Learn Your Teeth Whitening Options: From Professional Services To DIY Kits

So you have a low self-esteem right now no thanks to yellowish set of teeth. That’s tough, especially if you are the kind of person who puts a premium on the way you look and the way people look at you. But this should not be the end of the world for you. There are answers. And the answers to your problems are teeth whitening solutions that come in many forms and prices. We consider all these options available for you, and we check their differences and the benefits that can be delivered to you.

Options offered in supermarket and drugstores

For those who want to take care of the problem themselves, the products offered at supermarkets and drugstores are the solutions. These products that are available here will often contain lesser amount of whitening agents. Or the concentration of hydrogen peroxide for these products is less than what the professionals use. In many counts, the concentration of the peroxide for these products varies from 3 to 6 percent. For this reason, the efficacy and the reliability can be questioned depending on the actual product. For this set of bleaching agents, the usual recommendation is to use twice daily and the waiting time can reach two weeks before the effects can be realized. In terms of price, expect to pay $3 to $10 for teeth whitening toothpastes. And for other bleaching formulations, some over the counter products can fetch around $30.

Take home bleaching agents (Professional Strength)

Another option is to consider the professional strength bleach as recommended by many dentists. This option can come in two variants, the one with carbamide peroxide or the one with hydrogen peroxide. The bleaching formulation products will often come complete with the custom-fitted tray so that will be used by the dentist to get an impression of the teeth of the person. When this treatment option is considered, the treatment may be performed for as short as 30 minutes to as long as 8 hours. And what is the cost of this whitening solution? Expect to pay from $300 to $600 and this will include all the bleaching materials.

What about laser whitening

Laser whitening is done on the office or the clinic of the attending dentist. And in order to get the results, you may need to have one to four treatments. For this approach, gels are used and these gels do contain some peroxide-based formulations. And the use of the gels is complemented through the use of the lasers to facilitate the whitening process. You can consider this option as one of the most expensive solutions towards white teeth. You will need to have at most four treatments to get the results that you want, and each treatment will cost you at least $600.

Of all these options available, what could be best for your needs? In the end, the budget and your convenience will serve as the two primary factors in shopping for teeth whitening solutions. If budget is not an issue, then you can always go for the professionally-provided services.

Teeth Whitening and Bleaching

Unlike temporary teeth which are shiny, very white and very clean looking, the permanent teeth that follow once the deciduous teeth are lost are usually less porous. Because of this, permanent teeth come in varying shades from white to off-white and sometimes to yellowish. It could shade darker as the person grows older, perfectly normal.

While the darkening of the teeth as it ages is mainly due to the changes in the teeth’s mineral structure, the enamel at the same time gets less porous and less shiny making it more susceptible to stains from bacterial pigments, medication, tobacco, wine, coffee, tea and food. No matter how good the hygiene of a person is, the teeth simply ages. Rightly or wrongly, white brilliant teeth are attributed to health, youth, good grooming and being clean.

In an age where getting the best foot forward is never possible without having a pleasant smile, whitening the teeth no matter the age and no matter the lifestyle, completes the projection that a person wants to convey across. Good thing that there are many ways to do this fast, effective and not costly. This could be done with professional help although for the most part, a DIY – at home whitening does wonders as well. The most common methods are using bleaching pens, bleaching strips, gels and natural bleaching, most of which could be obtained from the local pharmacy and dental supply stores.

There are however some risks involved when doing teeth whitening at home as some teeth could be sensitive than others and gums could also be irritated that could cause degrees of discomfort. When whitening the teeth at home, it will always be recommended to use those that have low concentration of whitening agents. Although this method is far less effective and takes a while longer, it is also the safest. When using hydrogen peroxide for example, the concentration of the mix that is recommended at the back of the bottle should be adhered strictly if not less than what is recommended just to test it out. While studies have shown (Kugel et al) that the effect of peroxides at decreasing the tooth enamel is very insignificant, it nonetheless tends to make the teeth more sensitive for some time and when the proportion of the mix is on the strong side, the mix could result to painful gums and cause irritation to the surrounding tissues inside the mouth.

Some stains though are not so easy to remove and may take longer treatment for the whitening agent to reach the dentine layer. For stubborn stains and uncomfortably dark shades in the teeth, self help may no longer suffice. Treatments could be done by a professional who could use custom bleaching trays, laser treatment, and in cases where discoloration is ugly, porcelain veneers could be applied including dental bonding.

Although teeth whitening are only cosmetic, the reward it provides a person in terms of confidence and a general feeling good grooming and of well-being is enormous.

What’s In Teeth Whitening Paste And What To Expect?

What’s the basis for the love for white teeth? Well it’s all about looking good and feeling better. Because teeth yellow naturally as it age, a person naturally looks for ways on how to reverse that slide. The nice thing is that manufacturers and cosmetic producers and practitioners are all aware of these needs. And that they swamp the market with goods and services that can address this concern. And the teeth whitening paste is one answer offered and being tried by millions in order to whiten their teeth. So does this product work its wonders and deliver on its promise?

Up to some extent, yes this product is a good teeth whitening. When used the right way and in the right amount, this can effectively remove the stains on the surface of the teeth. Majority of these stains that can be removed by the paste include stains made by drinking coffee or by smoking. The paste can be used as well in the bleaching and at the same time best used when maintaining that shiny white teeth. But be reminded that this product will not work to change the natural color of the teeth that has been overly exposed to the fluoride during its development.

In theory, what makes the teeth whitening toothpaste works are its major ingredients. These products may contain special abrasives and these are the ingredients that work to remove the dirt on the teeth. And these products will always contain chemicals. And it is the role of these chemicals to break down the stains taken down by the abrasives.

Half of the reason why this product works can be linked to the proper use and application. It is recommended by oral health practitioners that this should be used twice a day. And through continuous use of around two to four weeks, there will be changes in the color of the teeth. Right now there are advances in the technology that allows for the teeth to become whiter at a shorter period of time. These new products contain blue covarine.

So how safe is the teeth whitening toothpaste?

The good news is that this product is safe for everyday use. But when abused, then this can bring damage to the teeth than joy. The excessive use and abuse of the teeth whitening paste may damage the person’s enamel. So here’s the thing, use the product in moderation, or as recommended by the manufacturer. And to get into the safer track, when shopping for this kind of toothpaste you may want to get the paste that carries the seal of approval of the American Dental Association. The seal of approval indicates that the toothpaste that you are holding has been found to be effective in cleaning and in making the teeth white.

These products are also best for preventing or reducing the incidence of tooth decay. Remember that the teeth whitening toothpaste is just one of the many options in order to make that teeth white. Consider options and always talk with the dentist first.

Teeth Whitening – The Causes Of Teeth Staining

No matter how fastidious a person is, the teeth will always change its appearance and color. The youthful glow and sparkle of young teeth will in time lost its sheen as the enamel starts developing tiny cracks that will eventually lose the crystalline rods in the tooth, thinning the enamel making the teeth more transparent and showing through the yellowish color of the dentin. Even discounting this natural aging of the teeth, eating habits, food choices, medication, lifestyles, health conditions and many other factors will develop the tiny cracks in the enamel allowing debris to accumulate between the spaces staining the teeth.

Extrinsic staining and intrinsic staining are the two basic types at which the teeth develop stains and discoloration.

Extrinsic stains are developed in the surface of the teeth that resulted from the accumulation of food debris and color. While superficial stains and discoloration could be removed by prophylactic cleaning and brushing, there are stains that are a little more stubborn and could accumulate between the spaces of the tiny cracks in the tooth that would need bleaching to remove the stains. When the stains are not effectively removed and stays on the teeth for a period of time, this could penetrate deeper into the dentin which could require more involved methods.

Those stains that form beneath the enamel are intrinsic stains. Previously, intrinsic stains are believed to be resistant to treatments although today most of it could be removed with close supervision from qualified professionals. Intrinsic stains are caused by the natural process of aging, trauma to the tooth, exposure to drugs containing tetracycline and flourosis.

Other factor that stains the teeth is grinding. Grinding often attributed to stress accelerates micro cracking of the tooth enamel that will hold tiny debris to be accumulated. It also causes the edges of the tooth shade darker, faster. Another big factor is smoking. Nicotine is brownish in color that could stick in the enamel of the tooth and even soak in its structure causing internal discoloration. Red wine may be good for the heart but it contains a high concentration of tannins that causes staining fast.

DNA. All teeth are translucent to some degree. There are people though that are born with teeth that are more translucent than most. Teeth that are more translucent tend to show more staining than those with more opaque teeth.

Teeth transparency is the only known teeth condition today that could not benefit from teeth whitening and teeth bleaching. On the other hand, no amount of teeth bleaching will whiten teeth more than its natural color. In some cases, it could artificially be done but never recommended.

No matter how teeth whitening and bleaching is done, anything involving cosmetic enhancements and restoration is subjective that varies from person to person. There will always be limits to this that are often the cause of the feeling of well being or disappointment.

A good point therefore before any teeth whitening and bleaching is done is ask a realistic assessment from the dentist.