Whitening Your Teeth
It was fun looking at those old photos and videos, but you have a take away that makes you a bit sad. Although, having brought your stained or yellowed teeth to your attention, it is an easy remedy. One that you can simply do at home on your own or ask the advice and possibly the services of your dental office.
How did it happen?
Over time your love for your morning coffee or your glass of red wine in the evening has a negative effect on your teeth. The hard surface of the tooth, called enamel, will stain. Other foods and drinks can do the same such as dark colored sodas, tea, hard candies and berries. If you smoke you will be accelerating the staining of your teeth. It happens over time and not something you noticed looking in the mirror every morning.
It’s Your Smile
You can stop at the store on the corner and buy some over the counter products that will put a sparkle back into your smile. You can easily whiten teeth, regularly and at home. There are products that are very simple, like teeth whitening toothpastes, mouthwashes or even gum. They will use the physical motion on the tooth removing the stain or a mild chemical that will do the same. The most effective method at home is to use a product with bleach as an active ingredient. These products will contain 10% to 22% of carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. This bleach will actively remove those stains. The bleach is most often delivered in trays that fit over your upper and lower teeth. You can also now use strips that have bleach in them. These are becoming more effective but be apprised it will take some time.
Bring in a Professional
If you are impatient and want good advice ask your dentist for assistance. They are able to purchase a stronger bleach reducing the amount of time to get good results with teeth whitening. A compromising situation is to have the dentist make the tray, purchase the prescription product, and then give you a good set of instructions to do the teeth whitening at home.
Will you need to continue to whiten teeth?
As long as you enjoy food and beverages that have staining qualities like those mentioned earlier your teeth will stain again. So teeth whitening is something that can be done on a regular basis. If you exercise good oral hygiene, with twice daily brushing and daily flossing and introduce a dental office visit twice a year together you can document and monitor how much teeth whitening you need to practice. Having your teeth cleaned at the time of the evaluations will be a wise thing to do as well for the health of your teeth. What is the price for your smile, an attribute that only you possess? A sparkling smile brings with it self-confidence and a positive spin on live and the challenges you face every day. All starting with your smile.
More Information on Teeth Whitening : How Much Does Teeth Whitening Cost?