Dental Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening has gained so much in popularity it seems everyone is doing it! Every second person wants to have a beautiful smile and there is nothing wrong with that. However, you need to understand what dental teeth whitening is all about before rushing into it.

Teeth whitening products contain a peroxide based ingredient that actually bleaches the enamel and makes your teeth whiter. The level of effectiveness of the teeth whitening procedure depends on the concentration of the peroxide contained in the whitening product.

There are three ways of whitening teeth.

You can go to your dentist and have him perform an in-office procedure You can get your dentist to make custom fit trays and give you the gel for an at home treatment

You can buy teeth whitening products over the counter at any pharmacy or drug store and follow the instructions for home application. The following pointers may help you to reach a decision.

Time factor: if you are in a job where the demands on your time are enormous you will certainly not have time to spare for visits to your dentist. In this case the store bought teeth whitener will be a good option. People who are not so pressed for time will be able to fit in a dental appointment or two, and should opt for the in-office treatments.

Money factor: money is a major deciding factor in all of our lives. To put it simply, if you’ve got the money, then by all means invest in a good in-office dental treatment. Go in for laser or bleaching gel and get your dream smile. However, if money is a constraint then you can either get your dentist to give you an at-home treatment which will not be as expensive as an in-office treatment. Or you can go in for an over the counter remedy that may take a longer time to show results but will definitely be affordable.

There are some things you should know about dental teeth whitening.

Dental insurance does not cover teeth whitening because it is considered a cosmetic procedure.

When you have a teeth whitening procedure performed on your teeth the existing fillings, crowns, bridges and veneers will not lighten to the same shade as your teeth.

Teeth whitening toothpastes do not have the capacity to bleach teeth making them distinctly whiter – they can only remove light surface stains at best.

Teeth whitening does not produce the same results on all types of teeth discoloration. If you have yellow teeth you would do better having your teeth bleached. However, someone with gray teeth should not go in for bleaching as gray tinted teeth do not bleach well.

Common side effects of teeth whitening include tooth and gum irritation.

• Cavities should be filled prior to going in for the teeth whitening procedure. There is a possibility of nerve damage from the bleaching agent if you ignore this.
• Choices are plenty and there is no excuse for poor dental hygiene or a smile you are ashamed of!