The majority of people know that the first impression is highly important and your smile is an integral part of it. Your white teeth can make the smile extremely beautiful. That is the main reason for people to go for teeth whitening. However, there is a number of other factors that might stimulate people to whiten their teeth. Some of the most common reasons are as follows:
- Discoloration: certain people encounter discoloration of their teeth, which can be a result of smoking, plaque, tartar or other oral health conditions. Teeth whitening is able to offset all the aforementioned.
- Special occasions: it might be the case that a special occasion is coming on your way, which motivates you to get a bright and healthy smile. Teeth whitening can accomplish this task, whether it is a wedding, birthday party or graduation.
- Aging impact: your tooth enamel might get worn down as you age, which makes it easier for tooth discoloration or other oral health conditions to arise.
- Diet: your teeth might have been stained over the years if your diet involves a lot of coffee, wine or tea, for example. Teeth whitening allows countering stains from certain foods and makes your smile look brighter.
- Improve self-confidence: it is a well-known fact that smile plays a crucial role in your confidence. Teeth whitening allows you to make your smile better, thus increasing your self-confidence.
It should be also said that teeth whitening is perfect for people who have healthy, unrestored teeth (without fillings) and gums. It was also determined that people with discolored teeth respond best to this procedure. Although, dentists do not recommend this procedure for everyone.
When the importance of teeth whitening has been determined it is time to depict different methods of teeth whitening. There are options you go for in order to whiten your teeth. Some of them are whitening toothpaste, over-the-counter gels, trays, strips and whitening products purchased from a dentist. All of them have a number of advantages and disadvantages. The following section focuses on describing the most common ways of teeth whitening.
1 – Whitening toothpaste
Due to the fact that toothpaste includes mild abrasives, it makes it easier to remove surface stains. There is also toothpaste that contains gentle chemical and polishing agents, which provide additional stain removal effectiveness. Whitening toothpaste can assist in removing surface stain only but it does not contain bleach. On the other side, professional whitening products contain hydrogen peroxide and/or carbamide peroxide that assists in lightening the color deep in the tooth. Specialists claim that whitening toothpaste can lighten the color of teeth only by one shade while whitening procedure at your dentist’s office can make your teeth lighter by three to eight shades.
2 – Over the counter whitening gels and strips
Clear, peroxide-based gels applied with a small brush directly to the surface of your teeth are called whitening gels. The strength of peroxide has a high influence on the instructions provided. You should strictly follow the instructions on the product. Dentists state that you will be able to observe the initial results already in a few days and it would last for approximately four months.
Another option that you can go for is whitening strips. They are very thin and virtually invisible strips that are coated with a peroxide-based whitening gel. Just as with gels, whitening strips should be applied strictly according to instructions on the label of the product. Initial results will be seen in a few days and could last for about 4 months.
3 – Whitening rinses
Whitening rinses are considered to be among the newest whitening products available. They assist in freshening your breath and reducing dental plaque and gum disease. It should be also said that these products include ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide, which help to whiten teeth. Specialists say that it normally takes four weeks to see the initial results.
The only thing you have to do is to swish them around in your mouth for around sixty seconds twice a day. It should be also done before brushing your teeth. There are also dentists who claim that this method is not that effective if compared to other ways of teeth whitening. This is mainly due to the fact that whitening rinses are only in contact with your teeth for a short period of time, 2 minutes compared to 30 minutes for many strips.
4 – In-office whitening
This is probably the quickest and most effective method of teeth whitening. During this procedure, the whitening product is applied directly to the teeth. Heat, laser, and a special light are normally used in combination with whitening products. However, you will not notice incredible results already after the first procedure. In order to achieve noticeable results, several dentist visits are generally required. You should also keep in mind that in-office bleaching is the most expensive approach among other teeth whitening methods.
5 – Tray-based teeth whiteners
This system can be purchased from a dentist. It involves filling a mouth guard-like tray with a gel whitening solution, which contains a peroxide-bleaching agent. This tray is typically worn for a couple of hours a day. It can be also worn during the night for one month and sometimes even longer. Everything depends on the desired level of whitening and the degree of discoloration.
Another concern that a lot of people always have is the duration of time that results will last. You have to clearly understand that teeth whitening is not permanent and this is not a procedure that you perform once and then forget about it. People that have a diet including a lot of foods and drinks that cause staining might experience the whiteness starting to fade already after the first month. On the side, patients who avoid this type of food and beverages might enjoy the results of teeth whitening for more than a year. Everything depends on your personal situation and the degree of whiteness will differ from one person to another depending on the condition of the teeth, the type of bleaching methods used and the level of staining.
It is also not recommended to state unrealistic expectations. The majority of people who expect their teeth to be super white might be extremely disappointed with the results. Apart from that smokers have to be aware that their results will be much worse unless they quit smoking, especially during the teeth whitening process.
People who undergo this cosmetic procedure claim that there are several side effects associated with it. It includes mild irritation and sensitivity, which generally occurs during the early stages of teeth whitening. Your tissue irritation can be caused by an ill-fitting mouthpiece tray rather than the tooth-bleaching agent. However, dentists say that both of these conditions normally disappear within the first 1 or 3 days following the procedure. As can be seen from the aforementioned, there are numerous approaches you can make use of in order to whiten your teeth. Everything depends on the conditions of your teeth, budget and how fast you want to see the initial results. It is highly recommended to have a thorough consultation with your dentist before utilizing any of the aforestated options. He/she will be able to assess your teeth and decide on the most applicable solution for you.
