Want that halo effect that comes with a big beautiful smile? Let’s face it, whiter teeth bring confidence. There are several ways to whiten teeth and get a brighter smile.
Most people whiten their teeth to eliminate stains left by coffee and cigarettes. These things react with minerals in the teeth to make a dark pigment called melanin, which makes the teeth look dark.
Teeth whitening is a popular cosmetic dental procedure aimed at improving the appearance of your teeth by removing stains and discoloration. The process primarily targets surface stains on the teeth caused by tobacco use, drinking dark-colored liquids such as coffee, tea, and red wine, or simply aging. It uses bleaching agents to remove these stains from teeth and make them whiter.
The different types of teeth whitening treatments available can be grouped into two categories: in-office teeth whitening and take-home teeth whitening kits. These are the most popular ones.
1. Dentist Whitening
A dentist can perform teeth whitening professionally using high-concentration bleaching gels, or individuals can do it at home using lower-concentration bleaching products like whitening strips, gels, or toothpaste. Most dentists use carbamide peroxide as a gel to whiten teeth. Dentists produce dental trays, especially for each patient. This improves the fit and reduces the chance of whitening lines.
Dentists charge upwards of $600 for this procedure. This is the most expensive option of all the teeth whitening methods. Check whether your insurance covers this procedure.
2. At-Home Whitening Gels
At-home whitening treatments, for example, are an option. Identically, you can get whiter teeth in the comfort of your own home by using at-home kits. These are comparatively lower prices. At-home kits contain the same strength formula as your dentist's carbamide peroxide formula. Or a more potent formula. Another benefit of at-home whitening is the price.
Some quality kits can go as low as $39! Conversely, the dental tray quality is the only real downside of at-home equipment. It’s a boil-and-bite mouthpiece. You may find these a little less comfortable than their dental counterparts.
3. Whitening Strips
Strips are cheaper than the dentist's and more convenient because you can do it from home. The downside of this method is that it takes longer than other methods. Seeing the same results from whitening gels can take months or years. The results from whitening strips are usually less than desired. Major brands and off-brands have a mild effect over a month at best. Pharmaceutical-backed companies sell a weaker whitening strip product to keep recurring profits.
4. Whitening Toothpaste
The active ingredient in most teeth whitening toothpaste is hydrogen peroxide, which breaks down into water and oxygen to oxidize the stains on teeth. The toothpaste's ingredients are designed to contain these chemicals within the mouth long enough to break down teeth stains.
First, whitening toothpaste seems to have little or no effectiveness. At most, one line of paste has a mild active ingredient. On the other hand, you would have to brush your teeth for an hour for any noticeable result over a month. With this in mind, dental and at-home whitening kits give you the best results in the shortest time.
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