & Candidacy 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: Which condition makes a patient an unsuitable candidate for professional teeth whitening?
- Mild tooth sensitivity
- Active periodontal disease (Correct answer)
- Previous dental fillings on back teeth
- A history of orthodontic treatment
Correct answer: Active periodontal disease
Active periodontal disease must be treated before whitening, as peroxide agents can exacerbate gum inflammation and cause further damage to compromised tissue.
Question 2: What is the generally recommended minimum age for teeth whitening procedures?
- 12 years old
- 14 years old
- 16 years old (Correct answer)
- 18 years old
Correct answer: 16 years old
Most dental professionals recommend waiting until age 16, when permanent teeth are fully erupted and pulp chambers have sufficiently matured to reduce sensitivity risk.
Question 3: Which type of tooth discoloration responds best to peroxide whitening treatments?
- Tetracycline staining
- Fluorosis
- Extrinsic (surface) staining (Correct answer)
- Dentinogenesis imperfecta
Correct answer: Extrinsic (surface) staining
Extrinsic staining from coffee, tea, wine, and tobacco affects only the outer enamel surface and is most responsive to oxidizing whitening agents.
Question 4: A patient has porcelain crowns and veneers on their front teeth and wants whitening. What should they be advised?
- Whitening works equally on crowns, veneers, and natural teeth
- Whitening agents will not change the color of porcelain restorations (Correct answer)
- Whitening should be avoided entirely if any restorations are present
- Only ceramic restorations respond to peroxide whitening
Correct answer: Whitening agents will not change the color of porcelain restorations
Peroxide whitening agents only affect natural tooth enamel; porcelain crowns and veneers will not lighten, which may result in a visible color mismatch after treatment.
Question 5: Which dental condition most significantly increases a patient's risk of discomfort during whitening?
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension
- Dentin hypersensitivity (Correct answer)
- Hypothyroidism
Correct answer: Dentin hypersensitivity
Patients with dentin hypersensitivity are at the highest risk for pain during whitening and typically require desensitizing pre-treatment or lower-concentration agents.
Question 6: Before beginning a whitening treatment, which assessment step is most critical to the treatment outcome?
- Measuring the patient's blood pressure
- Reviewing the patient's daily dietary habits
- Evaluating existing restorations and performing shade matching (Correct answer)
- Checking the patient's brushing and flossing technique
Correct answer: Evaluating existing restorations and performing shade matching
Evaluating restorations and establishing a baseline shade are critical to setting realistic expectations and predicting color-matching results after treatment.
Question 7: Why are pregnant or lactating women generally advised to postpone teeth whitening?
- The procedure is too painful during pregnancy
- The safety of peroxide compounds for fetal or infant development has not been fully established (Correct answer)
- Hormonal changes make whitening completely ineffective
- All dental procedures are prohibited during pregnancy
Correct answer: The safety of peroxide compounds for fetal or infant development has not been fully established
As a precautionary measure, whitening is deferred during pregnancy and lactation because systemic absorption of peroxide compounds and their effects on fetal or infant health have not been adequately studied.
Teeth Whitening Patient Assessment & Candidacy 1
Which condition makes a patient an unsuitable candidate for professional teeth whitening?