What are teeth whitening products?

When you look in the mirror do you wish your teeth were whiter? According to the American Dental Association, a growing number of people are talking to their dentist about teeth whitening chapel hill north carolina. Whitening your teeth is an easy way to improve your overall aesthetic. Whitening products are available at drug stores and from your dentist and all of them will result in a lighter color of your tooth enamel without invasive procedures. When most people are comparing whitening products they are looking for easy application, affordable pricing and effective results; you and your dentist can determine which whitening product is going to give you the most value.

Why are your teeth discolored?

Your daily habits may not seem terribly important in the moment, but over time, they will impact the color of your teeth. Some of your favorite additions to your day are slowly darkening your teeth: drinking red wine, smoking, drinking coffee or tea, eating red sauces, drinking dark colored sodas, and eating dark colored fruits. Depending on your day to day habits, your tooth stains may be more on the surface so drug store products could be really helpful. Looking at the over the counter (OTC) products, you can choose from toothpastes, mouth rinses, chewing gum, gels, and strips. These usually vary in price from $5 to $50. When you are talking to your dentist about an office treatment or even a dentist supplied at home treatments can cost from $400 to $650, on average.

Whitening Toothpastes and Rinses

Toothpastes that claim whitening attributes usually include a polishing abrasive to gently remove surface stains while you are brushing your teeth and breaking up plaque and tartar. Mouthwashes and rinses usually include a bleaching agent like hydrogen peroxide while you are preventing bad breath.

Toothpastes and mouth rinses are designed to use every day and can be especially helpful after a meal with staining foods or drinks. You may even start to see improvement after a few days; take photos and start to compare your tooth color to see the slow changes more easily.

Chewing Gum and Whitening Strips

Most people have seen ads or talked to someone who has used whitening strips or even whitening chewing gum. Some chewing gums are designed to be whitening and these sugarless gums help remove remainders of food and drinks from teeth. Additionally, those chewing gums have an added agent that help coat the teeth to prevent future staining. Whitening strips are single use strips of plastic coated with a peroxide based gel to apply to the surface of your teeth. These strips are usually meant to use for 30 minutes at a time for a certain number of days in a row, depending on the manufacturer.

Tray-Based Teeth Whiteners

At drug stores, you can buy a whitening kit with a mouth guard like tray that you can boil and then bite to mold to your teeth and your bite. You add a bleaching gel to the tray and keep the tray in your mouth for a fixed amount of time, depending on the manufacturer. This system is similar to the ones with the custom trays from the dentist, but the drug store version gel is much less concentrated.

The dentist office version is starts with an impression of your teeth, which is made to perfectly fit your mouth and bite. Then the dentist will supply you with a gel to use at home with the tray that has a strong bleaching agent. You and your dentist can discuss possible side effects and your dentist will oversee your whitening treatment from start to finish. Typically your dentist will  recommend using the tray with the gel once-a-day, for 30-60 minutes, every day up to two weeks.

In-Office Dental Whitening Treatment

Finally, one of the fastest and most effective treatments is a single visit to your dentist for a treatment with a special UV light. The dentist will use a special gel or coating to protect your gums and lips and another gel to whiten your teeth. The UV light activates the ingredient in the gel and you will walk out of the office with whiter teeth.

More About Teeth Whitening : Teeth whitening at home