These days, people especially the young ones sport a fast-paced lifestyle. They prefer to be always-on-the-go and moving, that’s why most stuff nowadays are made of easy to use or easy to do or easy to make things. This generation calls for something that’s safe, convenient, fast, and effective. They don’t want to waste their time, effort, energy, and money on non-essential things and activities. If it won’t do them good, if it won’t benefit them, if it won’t make them happy, it’s not worth the time. This is why, manufacturers, suppliers, and vendors have made this generation “what they want”.

This serves true to almost anything, even in dental treatments and therapies. When people are surrounded with beautiful smiles and when they are bombarded with pearly white smiles on TV, movies, magazines, and other media, it’s just a trigger for them to do the same thing. Why not improve the smiles by flashing squeaky white teeth, right? This catalyst made teeth whitening products salable in the market. Now, with so many whitening products available, people are now given more choices and options that will suit their lifestyle and their comfort level.

Probably, one of the most popular and most common among these products is the teeth whitening strips. It’s because these teeth whitening strips are relatively affordable, convenient, simple, easy to apply, hassle-free, and comfortable to use or wear. Unlike other products, like the teeth whitening kits that require mouth trays and messy gels, or other dental appointments to undergo procedures, etc. Teeth whitening strips are quite helpful and useful for the busy people of this generation who still want their smiles to look beautiful and appealing. What makes the teeth whitening strip a little off or disadvantageous are the results — it may not be that powerful or effective as that of other whitening methods, may cause or trigger the sensitive spots of the teeth, and may selectively whiten the teeth because of the form of the strip.

People who have tried these teeth whitening strips have varied results — others find it a success while some don’t notice that much difference at all. There may still be other more effective, consistent, and better teeth whitening methods than that of these teeth whitening strips; however, many people will still patronize these teeth whitening strips because it’s convenient, safe, and easy. Anyway, with regular use of these teeth whitening strips, people will soon notice and realize the change of the teeth color — it may not whiten the teeth immediately or effectively, but there’s still an apparent and recognizable change.

Everyone desires to have a great smile. For a killer smile, one should have sparkling, bright, and shiny teeth.

Today, a lot of people are spending more money just to have their teeth whiter. They make use of the best teeth whitening treatments and undergo procedures to achieve the brilliant white teeth.

Teeth whitening had been an effective procedure to lighten the color of the teeth, without taking away any of the tooth surface. It will not completely whiten the whole set of teeth; it will just lighten the existing color of the teeth.

Only a few are blessed with pearly white teeth, and our teeth normally become discolored as we grow up.

Our teeth can also be stained on the outer part because of the food and drink. Coffee, tea, blackcurrant and red wine have effect on the discoloration of our teeth. Smoking is another cause of teeth discoloration. Most people may encounter staining beneath the surface which is caused by tiny cracks in the teeth or certain antibiotics that absorb the stains.

But what are these teeth whitening treatments and procedures? And are these done?

Bleaching. This is most common form of teeth whitening procedure. Your dentist will advice you if this is the best teeth whitening treatment suitable for you.

Bleaching is done by placing a gel or rubber to shield the soft tissue of your gums. Then, the whitening product will be applied on your teeth by using a special tray which shapes into your mouth like a gum shell.

The teeth whitening product usually contains carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide as the ‘active ingredients’. When these ingredients break down, the oxygen enters the enamel of your teeth thus, making the color lighter. The entire treatment can be completed in three to four weeks time.

For those who wish to undergo to this treatment, you will need at least three visits to the dentist. On your first visit, the dentist will create a mouth-guard and take a caricature or impressions of it. Once the treatment has started, it is recommended that you continue it at home. You have to regularly apply the teeth whitening product over four weeks, for at least 30 minutes at a time.

Most of the known and best teeth whitening products can be applied for up to several hours at a time. The treatment can be done even while you’re sleeping. Ideally, a good result can be attained in as little as one week.

Laser Whitening. This is also called the “power whitening”. Though expensive, a lot of people especially artists consider it as the best teeth whitening method.

During this process, a rubber dam is placed over your teeth to shield the gums, and the whitening product is then painted on your teeth. A laser will be used to stimulate the chemical. The light will help boost the chemical reaction of the bleaching product, thus the color change can be attained more rapidly.

Dentists believe that the result of laser whitening treatment is good. It can make your teeth up to six shades lighter.

Unfortunately, not everyone can get a chance to undergo laser treatment. The dentist will have to check your teeth and ensure that you are fit for the treatment. The total procedure is usually done in an hour.

The effects of this power whitening is said to last up to three years depending on the person. The dentist still advice not to smoke, eat and drink products that may cause a stain in your teeth. Others may find their teeth vulnerable to cold after the treatment. But these symptoms usually vanish within a few days.

These are just two of the famous and best teeth whitening methods available. Despite the fact that they may cost a lot, the effect is still worth it. Through these methods, you’ll surely flash everyone a perfect smile.

Out of curiosity, have you ever asked the question why teeth get dark? Or have you even pondered on the possible answers to this simple query?

Tooth discoloration should not be taken lightly though the case should really lighten to brighten up a smile.

There are many reasons why teeth get stained. The most typical reasons vary from factors written below:

1. heredity
2. consumption of staining substances (such as tea, coffee, and colas)
3. excessive fluoride and use of abrasives (which only expose dentin and causes severe discoloration)*
4. tetracycline (antibiotic) staining
5. old fillings
6. aging

Toothpastes that have whitening agents can minimize the stain that is on the surface of the teeth. The case is also coined by dentists as extrinsic staining. However, professional dental cleanings and whitening toothpastes will not change the intrinsic staining of the teeth, if used appropriately. This is the main reason why tooth bleaching or tooth whitening is so popular.

Normally, teeth whitening remedies are categorized into two:

1. Professional whitening systems

This is usually performed by dentists using whitening gels and lasers to activate the solution. This is normally done inside a dental clinic.

2. Home-based teeth whitening remedy

This could either be done in-between appointments of professional treatments using whitening kits and tray-based whitening techniques or are just home-made remedies from kitchen and medicine items. These applications are usually done at home and according to the frequency suggested by dentists and/or by a product’s instructions.

Just how is tray-based teeth whitening technique employed to the patient? Read on the following four-step procedure:

1. A whitening gel is poured all over a tray that just fits over the teeth of the patient.
2. The active ingredient inside the gel, carbamide peroxide will be broken down sp that oxygen can enter the enamel to bleach the discolored areas.
3. By this, the physical structure of each tooth is not actually transformed. Crowns, fillings, and Bonding will not lighten but the colored substances will.
4. Casts or impressions of the tray are customized by dentists. The accuracy of the trays is critical to the treatment

Below are follow-up questions most patients are curious about tray teeth whitening method.

How safe is the method?

Most dentists agree that tray bleaching or whitening is relatively safe, fast, provides easy ways to lighten teeth between two and five shades in a matter of few days.

How is this different from other professional whitening systems?

Below is a list of some professional whitening products dentists in choosing items for their professional whitening system. The kind of bleaching laser or light is enclosed in parentheses.

1. BriteSmile (gas plasma light/light emitting diode)
2. LaserSmile (a Biolase laser)
3. LumaArch (halogen light)
4. Rembrandt Sapphire (plasma arc light)
5. Zoom! (metal halide light)

Generally, laser treatment is done by applying a 35% Hydrogen Peroxide gel-based solution on the teeth of the patient. After applying the solution on the surface of the teeth, a light is held several inches away from the patient’s mouth to activate the peroxide component of the gel. There are manufacturers and dentists who advertise that this method works better than tray whitening method. There are no actual data completed to support their claims.

Actually, after a year of usual lifestyle habits (drinking tea, colas, coffee, smoking, etc.) treatments using laser-accompanied whitening gel are disregarded. This will cost you another $ 500 or more to have the same treatment again.

However, with the custom-made “mouthpieces”, you can have your usual lifestyle habits for a year and perform touch-ups one day roughly alternately every 3-6 months to take off the new stain inexpensively.