One of the first things you notice about a person while speaking with them is their teeth. White teeth determine the attractiveness of a person and special care should be given to keeping teeth their whitest. Small and large companies alike are taking advantage of this new trend and offering various levels of teeth whitening products. They are divided by ease of use, cost, and length of treatment. They can also be divided by dentist treatments and over the counter ones. Three common methods of teeth whitening are laser teeth whitening, teeth whitening gels, and peroxide teeth whitening.
Over time, stains can dull white teeth by seeping into small cracks in the enamel of the teeth. The enamel can also be worn down by foods and sugar exposing the yellow colored dentin, the main portion of the tooth. As a result, yellow teeth may be caused by intrinsic staining or extrinsic staining. As it would seem, intrinsic discoloration is inside tooth enamel and extrinsic discoloration stains the enamel of the tooth. Extrinsic discoloration is the easiest to remove.
No teeth whitening treatment is permanent. There must be maintenance treatments in order to keep a bright smile. Laser teeth whitening is done at the dentist’s office and can be effective in whitening teeth both intrinsically and extrinsically. It is the easiest to use as it merely involves sitting in a dentist’s chair with an open mouth. This treatment may be the most expensive method but the easiest to maintain.
Teeth whitening gel can be done under a dentist’s supervision at home or can be purchased over the counter. The dentist will fit a tray to the upper and lower teeth, typically concentrating on the front teeth. The patient is sent home with tubes of whitening gel to be applied to the tray for overnight treatment or a prescribed time limit. The over the counter treatment may contain trays but will not be fitted to the patient’s teeth. The gel can also be painted onto the teeth or placed on the teeth by whitening strips. Caution must prevail in using the strips as they must be smoothly applied to avoid streaks. Ease of use may take a back seat to cost as this method is less expensive but requires more effort.
Peroxide teeth whitening is really teeth bleaching and can result in whiter teeth. It is usually not recommended for pregnant women especially if there is a danger the peroxide can be swallowed. No data is available to determine the danger to the unborn child. Peroxide solutions are usually stronger when administered by a dentist as opposed to the over the counter solution. The stronger solutions will result in faster results which can range from 2 to 10 shades lighter. Most teeth whitening treatments result in 2 to 7 shades lighter.
After treatment, avoid dark colored beverages and foods for 1 to 2 weeks. Expect some sensitivity for a few days. Optimum whitening usually takes 2 weeks so avoid further cosmetic dentistry until teeth have fully adjusted and enjoy your bright smile!