Modern Methods of Teeth Whitening

In our age of technology, a beautiful smile is very important, and that’s why people start to look up different methods of teeth whitening. A nice smile can boost up one’s confidence and it’s also very appealing to others. If you have ever wondered what’s the most effective method of teeth whitening, or what’s the safest one, keep reading, we answer these and many more questions in this article.

First off, let’s mention that tooth darkening is a natural process and it’s okay if your teeth appear a bit discolored or yellow. It’s possible to slow this process down, but even if you’re the healthiest person on the planet, your teeth are going to get darker as you age. The reason is simple - the enamel wears away over time, and dentin, which is darker, shows through.

Some foods can cause teeth stains. These are coffee, tea, cola, fruit juice, red wine, sauces (like soy or tomato sauce), even fruits and berries. If you want to prevent it, lessen these foods’ consumption or use a straw when you drink. Smoking leads to teeth stains, too. It’s not just bad for your lungs, it damages your dental cavity as well, so if you’re thinking of giving up smoking - do it asap!

Teeth darkening can also be a result of poor dental hygiene. Brush your teeth regularly and go to professional teeth whitening procedures every once in a while to prevent it. Look after your teeth and don’t forget to brush them.

Professional Teeth Whitening

There are multiple teeth whitening techniques. Let’s start with the most effective one. That is a professional teeth bleaching procedure at a dentist’s. Dentists make sure that your gums and mouth are protected from the materials they use. This is necessary since these materials contain much stronger agents than something you can get at a drugstore. They usually use gel. This gel may also contain a barrier material to protect your tooth enamel from damage. This is the most effective teeth whitening method because you can see the difference after just one appointment. However, depending on your teeth condition, two or more appointments may be needed. In addition to that, this method is great because your teeth will be whiter for almost a year before another procedure is needed.

Recently there has been a new teeth whitening method invented. It’s called “power whitening”. Here’s how it works: a rubber dam is applied to your gums and a bleaching gel is “painted” over your teeth. Then the dentist uses a laser to activate the chemical in the gel. Some consider it to be one of the best teeth whitening procedures to date because it’s a lot quicker and it can last long enough.

Teeth Whitening Methods at Home

Even though these are professional procedures, these are not the safest ways of whitening your teeth. The safest teeth whitening technique is just maintaining good dental hygiene and using teeth whitening toothpastes. Almost all toothpastes can help you remove food stains, but there are special tooth whitening toothpastes available. They’re more effective, but keep in mind that they can only wash away surface stains. You need to use them for several weeks to actually see their effect. You won’t even see the change if you drink a couple of cups of coffee a day or smoke regularly.

One of the most popular teeth whitening methods at home is teeth whitening gel. This is similar to the one used by the dentists, but these gels are weaker. They are applied to your teeth using a small brush. This procedure may need to be repeated a few times to see the result. This method is quite effective, but it doesn’t last long - usually up to four months.

There are also teeth whitening strips, another teeth whitening method you can use at home. They are very similar to teeth whitening gels, the only difference being the way you use them - strips are applied to your teeth for about 30 minutes twice a day for two weeks. You’ll see the result in a few days and it will also last for about four months, depending on the circumstances.

Natural Teeth Whitening Methods

These methods all work quite well, but what if we want to use a more natural teeth whitening method? There are a few of them. The first one we’ve mentioned a few times already is maintaining dental hygiene. Brushing your teeth daily is vital for your smile. If you brush your teeth twice a day but your teeth keep getting darker, try brushing them more often. Brush your teeth after meals and drinks.

Another popular teeth whitening method is oil pulling. To do this, you need to squish oil around your mouth. Coconut oil is the most popular option because it tastes better. There’s no scientific evidence, however, that oil pulling is useful for teeth whitening. But it does help to remove bacteria and many people who tried it are satisfied with the result.

You can try homemade toothpaste if you consider this a natural teeth whitening method. To do this, you need to mix baking soda and hydrogen peroxide. Baking soda is used in toothpastes sold at stores and hydrogen peroxide is a natural bleaching agent. Take one tbsp of baking soda and one tbsp of hydrogen peroxide and mix them up. Brush your teeth with the resulting substance, but don’t expect a drastic change immediately. It will take a couple of weeks before you see the result.

People also try rubbing banana, orange, or lemon peels. This method is not scientifically supported, but people who gave it a try are satisfied with the result. However, if you have sensitive teeth, this may not be the method for you. Specific fruits and vegetables can help to whiten your teeth, too. They can help you to get rid of the stains, but this is not a replacement for brushing your teeth, of course. Two fruits that are claimed to be the most effective are pineapple and strawberry. They contain compounds that effectively prevent teeth darkening and make your smile appear whiter.

See a Dentist

Don’t forget that maintaining dental hygiene is key to a healthy dental cavity and preventing teeth discoloring. However, sometimes we have toothaches even if we keep to a healthy diet and brush our teeth twice a day. Our teeth can become gray or yellow and it may be out of our control. The answer to that issue is going to the dentist’s regularly to keep track of your dental health and get tips on how to prevent teeth discoloring.