Teeth whitening
Teeth whitening can give you a bright and youthful smile! Daily wear and tear on your teeth can lead to stubborn stains. You may visit your dentist for a professional teeth whitening procedure, which is somewhat costly but effective.
There are also a host of over-the-counter products that can be effective. Such products include strips, trays, counter gels, whitening toothpaste, and other dentistry products.
Reasons Why Teeth Turn Yellow
Stains-Some foods and beverages like coffee can stain the enamel of your teeth, increasing the yellowing. Certain antibiotics, tobacco products, and smoking cause stains on your teeth.
Enamel Thinning – This is the outer white layer of the tooth. Beneath it is a tissue called dentin. When the enamel starts eroding, it reveals the yellowish dentin.
Enamel thinning can because of aging, acidic foods, and gum disease.
The reasons vary for different people as follows:
Reasons for teeth whitening:
- Boost self-confidence-Teeth whitening can boost your self-confidence and smile.
- Effects of aging-As you grow old; your enamel tends to wear out and cause discoloration. Teeth whitening can help maintain your white teeth.
- Discoloration. Whitening can restore severely discolored teeth and restore that fantastic smile you envy.
- Effects of smoking-Plaque and bacteria can build up on your teeth, causing discoloration. Teeth whitening can focus on these discolorations, making you have nice white teeth.
- Diet choices-Some of these foods we may have included in our diets, like coffee, can cause teeth discolorations. Teeth whitening can counter these, making you have healthy white teeth.
Take-Home Whitening Trays
One option for professional whitening is to have custom trays fabricated for your mouth and using the trays to apply professional strength whitening gel. A mold like a tray is used to apply the hydrogen peroxide to your teeth. Your dentist will make an impression of your teeth with a mouthpiece tray that will fit your teeth.
The impressions made are customized to your teeth to ensure maximum contact between the gel and your teeth. It also helps minimize contact of the gel with your mouth.
The application of this tray lasts from 30 minutes to 2 hours. This procedure needs to be done repeatedly for three weeks to ensure the best results.
If you need fast results, you can leave the trays on your teeth for a longer time.
In-Office Whitening
Another whitening option that will gain the best and fastest results is in-office whitening or power bleaching.
This is a procedure in the office where full-strength whitening gel is applied directly to the teeth for 15 minutes and repeated two to three times.
The results can be evident in 30 to 60 minutes. However, you might need to make several other follow-up appointments with your dentist.
How Long Do Whitening Effects Last?
This teeth whitening procedure is not a permanent solution to discoloration. When you expose your teeth to smoking, foods, and beverages that can cause staining, the enamel might fade away.
How long the whitening lasts varies with an individual. It depends on the procedure used, the type of food and beverage taken, staining level, and teeth type.
How to Prevent Staining
Avoid foods such as coffee, tea, red wine, and dark berries that can stain teeth. Avoid smoking and vaping.
Limiting Sugar Intake
When you take in foods high in sugar, this will support bacteria’s growth in your mouth, which causes plaque and discolors your teeth. Make sure to brush your teeth after having these kinds of foods.
Limit Intake of Staining Food and Beverages
Foods like coffee and red wine can cause staining, cause they stain your teeth does not mean you should avoid them. You can have these foods but in a much smaller proportion to prevent them from staining your teeth.
