Understanding Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening Options When Your Lifestyle Has Discolored Those Pearly Whites

In the world of cosmetic dentistry, the largest area of growth has been in teeth whitening procedures. Everyone wants a nice, bright smile but not everyone understands the procedures necessary to obtain it. Bleaching and whitening are used interchangeably by the general public but the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) says that the term “bleaching” can only be used when your teeth can be whitened beyond its normal pearly color. Many people opt for a more natural look rather than the fake looking clean.

How Lifestyle and Other Factors Discolor Teeth

Many factors such as lifestyle contribute to the discoloration of your teeth. Colored beverages and foods as well as those with acidic content can break down the enamel of your teeth, allowing stains to accumulate. Red wine, dark colas, coffee, vinegar and citrus fruits are a few culprits. Age also contributes to the discoloration.

Lifestyle choices such as smoking can prematurely discolor teeth, requiring teeth whitening to restore a lustrous smile. The nicotine in tobacco products creates a brown stain. This addicting ingredient can cause gum disease too. Chemicals and drugs, even those with a prescription, contribute to teeth stains.

Genetics is another factor that can alter the surface of your teeth. Sometimes, the enamel surface is more conducive to whitening while other times, it is too thin to hold much pigment from the whitening agents. Grinding your teeth can produce tiny cracks in your enamel which can darken over time, creating a tougher scenario.

Your Options to Brighten your Smile

To restore your teeth to a brighter smile, you have three primary whitening options to choose from. You can visit your dentist and go through a professional process which uses a high concentration of peroxide gel applied to the surface of the teeth. Because of the high concentration, your gums are typically treated first with a protectant to avoid irritation. You may have to return for several sessions depending on the level of whiteness you want to achieve.

You can purchase professional at-home kits from your dentist to whiten your teeth by yourself. These kits will typically have a lower concentration of peroxide so that you can handle keeping this type of gel on your teeth for a longer period of time without irritation. At-home kits often come with custom trays that resemble dentures. You would place the gel into the mouth trays and then place over your teeth. This professional grade kit is a great option over a long period of time and is less expensive than multiple bookings with a cosmetic dentist.

More convenient, cheaper options exist over the counter, meaning that the general public has access to them without a prescription. Many types of toothpaste have whitening ingredients that gently buff away stains and slowly restore a brighter smile. You may also find teeth tray kits similar to those you can purchase through a dentist. Others include the strips you can apply over your teeth as well as brush applicators where you can “paint” on the peroxide-based ingredients.

There are three things you need to consider before choosing your teeth whitening option – how much you are willing to spend, the ease of the process and how white you want your teeth. Once you have answers to those three things, you can select the best option to follow to gain back that bright smile you lost over time.