What's Up With Teeth Whitening?

World Wide Web | What's Up With Teeth Whitening? | Teeth whitening is so popular these days, everyone knows at least one person who's gone ahead and gotten pearly whites. It is the easiest and in some cases the least expensive method of improving your smile which is why people from all walks of life scramble to their dentist's office for consultation and appointments. But then again, this is not just a single procedure and in fact, there are several methods you can choose from but what exactly is so great about it?

First of, teeth whitening products have what is known as peroxide in them and this is what makes bleaches the teeth enamel to make it whiter. The higher the percentage of peroxide contained in the whitening product, the whiter the teeth appear. The most common percentages in peroxide these days are 10%, 16% and 22%. Equally varied are the methods which you can choose from to get your teeth whitened but as with having new procedures done, you must consult your dentist first to determine whether or not tooth bleaching is for you.

The reason why this is not for everyone is because there are certain conditions that need to be present before you can be qualified for the procedure. The first and foremost of which is having no restorations done. Teeth that have undergone restorations, such as veneers or fillings will not qualify for this procedure because these materials cannot be whitened with hydrogen or carbamide peroxide and do not whiten past their original color.

This can also entail extra expense since to make your teeth evenly white, you might need to replace the discolored restorations. Teeth that have also undergone root canal, or have internal staining due to developmental conditions also do not qualify you for tooth whitening.

Whitening teeth starts with the enamel, or the surface of the tooth. To whiten the enamel, a peroxide solution is placed on the enamel which opens its pores allowing the solution to penetrate through to the dentin, which is the layer underneath. The dentin is typically yellowish in hue, but may also be gray, brown or black and whitening the dentin makes teeth whiter. The most popular methods to whiten teeth are in-office bleaching, whitening trays and gels, whitening strips and whitening toothpaste. Among all these, in-office bleaching is the most preferred method since you can immediate results in just under an hour. A little expensive than the other procedures, the time saved from getting immediate results makes this procedure appealing to most people despite the price.

If you are unsure about what method to use, you can consult your dentist about the pros and cons of each method, as well as the waiting time for results. Remember that nothing worth having is easy to achieve or get, and a whiter smile is definitely one of them. Be wise about choosing what teeth whitening to choose and be wiser about where you have it done. Make sure you go only to dentists you trust and are more than qualified to perform the procedure and if you go for over-the-counter whitening products, make sure they adhere to dental health and safety standards.