Top 10 Teeth Whitening Products
Teeth Whitening
The quest for teeth whitening has taken the world by storm. In a world where first impression matters most, whitening will dazzle whoever you meet with your winning smile. Teeth whitening also have psychological impacts as it will give you a self-esteem boost and improves your confidence. Since the turn of the decade, plenty of research has been done to find the most effective teeth whitening methods. We take a look at some of them and what they have to offer.
There are different ways to tackle teeth whitening; one has to only look at his or her budget to find what suits their needs. As of late, there are procedures available, some of them taking mere minutes to complete. Over-the-counter solutions are also available, that, however, does not confirm results. In the field of cosmetic dentistry, there are plenty of solutions that lead to different results; it is up to you to pick out the best from the rest.
The fastest known method for a perfect set of whites is the laser bleaching method. Also known as power bleaching in some countries, it uses mostly argon laser to bleach out the teeth. Though laser bleaching can be considered expensive, it only takes up to an hour to complete the whole procedure and it is also permanent. So a trip to the dentist with an argon laser is the definite thing you need for a quick and painless teeth whitening procedure.
For those having to work with a more constricted budget, the chairside whitening method, also called teeth bleaching, is done directly at the dentist’s office. The dentist applies a 35% teeth whitening hydrogen peroxide gel onto the teeth while taking great care to protect the gums from getting into contact with the gel. This procedure also takes an hour to complete with immediate results as well, though you will have to be in an uncomfortable state for a longer period of time than the laser bleaching method.
There are those who want their teeth whitened but having the unfortunate phobia of being in a dentist’s office. Fret not, there are teeth bleaching sets for those who wants white teeth but does not want to spend hours staring at the white walls of a dentist’s office. At-home teeth bleaching sets usually consists of guard trays that are fitted onto the teeth once teeth whitening gel is placed into the tray. This home procedure takes over 20-30 minutes at one time, with the trays needing to be fitted onto the teeth a total of 3-4 times, depending on the concentration of the hydrogen peroxide gel. This method also shows almost instant results but there could be complications that may arise from it. Improperly done, at-home teeth bleaching can cause chemical burns on the individual’s gums and it may also cause an irritation to the gums. Usage of at-home teeth bleaching should be done carefully.
Movie stars usually go for a porcelain veneer treatment to have that perfect set of teeth. It is definitely the most expensive procedure in this article but you do end up looking like a movie star (or at least the teeth of a movie star). Completed over 2-3 visits to the friendly dentist, the porcelain veneer treatment applies a thin layer of veneer, fixed over your teeth to dramatically make it look brand spanking new. The veneer treatment also allows modification of teeth shapes so it definitely is the complete procedure to get ultra white teeth.
Now that we have gone through the more complicated procedures, we shall now go through the over-the-counter solutions that are available for you in your quest to get perfect looking teeth.
Teeth whitening strips are the actual craze in the teeth whitening world nowadays. They are easy to use, relatively inexpensive and it can be bought over the counter. Results, however, may vary and may take days or weeks to be noticeable. There are over a hundred types of teeth whitening strips available at all drug stores so finding the most suitable one for you might take a while. Or you could strike gold and get the best product on your first try.
There are setbacks to this method though. Due to the inter-proximal areas that these strip covers, you might get what the dentists call the zebra effect. If improperly placed, while most of your teeth will be white, there are some parts that the strips did not get and remained the original shade. So, for best usage of this method, ensure proper placement of the strips. Though results will be noticeable, they will not remain permanent, most of these whitening strips offer an 18-month whitening phase, after which it will retain the original shade. So prepare yourself for frequent trips to the drug store to get more whitening strips.
To almost complete your arsenal of teeth whitening products, lest not forget the different types of whitening toothpaste available in the market everywhere. While these toothpastes do not really bleach your teeth, they contain agents and chemicals not available in the normal toothpastes to fight the stains in your teeth and polish your teeth against plaque. While you should not expect your teeth to look any different immediately upon usage as most of them are advertised on television, you should see a noticeable difference after months of using the same toothpaste.
Finally, to complete your teeth whitening arsenal, there are the dental flosses, the whitening chewing gums and the whitening mouthwashes that are available in the market to fight the stain. While these products do not offer immediate results, they too contain small amounts of hydrogen peroxide and other chemicals that whiten your teeth. It may be time to switch your traditional bubble gum for the whitening chewing gum if it offers a greater cosmetic good to your body.
While there are plenty of solutions for everyone, it is best if you refer to a dentist before making any decision. Everyone has a different set of teeth which are sensitive to different things so instead of getting that perfect white teeth, you could be harming your teeth if not used properly. So, what are you waiting for? Ask your friendly neighborhood dentist for the solution for you!