2010 Teeth Whitening.comAt Home Teeth Whitening Products Information and Tips

Cosmetic dentistry has made teeth whitening important, dentists explaining the benefits of such procedures and offering professional teeth whitening advice. The market is flooded with teeth whitening products and often times consumers have a hard time when it comes to making an informed decision.

Teeth whitening products include the following: whitening toothpaste, bleaching gels and home whitening kits. There are also strips that can be applied over the teeth for a whitening effect, depending on how serious the staining actually is. Many of these products can be used at home but there are also recommended with in-office procedures. Dentists are highly interested in offering teeth whitening advice, as most people do not know the advantages of each product and sometimes prefer to resort just to whitening toothpaste. Although it may have active ingredients that guarantee a whitening effect, toothpaste is better used to maintain the results obtained through other procedures.

Bleaching gels are indicated as effective teeth whitening products, whether they are used at home or applied at the dentist’s office. They can be simply applied over the teeth or through a customized mouth tray that the dentist will make for the patient. A piece of teeth whitening advice: one should never buy a one-fit mouth tray and wait for the same results as when using a customized type. The dentist will take a mold of the patient’s teeth and make sure that the procedure is 100% effective when using that specific tray to cover the teeth in bleaching gel.

Speaking about at-home teeth whitening products, there are many people who prefer to use whitening strips. These are extremely easy to apply and convenient for any patient, being absolutely safe. Containing the same active substance as bleaching gels – hydrogen peroxide – whitening strips are recommended to be worn for two weeks, at least thirty minutes every day, before the results start to become noticeable. The dentist will be more than happy to provide teeth whitening advice regarding the use of bleaching gels and whitening strips, highlighting the benefits of each in detail.

There are numerous natural products out there which have a whitening effect. Baking soda, strawberries and orange peels represent three of the most effective teeth whitening products, which are natural as you can probably see. Dentists usually recommend these to be used in combination with either of the products mentioned above or other teeth whitening procedures, thus obtaining better and faster results.

Teeth whitening advice should start with the importance of cosmetic dentistry and the presentation of different teeth whitening products. There are mouth tray bleaching systems, whitening gels and even whitening sprays recommended by professional dentists. New procedures are based on laser technology and the results are definitely satisfactory, with a whiter and healthier set of teeth on display. The stains are removed and the natural color of the teeth is restored, regardless of the teeth whitening products used. A bright smile will always be an attractive smile and a great way to make a first impression!

There is no doubt that whiteners are one of the most increasing numbers of oral hygiene products and while manufacturers are busy meeting market demands, the ADA Council of Scientific Affairs continuous to monitor its development and the need for standardizing the term “whitening” or “whiteners”.

In a layman’s term, whitening is the process of making the teeth to appear whiter. Although whitening is commonly administered by dentists in their clinics, there are also teeth whitening products available for home use like whitening toothpastes. A whitening product can bleach (this product contains peroxide) the tooth by removing surface and deep stains while non-bleaching formula like whitening toothpaste only works by physical or chemical reaction that helps remove surface stains.

Consider bleaching products or peroxide-containing whiteners, these available products either dentist-dispensed or over-the-counter (OTC) for home use are bearing ADA Seal of Acceptance. It contains 10% carbamide peroxide just like the other products in this category. Carbamide peroxide breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and urea in a water-based solution.

Hydrogen peroxide becomes the active bleaching agent. There are other peroxide ingredients that contain tooth whiteners and the list includes glycerin, carbopol, sodium hydroxide, and flavoring agents. According to clinical studies, 10% carbamide peroxide is safe and effective tooth-whitening agent. However, there are temporary side effects that may occur during treatment process like tooth sensitivity (often occurs during early stages of bleaching) and occasional irritation of oral mucosa or soft tissues in the mouth (often caused by ill-fitting tray). Both of these side effects may stop after treatment. The bleaching product for home use treatment procedure usually lasts for two to four weeks.

There is also this professionally applied bleaching agent that contains 15-35% hydrogen peroxide and is sometimes being applied with a light or laser to activate the whitening process. Before the application of such product, gum tissues are being protected using a protective gel or a rubber dam. Unlike home use products, the professionally applied whitener is faster to apply. Usually, the procedure lasts for only an hour. The most common side effects observed for this product are similar to the side effects of carbamide peroxide: temporary tooth sensitivity and occasional irritation of oral tissues. Irreversible tooth damage has been reported also although this is a very rare case. Professionally applied whiteners are not eligible for the ADA Seal due to the fact that on December 31, 2007, the professional component of the Seal Program was discontinued.

On the other hand, another tooth-whitening product available is called dentifrice or the most common form is toothpaste. Most whitening toothpastes available OTC has received ADA Seal of Acceptance. They contain polishing or chemical agents to remove certain stains. These non-bleaching agents aid to whiten teeth gradually.

Just like any other medications or health products, it is advisable to consult a dentist before trying any teeth whitening product whether at home or under professional supervision. ADA recommends patients, especially those who have many fillings, crowns, and extremely dark stains, to submit to dental consultations and thorough oral examinations to determine the most appropriate treatment.

Is there someone’s attention that you want to catch? The simplest way to do so is to just smile. However, that would be clearly impossible if your teeth are basically covered with stains and plaques. Worse, this “dirt” can definitely bring down your self-confidence to an all-time low. What you need therefore is teeth whitening.

What is teeth whitening?

Teeth whitening is sometimes called teeth bleaching. It refers to the process of removing the stains off your teeth to reveal their whiteness or to bring back their shine or luster. Normally, the tooth whitening procedure entails the use of whiteners or chemicals that are for oxidation, such as carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. These two known teeth whiteners can get into the deeper layers of your teeth, carefully eliminating the hard-to-remove stains on your teeth. Depending on the severity of the discoloration, the teeth whitening or teeth bleaching process can last for months.

Why do you need teeth whiteners?

In truth, it’s more than vanity or trying to make yourself look good. Stains can actually damage the enamel of your teeth, which then serves as a protective cover of the inner layer called the dentin. You need teeth whitening products since your precious pearly whites can be discolored because of the food that you eat or the beverage that you drink such as coffee and tea. Smoking can also be one of the leading causes.

When do you seek teeth whitening procedures?

First you need to go to the dentist first. He/she can better evaluate if you really need to undergo any teeth whitening treatments. However, if you feel like it’s becoming more uncomfortable, you can already begin the tooth whitening treatments. There are already several teeth whiteners that you can purchase over the counter such as the 35% Carbamide Peroxide Gel System and the 36% Carbamide Peroxide Bluelight Gel System. These are two equally popular teeth whitening gels that can guarantee immediate results and without the occurrence of teeth sensitivity.

You may also use the teeth whitening products when the stains seem to be more unmanageable that they can no longer be removed by mere use of toothpastes. When they get into the deeper portions of the enamel, it becomes a lot harder for you to apply the different teeth whitening treatments.

What are the different kinds of teeth whitening treatments that you can avail?

There are countless teeth whitening methods that you can choose from these days that your decision will basically depend on what you want to achieve from the teeth whitening treatment, as well as how much you’re willing to pay for it.

One of the most common types of teeth whitening procedure is the chair-side teeth bleaching. This means that you will drop by personally at your dentist’s office, then sit for around 30 minutes to an hour, while your dentist will try to apply teeth whiteners into your discolored set of teeth. Not only is the process quite lengthy, but this can also be pricey. You could be spending hundreds of dollars for every visit. The good thing, though, is that you will definitely benefit from close supervision of a professional during your teeth bleaching.

Another method is to use over-the-counter teeth whitening gels. They are very easy to use, and a lot of them are extremely safe to apply. There are instructions that you can follow to ensure that you’re doing the entire teeth whitening treatment right. Some of them can already give you immediate results, which is something that you cannot really attain with chair-side teeth bleaching.

There are also other special options for teeth whiteners, such as the use of veneers and specially formulated toothpastes.