Your teeth can often be a cause of embarrassment and may force you to lose your smile. You can even lose your self-confidence because of yellow and stained teeth. Teeth can become discoloured because of many reasons, such as excessive smoking and drinking tea or coffee in excess. These days many people opt for teeth whitening, which is a popular cosmetic procedure.
Most teeth whitening products have peroxide in them which is what bleaches the enamel on your teeth and makes them whiter. If you want to whiten your teeth, you should consult a dentist to figure out if your teeth and gums are healthy enough to handle the whitening process. The dentist will help you know what method of whitening works best for you. This article gives an overview of different teeth whitening methods. After understanding what each one entails, you can discuss the most suitable method with your dentist.
1. Professional treatments in dental office work great
Professional treatments done in your dentist’s office are the most effective like Laser and Opalescence Boost. In laser whitening, a laser is used to activate the chemicals applied on the teeth, leading to whiter teeth. This is quite an effective method of teeth whitening. ‘Boost’ is another method used by dentists to whiten teeth. No special light is used in this process. The dentist will use a bleaching agent to remove stains and this process may take from 1 to 2 hours. Both of these are safe whitening procedures.
2. KoR Whitening: A specialized deep bleaching procedure
KoR whitening is another professional method of teeth whitening, which you can do in the comfort of your own home. Over the years, teeth lose the ability to absorb oxygen. This method restores the teeth’s ability to absorb oxygen, hence absorbing the whitening solution better. This method is effective to remove the stains hidden below the surface of the tooth. These trays are custom made, and you only need to wear them at night.
3. Whitening trays and gels are easy and effective
Made of flexible material, the bleaching trays work great and are easily available in drug stores. You can purchase whitening trays from your dentist or over the counter from any pharmacy. Your dentist will provide you custom-made trays that are more effective than regular ones in a drug store as they have a better bleaching agent. There are a few whitening trays that are filled with a peroxide whitening agent. There are some that have syringes of whitening gel.
4. Teeth-whitening toothpastes for one shade lighter teeth
Teeth whitening toothpastes do not have peroxide. They polish the teeth well and remove the surface stains as they contain mild abrasives. They do not contain bleach and hence they just help remove exterior stains. If you want to make your teeth one shade lighter, you can go for this method. For deeper stain removal, you can opt for a professional treatment from your dentist, and use teeth-whitening toothpastes to maintain the whiteness of your teeth.
5. Teeth-whitening strips are easy to use and affordable
These strips are sold over the counter and are quite inexpensive. These are thin strips coated with peroxide based whitening gel. You need to place them on teeth so that the gel on them is applied on your teeth. Do read the instructions to know how to use them effectively. Though they take longer to produce results, they are a cheap and effective way to get your teeth shining.
6. Dental veneers for that bright smile
When no whitening method seems to work on your teeth, you can always opt for veneers. A veneer is a thin sheet of porcelain, used to mask any defects the tooth may have. While veneers are long-lasting, this treatment is also expensive. If you choose to undergo this, make sure you choose your dentist with great care.
There are many teeth-whitening products also available in the market, such as whitening rinses, chewing gum, floss and others. However, for long-lasting results professional whitening seems to work the best, though it is quite expensive. Also, opting for a professional whitening process ensures that the coverage is complete. So, discuss with your dentist and go for a teeth whitening method that suits you the best. Flash those pearly whites without any embarrassment or feeling self-conscious. However, the whitening needs to be maintained through regular visits to the dentist, brushing and flossing.
