A good smile gives you self confidence, but what do you do when your teeth aren’t as white as you wish? Teeth whitening is a very common procedure nowadays and there are lots of techniques that help us get a great smile. Therefore going to the dentist’s becomes a pleasure. A teeth whitening procedure lightens teeth and helps remove stains and discoloration. It is recommended for patients with healthy, unrestored teeth and healthy gums who are willing to do something to have a brighter smile. Individuals with yellow tones to their teeth respond best. But the whitening procedure isn’t recommended to children under 16, to pregnant women, to patients with allergies or with sensitive teeth or to those who have gum diseases. Also, smokers or persons with brown colored teeth should not expect great results if they apply for a teeth whitening procedure. Teeth whitening can be classified using two different approaches: at home bleaching (using whitening strips, whitening gel, whitening toothpastes or other different systems brought from stores, from the dentist or through the Internet) and in-office bleaching. Whitening tooth pastes are seen very often in TV commercials. Although it is known that all toothpastes help remove surface stains through the action of mild abrasive, there are some toothpastes that contain gentle polish or chemical agents. They provide a better clean. But whitening toothpastes do not contain bleach as the over-the-counter and professional products do and therefore whitening toothpastes aren’t enough to be considered professional teeth whitening methods. If you decide to whiten your teeth at home, whitening strips and whitening gel are among the most common ways. By using these products, you will have to follow a 14 days treatment that states you have to brush your teeth with gel or put the strips on your teeth for 30 minutes. Although the costs are not very high, the results can be seen after 4 months. Another home teeth whitening option is to use products bought from different drug stores, from websites or from a dentist. In these cases, costs are a little higher than those of the whitening gel or whitening strips, but the results can be seen in about 4 weeks. Home tooth whitening involves a few risks and, when you decide to whiten your teeth at home, you should keep in mind a few things. First of all, it is indicated to use the opinion of others who may have used the products that you intend to buy. Try to use a kit that allows some customization of the mouth piece because there are some that come with a mouthpiece which can be molded to some degree. These are better than the ones with a standard stock mouthpiece. Secondly, if you notice an increased sensitivity to hot or cold foods and beverages or a change in your gums’ color, stop using that product and see your dentist immediately. In-office teeth whitening is much safer and has better results. This procedure takes 30 up to 90 minutes spent at the dentist and may require three appointments with your dentist. At first, the dentist will apply a special gel on the gums to protect them from the whitening agents and, after that, the whitening agent is applied. The most common teeth whitening agent used is hydrogen peroxide. The dentist uses light over the place where the whitening agent is applied. Some dentists started using laser as a high-speed alternative to conventional whitening procedures. Although this is a technology that satisfies the consumers, it is still too new and to expensive to justify its general use. Besides that, data on the safety or effectiveness of using laser for teeth whitening hasn’t been published yet. If the teeth are badly discolored, a more expensive whitening treatment that can be done in the office may be required. After your teeth have been whitened your dentist may require an appointment in order to check if the gums have been affected or not by the teeth whitening agent. Whatever method of teeth whitening you use, you must keep in mind that whitening is not a permanent solution and stains will come back. People that expose their teeth may see their whiteness fade within one month. However, if staining foods and drinks are avoided, one can wait 12 months before another teeth whitening treatment is required. Re-whitening can be done at home or in-office after a period of 6 to 12 months. Don’t let yourself discouraged by the fact that teeth whitening has to be done repeatedly! Your teeth are worth the effort. However, please make sure you find out all the intricacies of the teeth whitening procedures before getting started. After that you can proceed and pick an efficient treatment to obtain a great smile that will give you confidence and make your life happier.
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