Posts Tagged ‘dentistry’

Tooth Whitening Safety

Dec 9th, 08 / 0 Comments

How can one whiten teeth? Well, most people opt to do one of several things. Some choose to concoct their own at-home remedy, others choose to purchase a whitening product, and others go to a dentist for laser teeth whitening or a similar procedure. As you can see, to whiten teeth is to open yourself up to a world of choices. Dental teeth whitening is one of the fastest growing areas of cosmetic dentistry, and for a good reason. People like the idea of being able to rejuvenate the look of their smile in a quick and pain-free way. Dental teeth whitening opens the doors to such possibilities.

But just how safe is it to decide one day that “I want to whiten my teeth”? The answer to this depends on several things. Those that say “I want to whiten my teeth without spending much money” are those that concern not only us, but many dentists as well. When you choose to whiten your teeth, or undergo any sort of dental procedure for that matter, you are putting a lot on the line. While deciding to whiten your teeth may sound like a harmless endeavor, it can turn costly and damaging very quickly. This article will discuss what dangers lurk for those who decide it’s time to whiten their teeth.

The whitening of teeth is typically accomplished by applying Carbamide peroxide to the surface of the teeth. The peroxide is typically contained in a tooth whitening gel. The tooth whitening gel is placed in a whitening tray, and applied to the patient’s teeth. For some whitening procedures, a special light is used to activate the tooth whitening gel. For some of you, the whitening of teeth procedure may sound harmless. However, the main ingredient in these whitening gels (Carbamide peroxide) can prove dangerous. When whitening your teeth (via a professional procedure or at-home product) you need to keep this chemical away from your gums. Peroxide can be extremely damaging to your gums, and can render the whitening process unpleasant. This is one of the reasons why it’s a better idea to have your teeth whitened by a dentist. Teeth whitening dentists are very familiar with the damaging effects whitening gels can have on various parts of the mouth. Thus, they know how imperative it is the activity of these gels is isolated in the tooth region. Teeth whitening dentists are professionally trained to provide a safe environment for the patient during whitening procedures, and will more often than not keep the other parts of your mouth well protected. Consumers aren’t trained in properly handling these gels, and thus raise their risk of causing damage. Manufacturers of whitening products have offset this danger by reducing the concentration of Carbamide peroxide that their whitening products contain. This in return has rendered them more safe yet less effective than professional whitening treatments. Thus, whitening your teeth is obviously not as safe as some make it out to be.

How can you counteract some of the safety issues which tooth whitening poses? Here are some teeth whitening tips that will help you in that pursuit. For one, if you’re going to use an over-the-counter product, follow the directions explicitly. Many people enjoy deviating from some directions. Why they choose to do such a dumb thing is beyond us. However, the result can be disastrous. Pay attention to how much gel the product asks you to apply to the tray, and how the tray is to be properly positioned in the mouth. This is one of the best teeth whitening tips for those looking to take the cheaper at-home approach. Another important tip is to avoid the more abnormal sounding home remedies. Some people recommend swishing peroxide in your mouth or applying strawberries to your teeth. Such whitening remedies could prove dangerous and conducive to dental damage. You need to consult a dentist before attempting to utilize such remedies. The safer ones to stick to include using baking soda during your tooth brushing routine, as well as utilizing a toothpaste specifically designed for teeth whitening.

We hope we’ve done away with the teeth whitening safe rumor that’s been perpetuated by those who are poorly informed when it comes to teeth whitening. It should be apparent that the teeth whitening safe rumor has caused many people to make poor decisions when attempting to whiten their teeth. Exercise good judgment when selecting your specific whitening solution, and be sure to pay attention to instructions provided with a product or instructions issued by a dentist. Unless you’re a seasoned cosmetic dentist who’s performed this procedure on a routine basis, you should follow any instructions that are provided to you.

Tooth whitening

Teeth Whitening Expectations

Dec 9th, 08 / 0 Comments

The main problem with cosmetic dentistry procedures such as tooth whitening is that people have very unrealistic expectations. They think that for a few hundred bucks they’re going to get a celebrity smile. It’s important that you realize that there are factors upon factors that control what sort of results you’re going to get form a whitening treatment, whether it be of an at-home or professional caliber. This article will disband many of the rumors which surround teeth whitening and will give you a better understanding of what sort of expectations you should have going into the procedure.

Let’s first touch on at home products because it seems that this is where people are overly-unrealistic in most instances. Your typical take-home tooth whitening system can cost anywhere from $40+. You’d be amazed at what sort of expectations people have from such an inexpensive tooth whitening system. First, you have the very impatient consumers who are disappointed to find that after 1 treatment their teeth haven’t moved to a lighter shade. People need to understand that at-home whitening kits take time to work. You’re not going to see results right away as you would with professional tooth whitening available at a dentist’s office. The typical tooth whitening system needs to be used once a day for a specific duration until the consumer will see any sort of substantial whitening effect.

It is also important that consumers remember that teeth whitening peroxide levels in over-the-counter kits are much lower than those in professional tooth whitening solutions. This reduced amount of teeth whitening peroxide is to protect consumers form unintentionally damaging their gums. However, these reduced teeth whitening peroxide levels also mean less effectiveness. Those getting their teeth whitened using an at-home kit should expect a subtle change, not anything absolutely shocking. If you want celebrity-style whitening, you need to get your teeth whitened at a dentist’s office. This is not conjecture, it is fact. If you have a small amount of discoloration, an at-home kit should sufficiently meet your needs. Otherwise, head to a dentist’s office for a cosmetic teeth whitening procedure. Also, not that not all cosmetic teeth whitening procedures are created equal. Those procedures offered on the lower end of the price spectrum are not likely to get you completely dazzling results.

The bottom line is that if you want more glamorous results, you need to be ready to spare some change. Peroxide tooth whitening needs to be done at a cosmetic dentist’s office for maximum effect. An at-home kit will rarely cut it for those with high expectations. The peroxide tooth whitening offered in-office is more potent and thus much more effective. It will only take an hour of your day and is pain-free.

For the tooth teeth whitening, the dentist will apply a tooth whitening gel to a teeth whitening tray. The tray will then be applied to your teeth. The teeth whitening tray is typically transparent to allow light to reach the teeth whitening gel. When the tray is fitted into place, the dentist typically shines a specialized laser on the gel to activate it. Some procedures require that the patient sit under the light for about an hour, while others are demanding of less time. The dentist may choose to repeat the treatment once the first session is over. Once the procedure is over, the whiten tooth effect will be immediately apparent. You can expect the whiten tooth effect to be very noticeable once the tooth teeth whitening procedure is complete.

At their foundation, both over-the-counter tooth whitening products and the whitening procedures offered in-office are similar. They utilize tooth whitening trays and a special light to activate the tooth whitening gel (typically a laser). However, when you make a real teeth whitening comparison (in the context of an at-home and in-office procedure) you will find that the latter is much more effective (for reasons we’ve mentioned above), not because it utilizes better tooth whitening trays or similar, but rather because the concentrations of the main ingredient are greater. The teeth whitening comparison is evident in the different results that those who’ve undergone in-office whitening see when compared to those who’ve undergone at-home treatment.

You can find more information on what whitening treatments are reliable by researching consumer reports teeth whitening. Other online resources can also be instrumental in helping you connect with people who’ve actually undergone such procedures. Consumer reports teeth whitening is just one option.

Teeth whitening