Teeth whitening treatments are so popular these days that almost everyone is opting for these procedures for enhancing their appearance. If you also want to obtain a dazzling white smile but you are not sure of what teeth whitening is all about and what are the choices for you, you have arrived at the best place. Here you’ll get all the necessary information related to teeth whitening and the different products for teeth whitening.
What is Teeth Whitening all about?
Teeth whitening is one of the most effective treatments available till date that can effectively whiten your teeth thereby improving your appearance and boosting your self-confidence all at once.
Teeth whitening procedures are performed with the use of a typical peroxide ingredient that activates the bleaching effect on the enamel of your teeth thus making it whiter than its present color. It is the strength of the whitener or the peroxide ingredient that created the whiteness of your teeth. Presently, the teeth whitening procedures usually use peroxide gel in 3 different percentages depending on the stains and yellowness of your teeth – 10 percent, 16 percent and 22 percent. The more stained your teeth are, the higher should be the concentration of the whitener.
Anyone considering teeth whitening must know the different aspects of this method of treatment before getting into it any further. As the process of teeth whitening involves the use of certain chemical, your dentist needs to check whether or not you are in good health, especially if your gums can support the whitening treatment.
Once it is determined that you are the right candidate for the treatment and you are in good health, your dentist would give you a wide array of options to choose from.
The Different Options
There are many teeth whitening options available today and all of these methods seem to work well. Nonetheless, based on your requirements and the amount you can spend, you can choose from this list of the different teeth whitening products that work for you:
In-Office Teeth Whitening Treatment
The in-office teeth whitening products are the best and the most efficient of all, these methods of teeth whitening can improve the color of your teeth remarkably to give you a new improved appearance in only about 60 minutes. The procedure is performed at the dental office under the supervision of an expert cosmetic dentist. Although expensive, this method of teeth whitening has fast become popular because it produces instant results. There aren’t any other teeth whitening products that can assure such quick results. Undoubtedly one of the best methods that can be tried!
Take Home Teeth Whitening Systems
The take home teeth whitening trays that include a combination of teeth whitening gel and tray are also equally effective. However, it takes time for the results to manifest. Based on the potency of the bleaching gel or whitener used for the purpose, the take home teeth whitening treatments can take up to 14 days to come up with the best results. The trays provided with this method of treatment are to be worn for a few hours during the day or night. In some cases, the results might show in a day or to, while in other cases it might take up weeks or months as well. You can either opt for teeth whitening over-the-counter or dentist supervised teeth whitening treatment. It is better to opt for the dentist supervised system since the method is more authentic and the tray is usually custom designed to fit well into your mouth.
It is also said that the dentist-supervised treatment produces faster results since it contains stronger carbamide peroxide gel for improved bleaching effects, which is not the same with the over-the-counter products. The over-the-counter kits are usually generic and meant for all sizes. Due to this the bleaching gel might not reach all your teeth to promote uniform effect, which the dentist supervised custom-designed tray does for you.
Whitening Toothpastes
Products like teeth whitening toothpastes are widely available on the market today and they are effective as well. Although you cannot expect miraculous results like the two above mentioned treatments, but you can definitely notice gradual improvements in the color of your teeth over time.
Whitening Strips
Teeth whitening strips are available in almost every chemist shop. These strips are inexpensive and very easy to use as well. However, it also takes too long to show results since the percentage of bleaching gel contained in the same is very low.
Other Effective Products
Everyday some new teeth whitening product is being launched and it is sometimes very difficult to keep a track of all the products available. You can now choose from a wide array of products like whitening chewing gum, mouthwash, dental floss and other products. These are some of the latest versions of teeth whitening products and the results usually vary from person to person.
Before you choose a teeth whitening product for yourself there are certain facts that you should know.
Facts to be considered:
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There isn’t any dental insurance plan applicable to teeth whitening treatments.
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If you have done any previous dental works like crowns, fillings, bridges, and porcelain veneers, you must remove the same prior to bleaching or teeth whitening as the treatment would not affect the dental works.
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There are certain products like the whitening toothpastes that can only lighten the stains; these products don’t really help in removing the stains and they come back in the long run.
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There are different types of teeth discolorations depending on the cause of the same. Different causes could be responsible, such as foods, beverages, diseases, genetic factors and medications, depending on the cause of the condition, the bleaching might give moderate results. Also your results could be better than mine.
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Tooth whitening often results in gum irritation and tooth sensitivity. Take care of that.
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In case if you have cavities in your teeth, you must get them covered first before opting for bleaching, an expert cosmetic dentist can advice you in this regard.