Teeth Whitening

Yellowing teeth is natural due to aging

Foods and drinks can affect teeth color

Variety of ways to white but  seeing a professional is best

As one gets older, they may notice that their teeth are not as white as they used to be. That’s nothing to get alarmed about – it’s part of the natural aging process. It’s a two-part process -the outside enamel wears thinner and the inside dentin gets darker, which makes the tooth look less white. Other factors can include certain medications, foods, drinks or even some dental work. Many people would like to regain the teeth coloring they had before – and there are a lot of products out there that claim that they can give them back a white smile. A great amount of those claims are dubious at best – it’s a very crowded multi-billion-dollar market.

Here are some ways people can go about whitening their teeth without having to worry about possibly being ripped off.

Over-the-Counter Gels and Strips

When people use these products, they are typically getting the weakest amount of hydrogen peroxide, which is the biggest instrument of restoring the whiteness of a tooth. While these can get some results, it can be more of a gamble with no professional supervision, even when following the instructions.

Rinses

These are like mouthwash – they can clean out bacteria and food, but there’s also peroxide in it. This method takes the longest since the user only swishes it in their mouth for 30 seconds at a time. That will slow down any noticeable results.

Trays

Patients go to the dentist and receive mouthguards that they fill with customized gels that have a whitening solution in it. They wear the mouthguard overnight or for however long the dentist says. Over the course of time, their teeth will grow much brighter. 

Bleaching

This is done right there in the dentist’s office. The dentist will use the bleach along with a special light for this procedure. The results can be seen right away but it can take a few sessions to achieve what the patient envisions. It is the most expensive of all the options.

The thing with tooth-whitening treatments is that they will differ for each individual since they will have varying levels of sensitivity and the ability to tolerate any of the initial comfort.

Another question people have is about how long they can wait before needing to return for any re-touching. Basically, if they resume eating and drinking what caused the yellowing, it can be as soon as a month. If they watch what they consume, it can take as long as a year or two.

There are some people who should not use teeth-whitening products: The pregnant and those who are breastfeeding. Also, people with gum disease should refrain from using them until they are fully healed.

If one wants the best results, though, coming to professionals like U.S. Dental Medical is the best option for them. They can get customized trays that work much better than what the over-the-counter ones offer.