Best Teeth Whitening Techniques

Date: 2008-11-19 13:51:09

By Tony James

Teeth get stained. That's a fact of life that we all must come to terms with at some point in time. Teeth are constantly being exposed to various foods, beverages or even cigarettes. All of these things have the potential to discolor the enamel on teeth and diminish the brightness of your smile.

But there's hope. There are several ways to undo the damage. Here are some of the best teeth whitening techniques that will make a positive difference.

The first innovation designed to whiten teeth appeared several years ago. These are teeth whitening trays and were available only through a dentist.

The idea was simple; a mold was made of the mouth, or else a ready-made tray was used. The dentist put a bleaching compound or a whitening gel on the tray and it was placed in the mouth. It was worn for at least an hour a day. This allowed the saliva to react with the chemicals to release hydrogen peroxide, a tooth whitener.

While this was indeed the best teeth whitening technique available at the time, there were pros and cons. On the plus side, there was significant whitening of the teeth. The downside was wearing the apparatus, which can be awkward in the mouth. Additionally, the chemicals may make teeth sensitive to hot and cold.

An improvement was made with the laser teeth whitening method. This professional treatment involves putting the bleaching agent on the teeth and using a laser to speed up the chemical process. While it does drastically reduce the time required, this is definitely the most expensive way to whiten teeth.

A variation of this method is known as the blue light teeth whitening treatment. A blue light activates the reaction between the whitening agent and the teeth. The effects are immediate and last for several years, but it is a costly procedure and one that must be done in a dentist's office.

There are several less expensive but effective ways to whiten teeth. Among the best of these teeth whitening methods are whitening strips.

They should be worn about an hour a day and they do whiten teeth to a considerable degree. The problem that people notice is that the gaps between the teeth do not receive the whitening agent and this becomes more obvious as the front of the teeth become whiter.

Whitening tips are also convenient and cost-effective. With this product, you apply the whitening gel to the teeth. It's gentle, but may not have the dramatic effect that other products have.

Many people feel that the best teeth whitening products are gels. Take note of the percent of the active ingredient when purchasing a gel. A larger amount of carbamide peroxide means that you will notice results more quickly.

Gels can be applied to the teeth using a molded tray, but it's important to shield your gums from the chemicals. Since the pores of the teeth open during a whitening procedure, it's recommended that you apply a re-mineralizing solution after the treatment.


Author

Tony James writes about the Best Teeth Whitening Techniques. Visit his site for more Best Teeth Whitening information.. This articles came from MoreArticles.net.


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