Teeth Whitening and Bleaching

This day in age, with cosmetic dentistry booming, more and more people are considering spending their hard earned money to whiten their teeth. Teeth whitening has become a phenomena in recent years and now there are numerous teeth bleaching and teeth whitening products out there that don't even require help from a dental professional.

It is no secret that both men and women both look better with whiter teeth. Or at least that's what the teeth whitening companies are telling us. Anyone who uses these products will see results, but there are so many teeth whitening products that the public can get confused. You don't want misinformation ruining your smile.

There is a difference between teach bleaching and whitening. Teeth bleaching is permitted to be used when the teeth are able to be whitened further than their natural color. This applies to products that contain bleach, usually hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide. Teeth whitening just restores the tooth's surface color by removing debris. This means any product that cleans the teeth, like mouthwash or toothpaste, can be considered teeth whitening products. Many people need to whiten their teeth for many different reasons. Everyone has enamel on their teeth that starts off pearly white.

But, over time, chewing, plaque and certain foods wear down enamel and changes the color, exposing more of the yellow dentin below the surface. There are two different types of tooth stains, extrinsic and intrinsic. Extrinsic stains become visible on the shell of the teeth as a result of beverages such as coffee and soda, foods, and tobacco. Usually brushing and cleaning removes these stains. More persistent extrinsic stains can be removed with teeth bleaching. Then there are intrinsic stains that form on the interior of the teeth. They are a result of trauma, exposure to minerals and ingestion of fluoride, called enamel fluorosis. Usually intrinsic stains were considered to be too resistant to be corrected by teeth bleaching. But now dental professionals are considering the long term use of teeth bleaching and teeth whitening to remove these intrinsic stains.

There are many factors that contribute to teeth discoloration and they are age, translucency of teeth, smoking habits, eating habits, drugs or chemicals, trauma and grinding. As most people get older their teeth get darker and darker, due to stains and plain old wear and tear. Teenagers who use teeth bleaching products will see immediate results, but teeth bleaching will be less effective as they get older. By the time a person reaches the age of 50, their teeth stains are very difficult to remove, that's why many older people turn to dentists for teeth bleaching, as opposed to over-the-counter teeth whitening products. If you want to see a drastic change in your teeth color then visit a dentist. A dentist or dental professional will use a high concentration peroxide gel and can be left on for up to an hour.

You will most likely go through additional sessions and may be asked to use home teeth bleaching systems. The preference with in office teeth bleaching is hydrogen peroxide gels, with over the counter teeth bleaching, the gel is usually carbamide peroxide. In office teeth whitening costs about $650 on average, per visit. But this is considered cosmetic dentistry and isn't covered by insurance in most cases. So, another option may be using over the counter teeth bleaching products, like Crest White Strips, that can cost anywhere from $10 to $40.

If you want whiter, brighter teeth then consider teeth bleaching. You can visit a dental professional for teeth whitening or just purchase over the counter teeth whitening products to get a brighter smile.