If you are dreaming of a brighter and whiter smile, teeth whitening may be what you're looking for.
There are many ways to whiten your teeth, both at home and with a dentist's help.
Choosing between the multitude of options can seem difficult at first, but there are some clear benefits and disadvantages to each whitening method.
Teeth whitening toothpaste contains mild abrasives to remove surface stains more effectively than regular toothpaste.
Removing these surface stains help restore the natural color of teeth, potentially making them look lighter by about one shade.
Teeth whitening toothpaste is a great idea if you want to improve the overall look of your teeth in a modest way.
To achieve a more effective result, peroxide must be used to 'bleach' the tooth enamel, physically changing the color of the teeth.
One step up from teeth whitening toothpaste are teeth whitening strips.
These are very thin, virtually invisible strips that are coated with a low-concentration peroxide-based whitening gel that you can buy over the counter and use at home.
The strips usually applied twice a day for 30 minutes over two weeks, with initial results seen in just a few days.
While teeth whitening strips can potentially lighten teeth by up to four shades, the results only last around four months.
Strips are a reasonably quick, short-term whitening solution.
A longer lasting whitening method involves using mouthpiece trays filled with a gel-like whitening solution containing a peroxide-bleaching agent to bleach teeth up to eight shades lighter for a year or more.
The mouthpiece is placed over the teeth and worn a couple hours a day or overnight for up to four weeks.
Standard mouthpiece trays can be purchased over-the-counter but the fit may not be appropriate and cause gum and tissue irritation.
A better, but more expensive, option is impressions taken by a dentist for a customized and reusable mouthpiece.
The last method of teeth whitening is the easiest and fastest.
In-office whitening lasts around an hour and can lighten your teeth up to eight shades.
Being supervised by a dentist, this is the safest form of teeth bleaching while also the most expensive.
This procedure also has the highest chance of causing temporary teeth sensitivity.
The results will last from ten months to two years, depending on your lifestyle.
As with all teeth whitening, the results can be affected by smoking and drinking coffee or wine.
Not all teeth whitening procedures are suitable for everyone.
A patient's teeth and gums should be in good health at time of treatment and not suffer from hypersensitivity.
The peroxide procedures mentioned in this article generally do not work on teeth with fillings, crowns, veneers, root canals and/or extremely dark discoloration.
Always check with a dentist before starting any kind of teeth whitening treatment.
To determine which whitening method is right for you, consider how much of a change you are looking for (dramatic or modest), how long you would like the effects to last and, inevitably, how much you are willing to pay.
Other factors to consider are whether you would prefer a dentist to perform the treatment(s) and how quickly you would like to results.
In-office whitening offers a fast long-term solution administered by a dentist, but being the most expensive treatment available, it is not for everyone.
Whichever method you choose, you are beginning a worthwhile journey to a brighter and whiter smile.
There are many ways to whiten your teeth, both at home and with a dentist's help.
Choosing between the multitude of options can seem difficult at first, but there are some clear benefits and disadvantages to each whitening method.
Teeth whitening toothpaste contains mild abrasives to remove surface stains more effectively than regular toothpaste.
Removing these surface stains help restore the natural color of teeth, potentially making them look lighter by about one shade.
Teeth whitening toothpaste is a great idea if you want to improve the overall look of your teeth in a modest way.
To achieve a more effective result, peroxide must be used to 'bleach' the tooth enamel, physically changing the color of the teeth.
One step up from teeth whitening toothpaste are teeth whitening strips.
These are very thin, virtually invisible strips that are coated with a low-concentration peroxide-based whitening gel that you can buy over the counter and use at home.
The strips usually applied twice a day for 30 minutes over two weeks, with initial results seen in just a few days.
While teeth whitening strips can potentially lighten teeth by up to four shades, the results only last around four months.
Strips are a reasonably quick, short-term whitening solution.
A longer lasting whitening method involves using mouthpiece trays filled with a gel-like whitening solution containing a peroxide-bleaching agent to bleach teeth up to eight shades lighter for a year or more.
The mouthpiece is placed over the teeth and worn a couple hours a day or overnight for up to four weeks.
Standard mouthpiece trays can be purchased over-the-counter but the fit may not be appropriate and cause gum and tissue irritation.
A better, but more expensive, option is impressions taken by a dentist for a customized and reusable mouthpiece.
The last method of teeth whitening is the easiest and fastest.
In-office whitening lasts around an hour and can lighten your teeth up to eight shades.
Being supervised by a dentist, this is the safest form of teeth bleaching while also the most expensive.
This procedure also has the highest chance of causing temporary teeth sensitivity.
The results will last from ten months to two years, depending on your lifestyle.
As with all teeth whitening, the results can be affected by smoking and drinking coffee or wine.
Not all teeth whitening procedures are suitable for everyone.
A patient's teeth and gums should be in good health at time of treatment and not suffer from hypersensitivity.
The peroxide procedures mentioned in this article generally do not work on teeth with fillings, crowns, veneers, root canals and/or extremely dark discoloration.
Always check with a dentist before starting any kind of teeth whitening treatment.
To determine which whitening method is right for you, consider how much of a change you are looking for (dramatic or modest), how long you would like the effects to last and, inevitably, how much you are willing to pay.
Other factors to consider are whether you would prefer a dentist to perform the treatment(s) and how quickly you would like to results.
In-office whitening offers a fast long-term solution administered by a dentist, but being the most expensive treatment available, it is not for everyone.
Whichever method you choose, you are beginning a worthwhile journey to a brighter and whiter smile.