Teeth so white, teeth so bright

Everyone seems to want a whiter, brighter smile, making the teeth whitening market a booming industry.  Teeth whiteners have become a staple of the modern household with a plethora of different products available for the family to use in order  to erase away all the dullness and discoloration that builds up on the teeth due to the consumption of teeth staining gourmet coffee and teas.

Every day, we are bombarded with commercials and ads touting the latest, greatest product available to whiten teeth urging us to act now to get that brighter smile tomorrow. However, we also need to be aware which of these products are actually effective at giving us a whiter smile and which will only make our teeth tingle a bit.

Here are some examples of teeth whitening options that are available.

Bleaching

Bleach alternatives were first made available during the 80’s. Available only through a dentist, bleaching involved using high levels of hydrogen peroxide in order to power bleach teeth white. This practice continues today with the hydrogen peroxide levels in some products reaching upwards of 40%. With these kinds of levels, teeth should stay white for around 3 to 5 years. If you are interested in a power bleach procedure, be sure to consult your dentist.

Toothpaste

Savvy toothpaste makers have also tried to cash in on the whiter teeth craze by making certain teeth whitening toothpaste conveniently available on the supermarket shelf for anyone to pick up. These toothpastes, which generally utilize baking soda and peroxide, can be effective up to a point. However, you will not get the same results that you would if you went with a professional teeth whitening product.

Also, while brushing with peroxide can make your teeth whiter, it can also lead to other problems. Peroxide can affect your gum tissues, and could possibly damage the nerve cells in your mouth leading to increased tooth sensitivity to hot and cold things making eating ice cream an arduous task.

Home bleach kits

Thanks to the popularity of professional power bleaching, a less potent home version is now available for consumers to use. These over the counter kits come with a solution for the teeth along with a tray. They usually require you to soak your teeth for several minutes every day in order to achieve a brighter smile.  While not as effective as professional power bleaching, these kits are better than the toothpaste whiteners. You can get these home kits from your dentist, who will prescribe it to you as long as they do not see it as a threat to your overall dental health.

Home kits do come with some side effects. Since they require you to keep your teeth dry overnight, some blotching might occur because of saliva in the mouth and even using alcohol to dry the teeth will not allow the bleach to work effectively. When using these kits, it is important to carefully read all the directions before starting your regime.

Whitening strips

Because of their simplicity and cost, whitening strips have become a popular way to achieve that smile. All you need to do is apply the strip before you go to bed and take it off when you wake up. Another reason why these strips are so popular is because they are readily available over the counter to anyone with the cash to buy them.  However, you need to be aware that these strips may not necessarily be effective for your teeth. The strips are flat, while most people’s teeth are not so some parts of the upper and lower teeth may remain dull while everything else turns nice and white.

As you can see, there are a wide variety of options available allowing you the consumer to get the right treatment for your price range. By understand what products are out there and their effectiveness, you too can achieve a brighter whiter smile.