People wonder every day what they can do to help themselves take the next step to presenting themselves as more professional and attractive. One of the first features that many people notice upon meeting someone for the first time is the appearance of their teeth. Having bad teeth can be one of the biggest turn offs both for the opposite sex and for potential employers. However, there’s an easy solution to this problem: teeth whitening.
Whitening Your Teeth
People have been whitening their teeth since the ancient times. Ancient Romans, for example, would go so far as to using urine and goat milk to help make and keep their teeth white. Luckily for the estimated 100 million American citizens who whiten their teeth one way or another, people today don’t have to go to anywhere near these lengths to get themselves a nice set of pearly whites.
These days, there are multiple ways to brighten up your smile. People can brush their teeth using specially designed whitening toothpaste, bleaching strips, bleaching pens, bleaching gels, and laser bleaching. Some of these methods can be used at home, while others must be done by a qualified dental professional.
What Causes Teeth to Lose their Glow?
While all teeth eventually begin to lose that new teeth shine, there are certain foods and chemicals that can expedite this unfortunate process. One of the biggest offenders that can ruin a nice smile is ingesting colorful liquids like sports drinks, colas, coffee, tea, and red wine. These are all products that millions of people consume on a daily basis, so this is why it is so important to keep an eye on what is going on in your mouth.
How Does it Work?
Most bleaching treatments use carbamide peroxide, which becomes hydrogen peroxide when combined with water, to achieve a white color on teeth. Although it combines to form hydrogen peroxide, carbamide peroxide is only a fraction of the strength of pure hydrogen peroxide. These chemicals work together to combat the grime and stains that can sometimes accumulate in the mouth from the various foods that people eat throughout the day.
Even though it is incredibly easy to access the different whitening products, it is of utmost importance to have a thorough dental check up before undergoing any type of oral treatment. A dentist can give you a dental evaluation to ensure that none of the products will cause any damage to your mouth. Anyone with even the smallest amount of decay or gum infection should not proceed with whitening treatment, for example. A dentist can also create a profile of the color of your teeth so that you can see the progression in action.
Risks of Treatment
Although this treatment can provide patients with extraordinary improvement in tooth color, it is not without risks. Some of the more common side effects that people need to be wary of include chemical burns from gel bleaching, bleaching too often, pain for sensitive teeth, and increased sensitivity
As long as you are careful to monitor how often you are bleaching and the products that you are using, you will be safe. Check with your family dentist and do careful research before you determine what option is best for you.
