Teeth Whitening Options

Nice white teeth do a great smile make, and thousands of people look for the best products and treatments to accomplish this goal. You can get your teeth whitened or bleached with over the counter products or by seeing your dentist.  There is actually a technical difference between the terms whitening and bleaching.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, whitening refers to changing the surface color of the teeth by removing debris and dirt. By this definition, any product that performs this task can be considered a whitening agent, even toothpaste.

Bleaching on the other hand refers to any process that makes the teeth whiter than their natural color. These products contain bleach or hydrogen peroxide. However, whitening has a better ring than bleaching and you will find the term used even on products that contain bleach.

Office or Over the Counter?

Many people opt for teeth whitening at their dentist office. The main benefit to going this route is the immediate results. When your dentist whitens your teeth with carefully controlled of high concentrated peroxide gel, after protecting your gums with paint on rubber seal. By the time you leave the office you will have a gleaming white smile, of course this comes with a pretty steep price tag, about $650 in most areas.

Over the counter whitening, treatments on the other hand are much cheaper. You can usually pick up a teeth-whitening kit for less than $100. These kids can be composed of strips, paint on gel or gel and tray combinations. This product will be much milder than what your dentist uses, therefore your results not be nearly so dramatic.

In some cases, you can get a teeth whitening or bleach take home kit from your dentist. These kits are milder than the solution your dentist uses but stronger than what you can purchase over the counter. Likewise the price falls somewhere in between the two extremes as well.

Everyone wants a bright, beautiful smile the only question is whether you use the dentist or an over the counter product. If you have the money to spend and there is an important event coming up go with the dentist, if not a do it yourself product will work just fine.

Other teeth whitening options that are available cannot even hold a candle to the BriteSmile Teeth Whitening procedure.  BriteSmile, when compared to other methods, stands out in consistency, longevity, quality and whitening improvement.

This whitening system incorporates the BriteSmile ® Procedural Gel for its whitener.  It is a bleaching compound that is hydrogen peroxide-based and it comes all ready to use because it is prepackaged.  The concentration of hydrogen peroxide is 15% and it has a pH of 6.5.  Along with the BriteSmile Teeth Whitening procedure, an accelerator is used before applying the gel for the second as well as the third times.  This step is what enhances the whitener’s effect.

The BriteSmile Teeth Whitening procedure includes using a gas plasma or a light-emitting diode (LED) light for bleaching.  These lights are also manufactured by BriteSmile, Inc. and are used especially with their unique in-office bleaching system.

These two lights have something in common.  They both give off a light that has a wavelength between 400-500mn.  The light that is emitted is of a blue-green color.  In a statement by BriteSmile, the light within this wavelength range will activate a “photo-initiator” that is incorporated into the tooth whitener that was developed by this company.  It goes a long way to enhance the whitening effect.  As the light is put into position, it has the capability of simultaneously illuminating all teeth that are being bleached.  The light units that are used with this particular teeth whitening system produce no significant heating effect on the patient’s teeth that are undergoing the bleaching process.

BriteSmile Teeth Whitening system – is it just all hype?  You have to see it to believe it!

When it comes to over-the-counter products that are designed to remove discoloration of the teeth, teeth whitening strips is considered to be the innovative new approach. In the year of 2000, the company known as “The Proctor & Gamble Company” released a product line identified as “Crest Whitestrips ®”. This consisted of small strips that could be placed directly on the teeth in order to whiten stained teeth. It incorporated the use of bleach in order to ensure success to the consumer. Since this notable event, many manufacturers now produce teeth whitening strips. This whitening system was originally introduced as a strategy to whiten teeth without the implementation of using a challenging and universal type tray procedure at home.

Teeth whitening strips are nothing more than pieces of plastic that are relatively thin and extremely flexible. These strips are designed to fit over teeth of all shapes and sizes in a secure fashion. On one side of the thin plastic, you will find that there is a small area that consists of peroxide and other ingredients that are known to have a bleaching effect. By using teeth whitening strips, a consumer no longer has to face the challenges of trying to place an uncomfortable tray on their teeth and administering the appropriate dosage of the cleansing agent. This, coupled with the fact that the strips typically come with units designed for the upper area of the mouth, as well as the lower part attracts consumers seeking whitening and convenience.

When using teeth whitening strips, you typically only have to wear them for about an hour a day. Many now only require thirty minutes daily. Typical treatments include one week, two weeks, three weeks, and one month. The treatment time is dependent on a number of factors. These include the severity of the discoloration being treated, the dosage of the bleaching agent placed on the teeth whitening strips as well as the unique plan that the manufacturer puts into place as far as treatment is concerned.

Many who desire to have a white, bright smile are often curious about laser teeth whitening cost. While there are many different systems and products available when it comes to teeth whitening, the laser teeth whitening process remains to be one of the most popular among individuals looking to achieve a more beautiful smile. For those that have relatively healthy teeth with mild to moderate yellow tones, teeth whitening through the means of laser technology may be an appropriate choice. Throughout out this guide, you will be introduced to a description on the laser cleansing procedure as well as laser teeth whitening cost.

The Laser teeth whitening process for an individual is a procedure that is professionally performed. A professional administrator will place gel on the teeth that has ingredients that result in the bleaching of the teeth. This is typically a translucent gel. A special designed light that incorporates the use of laser technology is implemented in order to activate ingredients within the gel. These ingredients are typically identified as “Crystals” by dental specialists. As the procedure progresses, the ingredients actually absorb a high level of energy, which is emitted by the laser. This energy, coupled with the bleaching power of the gel, then works to infiltrate the actual enamel of the tooth. As a result, it is able to lighten the stains.

The amount of time that it takes for the laser treatment to work depends on the severity of the staining involved. The length of time often has a direct impact on the laser teeth whitening cost. However, most individuals spend a half hour to an hour in the office. Unfortunately, those that have a high level of discoloration may have to return and indulge in the laser cosmetic procedure several times before desired results are achieved. If only an arch of the mouth is processed, the laser teeth whitening cost is anywhere from just a couple hundred dollars to five hundred dollars. If the entire mouth is introduced to the gel and laser, the laser teeth whitening cost comes in between five hundred dollars and one thousand dollars.

While there are a large number of options when it comes to teeth whitening systems and products on the market today, teeth whitening gels rank among the most popular option among consumers. Teeth whitening gel may be used to administer professional dental procedures such as laser teeth whitening, but it is most commonly used in over-the-counter whitening procedures. These gels are typically clear as far as color is concerned and they almost always contain a high level of peroxide. Teeth whitening gels may be applied with the use of a brush, through the use of a tray, or another type of application system.

Teeth whitening gels are effective in reducing discoloration on teeth that are considered to be relatively healthy. If you elect to use these specially designed gels, it is essential that you understand that it is not likely that you will see immediate results. It is true that there are some teeth whitening gels on the market that have provided instant results, but these typically occur with individuals who have only mild staining when it comes to the teeth. Moderate and severe discoloration could require treatments that use teeth whitening gels that last up to six months. On the average, though, results are seen within two weeks as long as the directions are followed on the product that you elect to use.

Teeth whitening gels are very effective in restoring the color reflected naturally by the teeth by simply working to remove various types of debris from the enamel. The enamel on the tooth is composed of small rods that are considered to be microscopic and crystalline based. As time progresses, the enamel experiences a natural breakdown due to the ingesting of certain ingredients, chewing, and similar types of trauma. When yellow color becomes present, it could be the dentin appearing. This appearance coupled with staining causes an uncomfortable degree of discoloration. Teeth whitening gels assists in removing this and creating a healthy, white smile.

There is no reason to go to the dentist just because you want teeth like a TV star. You can get an over the counter teeth whitening product that do a professional job at a fraction of the price. Every major consumer goods company seems to have one now so there are plenty to choose from. There are a wide variety of different products and different methods of application although almost all use the same bleaching chemicals in their products; here is a guide to some of the great products that are out there for you to choose from.

Teeth Whitening Trays

This is the way your dentist does teeth whitening and those awful fluoride treatments and the same trays are available for you to whiten your teeth at home. This was the original version of the do it yourself teeth whitening and it is no longer as popular as the others.

One drawback is that it was expensive to fill the trays with whitening formula and a lot of the formula was wasted. This technique is also messy if you are not lying in a dentist chair with a bib on

Paint on Whitening

A big improvement over the trays, paint on whitening is one of the most effective techniques available in over the counter teeth whitening on the market. You paint on the product that when dries on the fronts of your teeth. This technique allows you to get a nice even coloration across all of your teeth, but it is time consuming.

I tired this technique and had a lot of success. It was after using this type of product that people started to stop me and ask what I had done because they wanted to get the same results for themselves. After a full month of treatments, I notice at dinner one night that my teeth were whiter then my teenage sons. I would say that is a product that works.

Whitening Strips

These strips were the invention that spelled the end for the trays. The main advantage of the strips is that they are easily portable and there is no mess to clean up because even the strip that holds the bleaching agent will dissolve in your mouth. Part of the advertising Crest did for their Crest Whitestrips was that you could use these while you were out about in public. While they are portable and easy to apply, I still think they are best used at home because if you do a lot of talking with them in they are bound to shift out of place and that leads to uneven coloration on the surface of your teeth.

Electric Toothbrush

Among all the new fancy strips and trays meant to whiten your teeth, do not forget about the ultimate over the counter teeth whitening product, the toothbrush. If you do not have good brushing habits then that is where you need to start in you quest for whiter teeth. Dentists recommend a full 2 minutes of brushing at least twice per day with a tooth brush in good condition. To keep your toothbrush in good share, be sure to change it every 3 months.

If you have not been brushing regularly, a good regimen with the brush can whiten your teeth by three shades. If you cannot make enough progress with a standard brush, try an electric one. They deliver an ever better clean for your teeth and with less effort from you. Just direct the vibrating brush to the right location and the rest will take care of itself. As an added bonus to the whitening effects, the toothbrush will also help fight plaque and cavities. All of that in just four minutes per day.

As we go through life, our teeth naturally lose their brilliant white color. No teeth are absolutely white to begin with, but as young children our teeth are free from stains. The darkening of our teeth is normal and the darkening is due to a natural buildup of stains to our as a result of drinking coffee, teas, cola, smoking cigarettes and other foods which stain our teeth. This darkening of the color teeth can be reversed.

Getting your teeth whitened will change the way that you look and will boost your self-confidence and self-esteem. There are a lot of teeth whitening products for sale these days and many of them simply do not work. A few of these products do work to a small degree, but the results can be non-dramatic and hardly noticeable. Many teeth whitening products claim that your teeth will become whiter ‘virtually overnight’ or after just one application. These products are costly and their effectiveness is questionable. There are also many toothpastes on the market that promise you whiter teeth, but dentists have tested these toothpastes and confirm that teeth whitening cannot be done with a toothpaste alone.

If you would like instant results with getting your teeth whitened, consider going to visit your dentist. A dentist can perform this procedure for you and can quite dramatically whiten your teeth to 4 or 5 shades lighter in about one hour’s time.

Most dentists perform a bleaching treatment in which they will use a substance that contains anywhere from 15% to 35% hydrogen peroxide gel. Usually the dentist will first isolate the gums by placing a protective gel or a shield around the soft tissue so that they do not become irritated by the substance. The whitening agent is applied directly to your teeth. This can be used in conjunction with a laser or other light source to enhance the bleaching effect.

Your dentist can also fit you with a tray and give you whitening gel that you can take home with you so that you can do the whitening process yourself. The dentist will take an impression of your teeth so that he can fit you with a soft plastic tray that is designed to hold the whitening substance next to your teeth. The tray will be adjusted and trimmed so that your teeth are whitened and so that your gums will not become irritated.

Getting your teeth whitened is easy today. Most dentists offer this treatment and people the world over are taking advantage of this service. There are very few movie stars or celebrities these days who have not had their teeth professionally whitened by a dentist. Do know, however, that the results are not 100% permanent. Your teeth will darken again over time, but usually a dentist can all but guarantee that the whitening will last for a period of around three years. Your teeth will naturally become stained again gradually over time, so you will have to re-visit your dentist to have more treatments in the future if you wish to maintain your teeth’s white appearance.

Your smile is your trademark. It can either make you or break you when it comes to appearance. With the way the economy is right now, a lot of people cannot afford to go to an expensive dentist for a teeth whitening treatment. It is very important to take care of your teeth, and you can do so by brushing and flossing on a regular basis. But when it comes to whitening, there are actually some very natural ways to whiten teeth.

Try your best to avoid drinks like sodas, coffee, and dark colored juice drinks that will only stain your teeth. Try to drink through a straw instead. Practice drinking water and milk more often, and never drink anything that contains sugar right before you go to sleep without brushing your teeth. Sugar can cause cavities which lead to rotting and decaying, which inevitably lead to very unsightly teeth. More natural ways to whiten teeth include the usage of peroxide. A great way to use peroxide is to use it as a mouth wash. Unlike regular store bought mouthwash, you can use peroxide mouth wash up to several times a day. It is safe, and can be diluted with as little or as much water as you prefer. You can also mix peroxide with baking soda to use as a paste to brush your teeth with.

Of all of the natural ways to whiten teeth, we all know that the best one is to simply take care of them. Caring for your teeth isn’t hard, all it takes is basic common sense when it comes to cleaning, flossing, and rinsing. When you try the methods listed above along with your usual cleaning routine, you will have teeth that are so white that they are blinding! And there is nothing wrong with that at all. A white smile is an attractive smile.