Teeth whitening is becoming more and more popular. Many people with discolored enamel are trying to find that perfect white smile they had in their youth once again. Teeth whitening can be considered to be a defense against plaque and aught to be performed by a dentist. However, it is possible to buy off the counter bleaching products that work very well if you are not able to pay the costs charged by a dentist. It is worth noting though that teeth may stain because of intrinsic stains or other independent factors. Intrinsic stains happen from inside the teeth and cannot be removed just by brushing or flossing. It is possible that bleaching might not even work. External staining can occur due to lifestyle choices. These include smoking cigarettes, cigars, or, drinking coffee, red wine as well as consuming particular spicy foods. You may be able to remove these types of stains through regular diligent brushing or by professional cleaning from your dentist.
If the staining on your teeth is not too bad you could choose one of the several methods of whitening your teeth on your own. You might not need to go to the extreme of professional teeth whitening. By using the gels and cr?mes that you can find at a drug store, you should be able to whiten your teeth a little bit to start with. It is also a good first step to see if teeth whitening suits you. Remember, it doesn't suit everyone.
If you choose to go down the professional teeth whitening route, there are many different methods to choose from. These cleaning methods range from gels to whitening with ultra violet light. All of these methods can be provided professionally by an orthodontist, and it really doesn't need to be all that expensive. As long as you realize that you have numerous choices and you are able to get professional teeth whitening at many different places, you are in a better position to make an informed decision.
Whitening teeth by using peroxide bleaching compounds is gaining in popularity. Professional teeth whitening systems are using these compounds more and more. By its very nature, professional teeth whitening systems require you to pay a visit to your dentist. As a patient, you first need to get your teeth professionally cleaned. Your dentist may also need to polish your teeth with flour of pumice so that any surface staining is removed. Obviously, the main advantage of using a professional teeth whitening system is that dentists have a large variety of whitening products to use and, more importantly, they will follow a series of standardized steps while carrying out professional teeth whitening ensuring that your health is not compromised.
Professional teeth whitening is a process that involves drying off the teeth of the patient and then applying a bleaching agent. These professional teeth whiteners can either be thick pastes or gels, which the dentist dabs onto each tooth's surface. A different option is where the teeth are exposed to a laser or an activated light. In addition, teeth that need to be whitened may have to be isolated so that the bleaching agents do not touch the soft tissues of the gums. This because the soft tissues can be easily irritated by the caustic nature of these peroxide bleaching compounds. This is undertaken with the help of placing a "dental dam", which is a thin latex sheet with punched holes which is slipped over the teeth into position.
Patients with sensitive teeth may not be able to go through a full treatment. However for most other people treatments with professional teeth whitening systems shouldn't take more than 90 minutes from start to finish.
Post treatment is similar in many ways to pre-treatment. Your dentist will evaluate the shade of your teeth so that they conform to the results expected. To get the best and most accurate evaluation of the shade of your teeth, this evaluation should take place a only few days after the professional teeth whitening programme has been completed.
Teeth whitening is now something that many people are having done and is also very popular with celebs who want to look their best. It won't improve your health; it's simply a cosmetic job which lightens the stains on your teeth. So why have your teeth gone stained and yellow? It's most likely to be due to smoking, drinking coffee, tea and cola. Your teeth have pores on the enamel which hold onto these stains and normal every-day brushing isn't enough to remove them.
Discolouration can also occur with age. Stains can appear over time from the inside because of excess fluoride and possibly medication. Tooth whitening will deal with the stains which lie on the outside of your teeth and it needs to be done on a regular basis.
You can whiten your teeth either at home or at a dentist. Home kits can be bought from your local chemist, alternatively you can have trays custom made by your dentist. Whichever method you choose the you will need a series of whitening procedures of varied lengths. It's always a good idea to check with your dentist to find out the pros and cons of each method.
Before going ahead with having your teeth whitened, they need to be cleaned by a dentist and cavities should be filled. If you have receding gums you should have this looked at as the roots may be exposed. The roots of your teeth have no enamel so whitening won't be effective. It also won't work if you have crowns or veneers.
How The Teeth Whitening Process Works
A solution made with hydrogen peroxide is put into trays which are similar to mouth or night guards. The trays are placed over your teeth and are left to do their job for one or two hours. If you are doing this yourself then you would leave it in overnight.
If you go to your dentist for the teeth whitening process, each session will take less time but you will need several more visits. The dentist is also there to keep a check on the progress of the whitening. With the DIY method on the other hand, you'll need to be very careful about using and wearing the mouth guards as there is the risk of any leaked solution irritating the gums.
The idea is that the longer the solution is in contact with your teeth, the whiter they become. Unfortunately, not all stains and discolouration can be removed. Some whitening products will only work if they come into contact with either heat or light. These are best to be used by professionals.
Teeth whitening is not a permanent solution, it will only last one to 6 months. However the more you do to prevent staining the longer lasting the results. You may experience gum sensitivity although this should just be temporary. Ultimately the process is very safe although pregnant ladies shouldn't have it done. This is only because no studies have been conducted to find out if the whitening chemicals affects the unborn baby.
Both Michael Saville & April Kerr are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Michael Saville has sinced written about articles on various topics from Air Purifier Cleaners, Forex Online and Best Mutual Funds. Michael Saville has written other articles covering many aspects of . For further information on professional teeth whitening and other. Michael Saville's top article generates over 40500 views. to your Favourites.
April Kerr has sinced written about articles on various topics from Treadmill Exercises, Home Improvement and Health. April often writes health and fashion articles for website including:. April Kerr's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.