Wednesday, January 17, 2007

Natural Teeth Whitening - A Better Alternative?


Teeth whitening is a common household term that nearly anyone looking to brighten their smile has taken part in. Whether you've gone to the local dentist, or bought a home kit at Wal-Mart, teeth whitening is becoming one of the more popular beauty treatments. Today, people demand instant results, and the technology has allowed for teeth whitening to deliver on that promise.

Popularity aside, teeth whitening has its drawbacks. The use of chemical bleaches and peroxides can have adverse side effects on some individuals. As a result the global market is now turning towards a more natural whitening process.

Recently, products with herbal ingredients that help remove plaque and stains from the teeth have been gaining popularity. Popular ingredients in these products may consist of silica, bamboo powder, calcium carbonate, and sodium chloride. Although studies claim these products work to aid in the whitening process, they can take a long time to produce desired results, and must be used in a consistent manner.

However, some feel that the delay in results is a fair trade off for non-chemical, non-harmful whitening process. The impact of natural whiteners on the tissues of the mouth and tooth enamel is minimal if present at all. To this day, no side effects have been reported using a bamboo powder paste, or a sodium chloride / calcium carbonate mixture.

Another advantage to natural teeth whiteners is that they can be prepared in the home. The basic ingredients can be purchased at any regular grocery store, and preparation is easy. What's better, the herbs and natural ingredients used in the whitening products are based on hundreds or thousands of years of wisdom from ancient civilizations. The actual science behind the whitening process by the chemicals is beyond the scope of this article, but a quick trip to any local library will provide you with all necessary information.

The last, and to some the most important advantage to natural whiteners is the savings. A professional laser whitening process at a dental office can set you back several thousand dollars depending on the type of treatment, and how many repeat visits are required. Even the whitener products found on the shelves in grocery stores can be several hundred dollars. To many, the cost to reward ratio in expensive commercial options just isn't there. Even those who are in the financial position simply won't opt for a professional job because of the risk associated with the bleaching compounds.

The bottom line is natural teeth whiteners provide yet another option for those wanting a bright and dazzling smile without breaking the bank. Although commercial products and professional procedures are still the preferred method, research into natural whiteners has come a long way and will continue to progress.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Home Tray Whitening Is Safe and Effective


Teeth whitening has much cosmetic appeal as well as dental plans. Individuals with discolored enamel find it necessary to aim for perfect teeth, once again. Teeth whitening may be the best defense against plaque and it should be performed by a dentist however there are home bleaching products that work very well if you can't afford to pay the costs related with a dentist. Teeth may stain because of intrinsic stains or due to independent factors. Intrinsic stains happen from inside the teeth and are not removable by merely brushing or flossing and even bleaching may be ineffective. External staining may be due to smoking cigarettes, cigars, or, drinking coffee as well as consuming particular spicy foods. You might be able to remove such stains through constant brushing or through professional cleaning.

Ever since the mirror was first invented, which gave man the opportunity to take a look at his eroding teeth, people have become obsessed with having whiter teeth. Over the period of the last century more and more dental products have begun to hit the market and it is always improving. There are many teeth whitening products out there on the market now yet some of them are completely useless.

Several Choices to Consider

�Nite White and Day' is an example of a teeth whitening system that will improve your teeth by bleaching them to help lighten discolorations. Teeth whitening is an operation of bleaching that eliminates or lessens marks as well as expunges stains from the teeth's enamel and dentin. One may work a mild solution kept in a convention held appliance and, wear this over the teeth while sleeping or during the day. A polyethylene tray can be made to fit on a person's teeth where, bleaching agents are placed inside the tray after slipping it into place.

The benefit of such trays is enormous. There are many teeth whitening gels on the market that contain some extremely strong bleaching agents that can work wonders for people who have discolorations in their teeth. It's important to note however that these products will not completely whiten a person's teeth, they will just make them whiter by a few shades. The at-home tray teeth whitening products are a very safe a method of bleaching one's teeth and, may be used without direct supervision of a dental professional. While shopping for a teeth whitening bleaching product, one can either shop for them from drug stores or get them from the local dentist. However, these suitable products do not, as yet, have FDA approval, though they are not considered as being harmful to the soft tissues of the mouth and, are effective means of whitening teeth.

Monday, January 15, 2007

Teeth Whitening Strips: Do They Work


Everybody today wants to look good. There are many ways to make you look and feel good � one of it being having a perfect smile. A good smile is the best makeup one can wear; the best beautifying trait. However, in order that your smile has the power of attraction and charm you want, you need to have beautiful white teeth. If your teeth are yellow and stained then your smile could have the exact opposite effect from what you would want. Hence, you need to ensure that your teeth are as beautiful as possible. How can you ensure that?

What Do You Need To Know About Teeth Whitening?

Teeth whitening is a process that uses hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide in different percentages to clear the stains accumulated over the years on the enamel of the teeth. Some procedures are highly effective, while some take longer to produce the desired effects. Most people choose a teeth whitening method based on the terms that are most suitable to them. The factors that influence this decision most often are two (i) quality of the product/ method and (ii) cost of the product/ method.

Accordingly, there are many methods to choose from � (i) professional treatment that are done by the dentist; (ii) home remedies; (iii) teeth whitening strips, (iv) Beverly Hills Teeth Whitening system; (v) Do It Yourself teeth whitening kits. Among all these, one of the most popular are the teeth whitening strips.

Do The Teeth Whitening Strips Really Work?

Most people prefer the teeth whitening strips because they are highly affordable and easy to use at home, any time. What you have to do is take the teeth whitening strips and press them over the teeth keeping them there for about 30 minutes. Though this is a very easy process, it does not give instant results. You would need to repeat this process two-three times a week over two to three weeks until you get the desired result.

The question whether the teeth whitening strips really work is not correct. The question should be, "does it work the way you wanted it/ expected?" In that case, one can say that this process is a little slow and might not give you the whitest of the teeth color. However, on the plus side is that it does remove stubborn stains and discoloration of the enamel which overall brightens the smile.

Whether it works or not depends upon what you are comparing it with. If you compare it with the professional teeth whitening process, then it is guaranteed that you would not really be happy with the results you are getting from the teeth whitening strips. However, if you compare the results with most of the do it yourself kits, then you will find that the teeth whitening strips wrk as good as any of them.

Caution About The Use Of Teeth Whitening Strips

There are a few dangers that need to be avoided when using the teeth whitening strips. For example, if you keep it longer than required, you might end up with sensitive teeth for a long time (sometime even for life) which is not something that one would look forward to. Another problem is that the gums might be affected badly if the instructions are not followed well.

Overall, the verdict is that the teeth whitening strips do work. This is a great way to have the teeth coloring fixed at the most affordable price and without too much hassles. However, if you want excellent results, you would need to go for the professional laser teeth whitening process, which though costs much more, would give you the desired results.

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Whitening Your Teeth With Carbamide Peroxide


What makes the teeth white solution work? What are its ingredients? What is Carbamide Peroxide? These are few of the questions that would pop up in the minds of most people who hear about teeth whitening. Let us see what the answers to these questions are.

1. What Makes The Teeth Whitening Solution Work?

Well, there are two main ingredients that make the basic tooth whitening gel and that is made of bleaching agents which act on the stains that are found on the teeth. Normally the bleaching agents are carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide � either of these. The higher the concentration of these bleaching agents � which starts at about 10% and can go upto 30% - the faster and better the results. This is however proportionate to the risk of damage to the teeth and gums.

2. What are the ingredients of the teeth whitening gel?

As mentioned above the carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide (either of these) make the basic ingredients of this solution/ gel. The difference between these two ingredients is the way they act of the stains. While the hydrogen peroxide is fast acting bleaching agent which shows almost instant results needs to be used for about 20-30 minutes every night over a week or two for the best effect. The carbamide peroxide on the other hand is of lower strength - but that limits the possibility of harm caused to the teeth and gums unlike the other harsher peroxide agents.

The best gels would be in the concentration of 10-20% though there are solutions which contain 30% of carmadine peroxide which definitely is very potent. However, since it has a very high potential risk it is best to use such solutions only under the supervision of a dentist. For home use products, one should choose only those which have maximum 16% strength.

3. What is Carbamide Peroxide and how it works?

Carbamide peroxide is a lower strength (lower than other peroxides) bleaching agent which is recommended for teeth whitening because it does not pose any harm to the teeth or the gums. This particular bleaching agent is very safe comparatively. Whenever you would find any side effects, this would most often be cause by the wrong use of the gel rather than anything else.

Carbamide peroxide reduces stains with great efficiency. However, the whitening effect that it produces is not due to �wiping off' the stains. What the solution does is reduces oxygen to the stains which makes them less visible. This is why nowadays the gels available in the market have added an oxidizing agent to the gel for better results.

This is an extremely safe way to clean teeth and this is why most dentists approve and use this method for professional teeth whitening process.

To summarize, the carbamide peroxide is a soft oxidizing agent that is used to whiten the teeth by basically adding molecules of oxygen to the stains. As a result, the stains are reduced gradually. This is why the first time teeth whitening should be done by a professional hand. Subsequently you could use DIY kits to maintain the whiteness.

It is important that you do the first time with the dentist for another reason as well � this is because the dentist would be able to find whether there are any flaws in the teeth before the bleaching agent is applied. The dentist would also be able to repair the flaws that are found so the bleaching agent would harm the teeth or the gum.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Teeth Whitening Has Become A Hot Trend


Teeth whitening is a process by which one can achieve almost total success in the whitening of their teeth. This process involves the use of teeth-whitening gel which is normally applied by a professional. There are also ways that teeth whitening can be done at home without any intervention from a dentist. The results are usually stunning as the enamel is cleaned of the effects that the organic matters left over the teeth. This is not a permanent solution and it has to be repeated time and again at regular intervals to maintain the shine and impeccable white color.

Everybody Loves It

Since this process improves the appearance of a person dramatically and it is accessible to the common man has made it a hot trend. Who does not want to look good? And if looking good means that you whiten your teeth, why not? The process when done by a dentist has the advantage that it covers all other imperfections that could have developed over the years, such as broken or worn out teeth, cavities and so on.

There are two major ways to whiten the teeth:

1. Professional teeth whitening � this method has the dentist go over your teeth to decide the exact level of teeth whitener should be used. He/ she also would make all the necessary repairs before proceeding with the whitening. The advantage of having the teeth whitened by a doctor is that it is done safely and you are assured that the teeth enamel is not harmed.

2. Do it yourself kits � the other method is the DIY kits that are available over the counter everywhere. If you choose this method, look for the American Dental Association (ADA) approval seal which would minimize your risk. It is not advisable to use any teeth whitening kits that need you to use their product for more than 14 days continuously.

The cost of the professionally done teeth whitening process, costs about $500-600 while the DIY kits normally start at $30. The price difference would be indicative of the effect difference. This is why there is a danger of harming your teeth if you repeatedly use the DIY without any medical supervision.

The Advantages

The teeth whitening process carries with it a lot many advantages:

1. Improves appearance dramatically - It is an excellent way to improve one's appearance. This is why the teeth-whitening is becoming a hot trend among the 21st century crowd. Having a beautiful smile is now within the reach of anybody who wants it.

2. Improves self-confidence � looking god very often influences how people feel about themselves. Hence, the teeth-whitening process also improves a person's self confidence and the personal feel-good factor.

3. Improves attractiveness � it is easier to kiss someone who has excellent looking teeth rather than one who has brown or yellow stained teeth. Hence, this process also improves the overall attractiveness � which is another great reason why this process is gradually becoming a hot trend.

The Disadvantages

1. Too high expectations � the hype and advertisements increase the expectations of people to such extent that they expect too much out the process. The teeth whitening definitely makes a great difference to your smile � however, the level of white very much depends upon the type of stains you have and how these were acquired.

2. Dangers of getting sensitive teeth � if you are not careful and use the DIY kits indiscriminately you might develop sensitive teeth which can be a great problem for the rest of your life.

3. Cost � the professional teeth whitening is still on the higher side, though within the reach of the common man.

Overall the teeth whitening is gradually becoming one of the favorite ways of improving appearance for the simple reason that it is fast and affordable.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Restorative dentistry can restore that priceless smile


�She can kill with a smile' is a compliment that many women would go to any extremes to achieve. However if a dental disfigurement causes one to lose their killer smile, it can be devastating for the person. The common mistake that most of us do is that we tend to neglect minor dental problems at the onset and gradually such problems become major ones requiring restorative dentistry. The advent of technologically advanced procedures in the field of restorative dentistry seems to have given a new leash of life to many who are suffering from such dental problems. At times dental problems may occur due to circumstances beyond our control. Restorative dentistry could be a boon for people who have faced some accident or disease that has resulted in the teeth being misaligned or broken. Even yellowing of teeth due to substance abuse can be rectified using restorative dentistry.

The field of restorative dentistry expands to the extent of teeth whitening, dental braces, root canal treatments and even teeth replacement. The dental surgeons performing restorative dentistry have brought hope to millions who were suffering form major and minor dental ailments. A simple toothache can aggravate to life disrupting experience and yellow teeth can disfigure even the most beautiful smile. Losing a tooth due to an accident can leave a person scared for life. Misaligned teeth can subject a person to ridicule in social situations. At time we do not realize the root of certain embarrassing problems like bad breath. It could be a dental disease or a lack of oral hygiene. Either ways it is a hindrance to our social life. Restorative dentistry is the perfect solution for all these problems and many more.

Dental problems can creep upon us without us realizing the cause or the time from when the decay started. Laziness in maintaining oral hygiene or lack of awareness could be major cause for dental problems that end up requiring restorative dentistry. Also the hectic lifestyle that most of us our leading today have made us addicted to substance abuse like tea, coffee and nicotine. Our teeth have to suffer because of these lifestyle addictions. Most people do not realize the tremendous importance that a good or pleasing smile plays in our lives. Strangely only when that smile is damaged due to some ailments or other causes, do we realize the importance of the missing smile. A bad breath problem, misaligned teeth, broken or chipped teeth, yellow teeth could make a person so conscious about their appearance that they stop smiling in public altogether. This could greatly alter their lifestyle. Restorative dentistry may be the only option available that could bring back that lost confidence.

Restorative dentistry has opened up a world of opportunities for millions suffering from dental ailments. Timely intervention and a routine oral care procedure could work wonders for not only your precious set of teeth but your complete confidence and self image as well. So smile confidently and ensure that you take proper care of the dazzling set of teeth that has been gifted to you.

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Best teeth whitening: for a dazzling smile


As time is changing people are becoming more conscious for their appearance. In order to make efforts for improving appearance people are concentrating on making their smile more beautiful and perfect. People who have beautiful smile but hesitate in smiling as their teeth are not as white as they once. People who have lost the original white tooth color due to bad habits or any disease now can make their teeth dazzling white with best teeth whitening.

Best teeth whitening is the best way to get back that lost color and confidence of smiling. This definitely gives you perfect results at ease. There are a lot of researches and trials taking place for teeth whitening. Most of them use various teeth whitening products that are available in market but all these products do not guarantee best teeth whitening and long lasting results. If you are suffering from the problem of pale teeth then best teeth whitening then you can be rest assured that best teeth whitening is going to help you out. It guarantees whiter- brighter smile and long lasting results.

There are many factors that decide the degree of improvement. Teeth condition is one of those factors which can become a hurdle in getting perfect results. Surprising it is seen that patients who have darker set of teeth get better results then patients having less pale teeth. A good oral health is also a factor that plays a vital role in getting better results. For these uncertain reasons most of the teeth whitening products are not liked by people. Though your dentist's efficiency is also important but if the product or treatment is not effective enough one can never have satisfactory results. Apart from this best teeth whitening analyses your teeth structure, damage level and causes of damage then only the treatment will be started. For best teeth whitening it hardly matters either your teeth are dark or just pale. Whatever the situation is, it will give you the best results.

If you believe on researches and going to make a decision of whitening your teeth on basis of these researches then you must reconsider your decision. Most of the researches and reports are subsidized by manufacturers and that is very obvious that they will boast of their product as they are getting a chance. In this situation only a consumer of that product will be sufferer. So don't decide anything until you are satisfied with it. Preferably, you focus should be on finding best teeth whitening rather than trying various products yourself. You really need to consult your dentist before having a teeth whitening treatment as the result also depends on the efficiency of your dentist. Either it is from the point of view of dentists or pat sufferers; best teeth whitening is the most effective solution for darken teeth. There is no need to say that how much effective best teeth whitening is. People who have experienced its wonderful results are witnessing its success, effectiveness and reliability.