jessy ryder asked:

Everyone loves a dazzling, bright smile. And in recent years, a great deal of focus has been placed not only on the ideal shape and uniformity of our teeth, but also their color.

No matter how healthy your teeth may seem, discolored or stained teeth can make you feel uncomfortable and self-conscious. There are various causes of tooth discoloration; it can be caused by medication such as antibiotics or an excessive intake of fluoride. But the most common contributing factor to stained teeth is usually attributed to the daily onslaught of coffee, soft drinks, nicotine, alcohol and food. Over time, the surface enamel begins to ***** and erode, causing stains and discoloration.

The obvious solution to this problem is a teeth whitening treatment , and there are several brands available on the market, employing different techniques. It can be somewhat confusing when deciding which of these methods is best suited to your needs.

How does Teeth Whitening work?

The whitening process uses peroxide to bleach discoloration and stains. Enamel is the first layer of the tooth surface and is actually semi-translucent. The layer underneath the enamel is known as dentin. In order to whiten the dentin, a peroxide solution is placed on the enamel. The solution will then bleach the dentin, resulting in whiter teeth. When teeth are bleached, stained teeth will generally lighten four to five shades, depending upon how severely the teeth are stained or discolored.

At-Home  Teeth Whitening Techniques

Cosmetic dentists offer several whitening procedures, which may be quite costly. For example, applying bleaching gel to the teeth in conjunction with laser treatment to accelerate the tooth whitening process. But most people opt for more economical and convenient “at-home” teeth whitening procedures.

At-Home Teeth Whitening Systems

There are several types of whitening products available for use at home, including teeth whitening pastes, bleaching solutions and “paint-on” whitening gels.

Bleaching solutions in a mouthguard: These products contain carbamide peroxides, which bleach the tooth enamel. The bleaching agent is placed in a mouthguard (tray), usually form-fitted by your dentist, and can be used at home, usually overnight over a period of 1-2 weeks.

Teeth whitening pastes: All toothpastes help remove surface stains to some degree by using abrasives. Unlike bleaches, these products do not alter the pigmentation of the teeth. A further drawback is that with excessive use, these abrasive whitening pastes may wear away the tooth enamel.

Whitening strips: With this technique a plastic strip coated with a bleaching agent is placed on the surface of the teeth. The bleaching agent is adhesive and holds the strip in place.

Paint-on whitening gel: As opposed to tray-based or whitening strip methodology, paint-on teeth whitening gel is painted directly onto the tooth surface with a special applicator. The instructions for paint-on products usually suggest that the surface of the teeth should be clean and dry. This improves the adherence of the bleaching gel to teeth for better results.

Take note that it may take several treatments to achieve the desired effect as results will vary, depending on the severity of the stains or discoloration. When choosing a teeth whitening product, consider which whitening system is most compatible with your lifestyle and budget. Selecting the system you find the easiest to apply could very well be the best personal choice.

George Wood asked:

Teeth Whitening is an attractive option for people with low levels of self-esteem who want to boost their smile with healthy-looking white teeth. But still a majority of people are doubtful about the effectiveness of this procedure. They think the risks of teeth whitening outweigh its advantages. But this is not quite right. Lets find out some of the problems that might occur after teeth whitening and how you can overcome them or prevent them to occur altogether.

Teeth Whitening involves application of a solution of bleach on teeth to whiten them. It might not be suitable for people with gum diseases or extreme sensitivity. These people should have their gums treated first and when they think their gums are healthy enough, only then they should opt for teeth whitening. Most whitening products contain around 3% bleach which is not recommended by health experts. 0.1% bleach is acceptable in products which might involve human intake. Leaving bleach on the teeth for too long can cause irreparable damage to them. It is advisable to have teeth whitening performed under the supervision of a dentist.

Teeth Whitening is not safe for people who smoke or drink too much. High intake of hydrogen peroxide (bleach) can make these people more vulnerable to adverse after-effects of alcohol. Pregnant women should also avoid bleaching products.

If you have sensitive teeth then you might want to have a soft tooth-brush and a medicated tooth-paste after you have gone through teeth whitening to lessen the pain and irritation to its minimum. After a few days, however, the pain will go away itself. It is important to consult a dentist before going through any teeth whitening procedure. Other than the above mentioned problems, there are no adverse side-effects or risks involved with teeth whitening.

If you are considering teeth whitening at home, here are some points you must keep in mind before going about it. At-home teeth whitening is carried out by purchasing a custom-made plastic tray that can be fitted easily into the mouth, to apply the whitening chemical inside. Bleaching gel (or carbamide peroxide) is placed into this tray and then the wearer keeps it in mouth everyday for many weeks before the whitening action starts to show its effects.

Although this procedure is very easy to adopt and equally effective like a dentists way of performing teeth whitening, but you should keep in mind that everything is being done on your own without the supervision of an expert. For this you need to know the contents of the whitening material you are applying on your teeth. You particularly have to pay extra attention to the amount of bleach being consumed by your teeth. It is often recommended to use the tray for a continued period of at least two months to have effective results. For that matter, its very important to monitor the health of your gums and teeth. If you think using the tray causes irritation, swelling or even bleeding in gums, immediately consult a dentist.

People often consider alternatives to using tray-based teeth whitening system, like whitening toothpastes or strips. However, these methods are not as effective as the tray-based method. You just have to wear the tray for 30 minutes or a little more in a day and no other whitening action needs to be performed after that.

Home teeth-whitening method is an economical way to have your teeth whitened. For the same reason, the results of tray-based whitening are not as quick as the traditional teeth whitening performed at a dentists office. But if you are comfortable with the method and see improvement, you should definitely continue using it and recommend it to other people as well.

artusc2f9b asked:

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Daniel asked:

How to Pick the Right Teeth Whitening Gel

You may have noticed that there is a wide variety of teeth whitening gels on the market. Not only is there a difference in teeth whitening gel brands, but you’ll also notice that there is a difference in the percentage of active ingredients in these gels. Here is some advice to help you select the right Teeth Whitening Gel kit for your needs and goals:

Understand how teeth whitening gels work

No matter what type of teeth whitening gel you select, the teeth whitening gel works generally the same way across the board. Essentially, you apply the teeth whitening gel to the surface of your teeth. Over a period of time, the active ingredients in the teeth whitening gel lighten your teeth. The major differences in teeth whitening gels have to do with how the gels whiten your teeth, application methods, and strength.

Differences in teeth whitening gel ingredients

The difference in teeth whitening gel ingredients is very basic: teeth whitening gels will either use a hydrogen peroxide active ingredient or another form of active ingredient. Hydrogen peroxide variations are, basically, bleach. These teeth whitening gel solutions provide a comprehensive teeth whitening solution because they actually change the color of the natural teeth by bleaching the stains within the teeth pores (intrinsic stains) as well as the stains located on the enamel of the teeth (extrinsic stains).

Other teeth whitening products, such as teeth whitening toothpastes, only affect the extrinsic stains and, therefore, are not as comprehensive. Most effective teeth whitening gels feature the bleach composition and are, therefore, one of the most effective teeth whitening solutions available on the market.

Application methods

When it comes to applying teeth whitening gels, one of the most common and effective methods is to use bleaching trays. The teeth whitening gel kit that you select will generally come with trays that you can mold to fit your unique mouth structure. In order to use these teeth whitening gel kits effectively, simply line the tray with a thin layer of the teeth whitening gel (the gel will spread out once you apply the tray to your teeth), and insert the tray into your mouth according to the directions. You will use one tray on your top teeth and one tray on the bottom.

There are other methods to apply teeth whitening gels as well, including products such as Crest Whitestrips and brush-on methods. However, when working with teeth whitening gels, trays are the most common application method…and they can be used overnight!

Strength

The strength of the teeth whitening gel that you select will be based on a variety of factors. There are four main strengths: 35%, 22%, 16%, and 10%. The higher strength gel is effective in less amount of time than the lower strength gels, but can be too sensitive for many people to use. The lower strength teeth whitening gels is as effective as the higher strength gels when used for a longer period of time and it is a great option for people who have sensitivity to the higher strength teeth whitening gels.

In most cases, people who use teeth whitening gels will insert trays overnight. Most dentists recommend wearing the trays for up to 4 hours, as the active ingredient remains active for up to 4 hours. However, if you are only able to wear the trays for a short period of time, you may want to opt for a higher strength gel, which can be effective with just 15 minutes of use a day.

You’ll find that teeth whitening gel kits are easy to use, affordable, and barely noticeable – especially when you wear them overnight. For more information about our teeth whitening gel options or to get started with your order, contact us today!

Cant believe im doing this asked:

I’m looking for a good product to whiten my teeth for a cheap price but not harm them. I don’t want to bleach them because I heard it is really bad for the enamel of your teeth.

Any suggestions of what whitening products are good?

kalidas asked:

Teeth whitening strips are thin polyethylene strips that are pre-coated in a film of hydrogen peroxide which acts as the bleaching agent. The whitening kits come with two different sets of strips one designed to be used on the lower teeth and the other on the top teeth.

Teeth whitening strips are a home based method of whitening your teeth and are an alternative to tray based teeth whitening products.

Teeth whitening strips are generally intended to be worn for shorter periods than teeth whitening trays and are far less bulky so more comfortable to use.

In order to whiten your teeth you apply the bleach by pressing the teeth whitening strips firmly into place on your teeth. The teeth whitening strips should remain in place for periods of 30 minutes at twelve hour intervals over 7 – 14 days with the number of days depending on the strength of the bleaching agent used with the teeth whitening strips you decide to use (6% – 10%).

One of the downsides of teeth whitening strips is the fact that they make use of hydrogen peroxide as the bleaching agent. The use of hydrogen peroxide doesn’t tend to be widely supported in the dental industry as the amount of bleaching agent required to make any significant difference to the color of your teeth would not be safe to use in the home environment. Carbamide peroxide is thought to be the preferred option which is now available in tray based teeth whitening products.

A similar level of side effects is likely to be experienced with other home based teeth whitening products due to the bleaching agent and / or the trauma of the bleaching trays. Custom made trays, which are now available without going to your dentist, are designed to minimize gum irritation as a result of the whitening process.

Some level of side effects tends to be a general problem when using teeth whitening strips as a method of whitening teeth with the most common side effects being gum irritation and sensitive teeth (both problems will generally disappear over time). The likelihood of suffering from such side effects is reduced if you use teeth whitening strips with the lower concentration of bleaching agent (6%) which will deliver the same result as the higher concentration strips but it will just take longer to whiten your teeth.

Despite the wider availability of custom trays the dental industry still recommends the involvement of a cosmetic dentist if you are considering and form of teeth whitening products given the fact that there are certain situations when teeth whitening is not a viable option such as when you have dental crowns, bridges, implants or veneers, if you are pregnant or have sensitive, cracked or chipped teeth.

Teeth whitening strips are a home based method of whitening your teeth and are an alternative to tray based teeth whitening products.