Methods to Whiten Your Teeth

Over time, teeth can lose their brightness and shine. The smile dulls as the enamel wears away. Enamel provides protection, color, and shine to the teeth. But the enamel can lose its texture.

Even so, getting your enamel color back may be as easy as getting teeth whitening treatment. A whitening treatment can dramatically change your smile while also improving your self-esteem.

Discover teeth whitening methods you can choose from to brighten your smile.

Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

Many kinds of toothpaste contain mild abrasives. The abrasives help remove plaque and polish teeth. Whitening toothpaste, however, tends to have a higher level of abrasive particles. Despite their effectiveness, the abrasives only remove surface stains.

Whitening toothpaste might also contain additional polishing agents and chemicals like hydrogen peroxide. The chemicals can remove surface stains more effectively than abrasives.

To see results with whitening toothpaste, use it daily for a few weeks or according to the directions on the tube or packaging. Overusing the whitening toothpaste can damage your natural enamel. Some people may even experience increased sensitivity to their teeth.

Even so, your teeth will often only become one shade lighter with the whitening toothpaste.

If you choose whitening toothpaste, be sure the one you choose has the ADA Seal of Approval to ensure it’s safe and effective.

Over-the-Counter Whitening Strips

One of the most popular teeth whitening methods is using whitening strips, which are inexpensive, easy to use, and fast.

A whitening strip is a thin, flexible plastic with a peroxide whitening gel. The gel presses against your teeth’s surface while the strip holds in place.

You can use the strips while doing other activities for about 30 minutes and then discard them. In most cases, you use the strips twice daily for two weeks.

The strength of the peroxide in whitening strips may affect how quickly the strips produce results. Also, the results are often short-lived.

The use of strips is also known to cause sensitive teeth and gum irritation, which can cause pain.

Natural Remedies

Most teeth whitening products use chemicals to bleach your teeth. If chemicals are a concern, safe, natural whitening methods exist. The methods forego the chemical bleaching agents in over-the-counter and in-office solutions. Some natural remedies include:

• Baking soda: Baking soda is a mild abrasive with whitening properties. The abrasive properties make baking soda a popular ingredient in commercial toothpaste. You can purchase the toothpaste or mix the powder with water at home.
• Oil pulling: The oil pulling technique has a long history in ancient India. The practice involves swishing oil in your mouth for 15 to 20 minutes to remove bacteria.
• Fruits and vegetables: Whole fruits and vegetables are good for your body and teeth. Fruits like strawberries, pineapple, and papaya contain acids and enzymes that offer modest teeth whitening effects.

Some conditions, such as periodontal disease, may cause unpleasant side effects from whitening. So, before you embark on your natural whitening endeavor, get a thorough dental cleaning and examination.

Professional Whitening Trays

Professional teeth whitening is the most efficient, safe, and effective option if you want to whiten your teeth. Dentists often provide customized solutions such as whitening trays. A dentist will get an exact impression of your teeth to personalize your bleach tray. After a few days, you’ll pick up your custom tray, along with bleaching gel.

The bleaching gel is evenly distributed throughout the bleach tray. Once at home, you can easily put the tray over your teeth and wear the tray for several hours. That way, your teeth can better get optimum results quickly and successfully.

Consult your dentist first if you have considered teeth whitening. A dentist can determine if your teeth and gums are healthy enough to undergo whitening. Additionally, your dentist can advise you on the latest and most effective whitening methods for the best results.

If you have questions about teeth whitening, feel free to call us.