What Are Reliable Home Teeth Whitening Techniques?
Home teeth whitening products have become a major industry in today’s oral healthcare market. If you consider how much money is spent on whitening chewing gum alone, then you are looking at an easy $17 million dollars for one brand. Now add in the whitening toothpastes, the whitening strips, the brushed on bleaching gels and you will quickly realize how huge an industry it has become. However, it was not always this way. Oral care had some rather humble beginnings that you may not know about. Knowing the past is a great way to truly appreciate our modern conveniences.
Oh, how wonderful it is to get up in the morning and brush your teeth. You should not take it for granted though. The first home teeth whitening step was considered to be just a good brushing of the teeth. Thankfully, you do not have to utilize what your ancestors had to use in order to brush, as they would have used a frayed twig. The twig became outdated when the first toothbrush was designed. It was made out of whittled wood and boar bristles.
Whiter teeth have always been fashionable. Early dentists, a.k.a the nearby barber, would file the tooth surface down before applying a solution of Nitric Acid. The blinding white teeth came with a steep price. This combination is devastating to enamel and the Dandy or Lady found themselves without teeth before long, due to decay. A tooth is only as good as the protection surrounding it.
Think about that fresh minty taste of your toothpaste. Most whitening toothpastes now contain baking soda. It is still a common practice to brush the teeth with baking soda straight out of the Arm & Hammer box. If you do not want that baking soda taste, then you may want to stick with toothpaste. At least the toothpaste no longer contains urine, a common ingredient in the 1800′s!
If it is said once, it will be said a hundred times over your life. Home teeth whitening all starts with following a proper oral hygiene routine. Avoiding tobacco products, red wine and coffee are also great ideas if your goal is to have pearly whites. Do not take for granted how easy it is for modern man to have whiter teeth. At least you do not have to brush with a toothbrush made of pig hair.
Can baking soda get rid of yellow teeth?
How Does Hydrogen Peroxide Teeth Whitening Work?
Hydrogen peroxide is a simple chemical compound composed of hydrogen and oxygen. This chemical is widely used as a disinfectant and a bleaching agent for fabrics and paper. More recently, however, it is being used as an ingredient to aid in the process of teeth whitening. The amount of hydrogen peroxide in the whitening compound or solution will determine how effective the process is. Most concentrations range from three to ten percent. The higher the percentage, the greater the potential effects.
How Does it Work?
The teeth whitening process means that the hydrogen peroxide goes through the enamel material of the teeth and bleaches the dentine and pulp portions of the tooth. Studies done by the American Dental Association indicate that this process does not damage the enamel and is safe.
Side Effects
Like any process, there are side effects. These, however, are minor and temporary. Hydrogen peroxide strong enough to be used in the teeth whitening process can cause gums to become tender and teeth to be temperature sensitive.
What The Process Won’t Do
The teeth whitening process requires the hydrogen peroxide to go through the enamel to begin the bleaching. If it cannot go through the surface of a material, that means there will be no bleaching effect. If the hydrogen peroxide solution comes in contact with fillings, porcelain, ceramic or gold teeth or restorative work, then there is no change. On the other hand, if there is a porous material used such as cements or amalgams, the result can be one of making those materials softer and porous.
What About Carbamide Peroxide?
While hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are related, they perform two very different functions. Carbamide peroxide is formulated to work slowly, providing more teeth whitening but taking longer than hydrogen peroxide. Solutions using carbamide peroxide have a longer shelf life. Hydrogen peroxide, on the other hand, breaks down immediately upon exposure to saliva and oxygen. This means that those solutions containing hydrogen peroxide have a shorter shelf life, but perform the teeth whitening process much more quickly.
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What You Should Know About A Dental Whitening System
There is little doubt that a professional dental whitening system is very expensive. Some of the procedures cost more than $1000 and may require more than one visit. Most people, unless their teeth are very stained, elect to use a home tooth bleaching system, such as Crest White Strips or other home kits that lighten the color of the teeth. If you are curious as to how the kits work, then today is your lucky day. Keep reading and you will get a clearer perspective on having a brighter smile and you may even save yourself a visit to a cosmetic dentist.
Once upon a time, the dental whitening system worked through the use of a plastic tray and bleaching gel. The contraption was molded to each individual’s mouth and the tray, after filling it with the special whitening gel, was left in overnight. Unfortunately, the gel lost its effectiveness after a few hours and there was also irritation to the gums and throat from the substance being in the mouth for such a prolonged period of time.
Items such as Crest White Strips have eliminated the need for the bulky whitening trays and bleach that stayed on overnight. These whitening strips are applied to the teeth and then left on for fifteen to thirty minutes twice a day. Some of the new lines are applied only at night. The reason is that most people, after brushing their teeth at night, do not eat or drink anything until they wake in the morning, therefore leaving the whitening gel on the tooth surface longer.
Teeth whitening kits also are produced in generic versions such as Equate found in Wal-Mart. Truth be told, they are just as effective as their brand name counterparts. If you are unsure if the kit is of the same quality as Crest, then take a look at the ingredients list. Chances are the active ingredients are the same for both brands and you may actually save a few dollars.
A home dental whitening system is a great product provided you do not have any problems with your teeth and gums. If you are allergic to certain types of bleaching gels, then the kit could put you at serious health risk. If you have open spots on tooth surfaces from tooth decay, then the whitening gel could make the condition worse and cause pain. Before beginning any teeth whitening system, you may want to consult with your dentist. He or she can make a recommendation that best suits your particular oral needs.