Teeth Whitening

Every time you turn around it seems like some new company is making a “cheaper and faster” version of home teeth whitening kits.  Not every product works the same, no matter what the manufactures tell us and some can be very messy and end up delivering poor results.

When it comes to home teeth whitening kits you have several different options to choose from:

1. Bleaching Strips – these are applied (like a long piece of tape) to your upper and lower teeth.  The main downside to strips, in my opinion at least, is that they do not cover all of your teeth, only the teeth most visible when you smile.  So for people who have a wide smile, this is not a very good choice.
2. Quick Dissolving Strips – the concept is interesting because it is simple and there is no removal necessary, however, due to acid and fluids in your mouth these are not as effective as the normal strips.
3. Gel – that is applied like a tooth paste, using a toothbrush.
4. Trays – this is the original method of home teeth whitening kits and is probably the most inconvenient choice of all.  You are provided with a plastic tray that has to be softened in hot water and then shaped to fit your teeth.   Anyone who has ever tried this method knows it is almost impossible to do correctly which leaves the user with inconsistent whitening results.
5. Laser Based Whitening Lights – You apply a solution to your teeth and then shine a UV based light on them for a certain amount of time each day.
6. Pen applicators – this is probably the most convenient and cleanest option that exists today.

Do your research and decide what method is right for you then get started on the road to a whiter, more beautiful smile today!

There are many different ways in which you can whiten your teeth with the main decision to be made is whether or not to buy over the counter tooth whitening products or opt for the more expensive professional tooth whitening as offered by cosmetic dentists.

If you choose over the counter you save yourself lots of money but obviously your choice is more limited with certain restrictions being placed on home based tooth whitening products.

There are many arguments for and against the benefits of whitening your teeth in the comfort of your own home but the one option that is obviously not available anywhere other than through your cosmetic dentist is internal bleaching.

Apart from the many different tooth whitening products currently available your dentist also has the option to go for either external or internal teeth whitening.

External tooth whitening (or bleaching) involves a bleaching gel being place on the surface of your teeth with some products utilising a laser light such as zoom tooth whitening and other laser teeth whitening products. It is said that the laser light speeds up the whitening process as well as increasing the effectiveness of the whitening gel.

The more effective home based tooth whitening systems tend to involve you wearing a mouth guard (this option is also available through your dentist) for 1/2hr – 1hr per day or some suggest over night with your teeth being gradually whitened over a period of time.

Internal bleaching is only an option for tooth whitening if you have had the nerve removed from you tooth. In order to bleach you tooth from the inside your dentist will need to drill a hole in your tooth and insert the bleaching agent inside the tooth. The bleach is then left inside your tooth for a period of time (generally a week or so) before being removed and the hole filled. Internal bleaching is not always effective first time so the process may have to be repeated.

The method of tooth whitening that your dentist will choose to adopt will largely depend on why your teeth have become discoloured, how bad the discolouration is, whether or not you have any prosthetic teeth and what condition your teeth are in. For certain people it is not advisable to use teeth whitening products (such as during pregnancy or when your teeth are in poor condition). Therefore the general advice from the dental profession is that you should always consult your dentist before whitening your teeth