There are a handful of safe, and natural ways to whiten your teeth, that don’t involve a visit to the dentist. These methods have been around for centuries, and are just as effective then as they are now. But not many people use the natural teeth whitening methods in the United States. Perhaps it’s because of the quick-fix nature of our culture, and commercials about laser teeth whitening.
But in tough economic times, and with the growing popularity of “organic” related foods, clothes and lifestyles, natural teeth whitening may be making another breakthrough.
Understanding the basics of how your teeth become discolored, may illuminate how things have the reverse effect. Coffee, tea, dark drinks and food, will darken your teeth. Any prolonged exposure to a dark chemical will understandably stain something. Well, lemon juice, baking soda, and wood ash will lighten your teeth just the same.
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Are you considering having your teeth whitened by an over-the-counter or professional product? Before you decide on which method to go with, you should understand your options and the risks involved in any teeth whitening procedure. You should also be aware of the natural ways to keep your teeth white or remove stains that you already have. Here is a basic teeth whitening 101 for you.
The most popular method of teeth whitening treatment is to consult your dentist and get a teeth whitening strip or tray kit. The strip method involves placing a strip of gel covered tape on your top and bottom teeth, for thirty minutes twice a day, until you have the desired results. The tray method contains a similar peroxide gel that you wear against your teeth throughout the night. However, the tray method seems to have more side-effects than the strip method because it is in contact with your teeth and mouth for a much longer period of time, and peroxide can cause problems of gum sensitivity, etc. with prolonged exposure.
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Even if you’ve undergone whitening treatments or had a laser whitening session with your dentist, you still need to know how to keep your teeth white, as these whitening procedures are not permanent.
Are your teeth stained from coffee or tea? Try using a straw instead of drinking straight from the cup. This may help eliminate the creation of stains on the front portion of your teeth. Just skipping the contact from staining liquids to your front teeth will do wonders in stain prevention.
Brush your teeth often. This isn’t just for the color of your teeth, but for the health of them as well. Keep your teeth healthy and clean by brushing right after you drink any staining liquids like coffee, red wine, and tea. Brush after eating dark foods as well. Just rinsing your mouth with water will not effectively remove the food that is stuck on the outer layers of your teeth.
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Generally teeth whitening procedures are not very dangerous and have fewer risks involved than other dental procedures. However, teeth whitening is not for everyone. Anyone under 16 years of age should not use teeth whitening products, and dentists will generally not prescribe professional teeth whitening procedures or products to minors.
Those who are allergic to teeth whitening chemicals such as peroxide should not consider using such products either. Any women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant, as well as lactating women, should avoid bleaching procedures as well. Crowns, bridges, and veneers don’t work well with whitening. Have your teeth whitened before you get any caps or teeth filled.
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The costs of cosmetic procedures are always much higher that we would like. Especially the effective ones that get good results. These days, many people get any little thing they find inadequate altered to increase their confidence and be able to look at themselves in a mirror with a smile. They won’t be smiling when they look at the bill though.
Plastic surgery can cost thousands. Breast augmentations, liposuction, face-lifts, etc. can all run upwards of tens of thousands for a well known and respected surgeon to perform the task. Dental surgery and teeth whitening is slightly less expensive, but for a fast procedure it can still damage your fiscal heart.
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Have you tried the at home teeth whitening products and have had little or no success? The over-the-counter methods of teeth whitening have smaller doses of peroxide, and although they are less costly, they can be much less effective than going to see your local dentist.
The at home versions are based off of professional options that your dentist can prescribe for you. But there are also quicker and more expensive methods that can be done right there in your dentist’s office.
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I can’t help but remember all those times I’ve asked “would you like to catch a movie?” only to be laughed at while I watch them walk away, giggling with their friends. Has this happened to you? I thought maybe I had something in my teeth. Or even worse, maybe I had something on all my teeth. The color yellow.
That’s the price you pay for the casual enjoyment of coffee and other stain-related beverages. Well, there’s two ways to combat those social-success killing drinks. Teeth whitening trays and strips. Comparing the two options can be tricky. Here are a few facts to know about your average teeth whitening products (we’re talking about those prescribed by dentists and not the home whitening systems).
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Although, you can get a prescription for a kit easily, from any dentist, it usually costs more (not to mention the cost of the dentist visit itself) and may not be as convenient as just going to your local drug store and buying a similar product over the counter. These over the counter products may not be as effective as the dentist’s prescription would, but here is some advice in choosing the right product for you.
If you’ve decided against an expensive bleaching service, or don’t want to go with the dentist’s product, you can consider either an at home toothpaste with whitening ingredients, or at home whitening strips or trays.
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Londoners and people from the Deep South get a bad rap for their dental aesthetics. You probably don’t want to become the punch-line of any joke, so to keep the comedians off your back, you might want to consider proper tooth hygiene.
We’ve all heard it from our dentists before, but here’s a few tips that might have slipped your mind when caring for your pearly (or not so pearly) whites.
What you eat affects your teeth. You may have noticed that coffee, tea, and other dark liquids may discolor the surface of your teeth. But you need to be aware that what you eat can also affect the structure and roots of your teeth too. Sugars and carbs taste good, but they can do damage if you let them have too much fun with your mouth. Good ol’ vitamin C is known to help keep teeth strong and fight against cavities, etc.
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Teeth whitening is exactly what the name implies: methods to make your teeth whiter. Methods include bleaching, laser and at home kits. There are generally two types of methods for at home whitening of teeth that you can get prescribed by a dentist: Trays and strips. But knowing which one is right for you, and more importantly which one is more effective, used to be a difficult question. Recently, some researchers from the Association of Dental Research did a study to figure out which method of teeth whitening works better. The study was funded by Proctor and Gamble.
The difference between the two methods are both the chemical quantity of peroxide involved, the type of peroxide used, and the amount of time the product is supposed to be in contact with the teeth. The strips contain about a 14% hydrogen peroxide gel product, while the trays have about 16 to 20 percent carbamide peroxide in its gel substance. The strips are to be worn for a period of a half an hour twice a day for around three weeks, while the trays are to be worn overnight, and for only two weeks.
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