Teeth Whiteners

Last Updated on Monday, 30 May 2011 09:45 Written by admin Monday, 30 May 2011 09:45

In every toothpaste advertisement you see a boy or a girl showing off a beautiful smile with a brilliant set of pearly white teeth.  Everybody wants a smile like that but not all of us have taken such good care of our teeth or maybe time and bad health has left their effects on them.  Lucky for us, there are teeth whiteners on the market which could greatly help in achieving the same sparkling smile we see in advertisements.  But do they really work?  If so much time and money is used to advertise all kinds of toothpaste and whitening formulas, then surely someone somewhere must be on to something.  But how do you choose what will work and what is a waste of time?

Tooth decay can be treated, but usually only at a dentist.  Holes in your teeth need to be filled and teeth that are not as straight as we want them can be altered by an orthodontist with operations and braces.  But how do we treat discoloured teeth?  First of all it’s important to start at the root of the problem.  Regular brushing and flossing promotes healthy teeth and gums and prevents the onset of tooth decay.  Unfortunately too much coffee and smoking will affect the colour of your teeth and you need to cut down on those bad habits if your teeth are important to you.

The most basic form of teeth whitening is simple whitening toothpaste which is relatively inexpensive.  Unfortunately it works better as a preventative measure than a cure and might not necessarily whiten already discoloured teeth.

Better results can be achieved by using teeth whitening strips which you can purchase at any drugstore or most supermarkets.  The strips contain a solution of Hydrogen Peroxide and are placed over your teeth, creating a sort of film and then left on for the rest of the day or night.  Because they are not easily noticed, they are convenient to where any time and any day.  The drawback in using the strips is that they might not give you the desired results as they will only whiten your teeth by a shade or two.

Tray-based teeth whiteners are by far the best over the counter product to use and involves wearing a mould over your teeth, containing a whitening solution or gel.  They are left on over your teeth for a couple of hours, depending on the condition of your teeth and manufacturer’s recommendation.  This type of teeth whitening is very effective and the results are usually better than expected, but this option could be a little pricy. If avoiding the dentist is what you want, then tray-based whiteners are the best solutions to your problem.

The most expensive of all teeth whitening procedures are the ones done at your dentist.  The whitening process is done very professionally and the results are truly amazing.  It’s also much more convenient as it can be done in less than an hour and half, but this option will however be more expensive.  If your budget allows, having it done professionally makes much more sense and is a lot less complicated.  Before you opt for any over the counter whiteners, give your dentist a call and ask for a quote.  It’s also advisable to get more than one quote from different dentists and compare them to each other and to the home based treatments.