Over time, the foods you eat and the beverages you drink can discolour your teeth, replacing the white with mottled yellow, brown, or gray hues. Let face it, unless you’re one of the lucky few, we all covet that million dollar smile. Pearly white and shiny, what’s not to like?
So it should come as no surprise that teeth whitening is the number one cosmetic procedure in the world and in such great demand that the procedure is starting to grow in malls, beauty salons and spas. While it’s true, having a whiter, brighter smile isn’t going to dramatically change your life, a set of pearly white teeth can give your self-esteem a huge boost. Teeth whitening can help bring back the shine to your smile and there are a number of options available to suit your tastes and your pocket.
- Dental Whitening Treatments
You can choose to whiten your teeth at home or have your dentist or another professional perform the procedure. No matter what teeth-whitening method you choose, it’s a good idea to talk to your dentist before you start a whitening treatment. He or she can evaluate your discoloration and help determine how well whitening might work. Some types of stains are more likely to lighten than others. If you’ve had bonding, veneers, crowns, or fillings in your front teeth – these restorations won’t lighten the same way as your enamel and may become noticeable, but they can be treated separately or replaced to match the color.
- Whitening Toothpastes
For a more economical option, whitening toothpastes are an easy way to give teeth whitening a try without spending a lot of money. All toothpastes whiten your teeth to some extent as they clean the surface. Those with whitening claims add another layer of stain removal with special additives but whitening toothpastes won’t bleach your teeth.
- Over-the counter Whitening Kits
Over-the-counter teeth-whitening kits deliver a whitening agent in one of three ways – through a strip that you stick to your teeth, or a product applied directly to teeth usually in a gel form or through a tray that you fill with a gel and apply to your teeth. All three use peroxide to bleach your teeth. The strips a usually worn for 30 minutes at a time, twice a day, for seven to 14 days depending the strength of the bleaching agent.
If you try the tray, you’re likely have some options — wearing the gel once or twice a day for a couple of hours or keeping the tray in place overnight so the teeth-whitening action can take place while you sleep. Choose the option you find most comfortable.
- Dentist-dispensed Whitening Kits
These teeth-whitening kits work in the same way as over-the-counter kits. To start the process, your dentist will make a mould of your teeth so the tray that holds the bleaching agent is custom-made for your mouth, lessening the likelihood of irritation and keeping contact between the bleaching agent and your gums to a minimum.
- Chairside Bleaching
Chairside bleaching is a procedure that takes place in your dentist’s office. He or she will apply a peroxide-based gel to your teeth (this teeth whitener may be stronger than those you use at home), then a blue lamp with a special wave length is used to initiate the whitening effect. The procedure takes 30 to 60 minutes. Occasionally, your dentist may give you take-home whitening trays to lock in or enhance the whitening achieved in the office.
With any teeth-whitening procedure you run the risk of increased sensitivity or gum irritation. These problems should resolve themselves once your treatment is completed, but talk to your dentist if they are bothersome. To avoid the risk of such irritations, at home treatments like brushing your teeth with baking soda or rubbing them with strawberries (a trick Catherine Zeta-Jones swears by) are also worth trying. Chewing sugar-free gum is also a great tool, as you chew, it acts as a magnet to get all the gunk out of your teeth.
From basic brushing to in-office bleaching treatments, there’s a teeth-whitening treatment out there for you, ready to put the sparkle back into your smile.
Article By: Serisha Singh