How can I brighten my smile safely? That is the million-dollar question everybody is looking for an answer for. The last few years showed an ever-growing surge in opting for cosmetic dentistry. Oral Health Foundation declared that 40% of Britain want to improve their teeth with whitening, veneers, or Invisalign. In this blog, we will navigate through the reasons behind teeth discoloration and the top teeth whitening solutions.
What Causes Teeth Discoloration?
Teeth discoloration is inevitable with age, but some habits and colored food and beverage consumption may accelerate the teeth color change. The reasons may include:
- High consumption of coffee, tea, and wine
- Smoking and tobacco use
- Poor oral hygiene and plaque accumulation
- Aging
- Some medications
The treatment for teeth discoloration depends on the depth of staining. Shallow staining caused by smoking or tea and coffee consumption is reversible through different teeth-whitening solutions. Deeper stains and age discoloration may withstand teeth whitening solutions and probably necessitate teeth covering through cosmetic bonding or porcelain veneers.
Top Teeth Whitening Solution to Brighten Your Smile
Various teeth whitening solutions may deliver different results according to the cause and degree of discoloration. These solutions include professional whitening, over-the-counter whitening products, and natural remedies.
1. Professional Whitening:
It involves teeth whitening procedures that all or part of it performed in the dental office with professional help and supervision. There are two types of in-office whitening:
In-office Whitening:
During your visit to the dental center, the dentist will assess the degree and reason behind discoloration and discuss your treatment expectations. The process involves using a high-power bleaching solution inserted inside a tray, and then a specific type of laser is directed on the tray to accelerate the bleaching process. You may need 1-3 sessions, each taking almost 30-60 minutes, and the results can be seen at the same visit. This type of teeth whitening is fast, but it may lead to some sensitivity in addition to chances of a minor rebound during the first week after the session.
Take-home Whitening:
This procedure requires professional support from your dentist. During your visit, the dentist will take an impression of your teeth. This impression is molded into a customized tray used to insert the bleaching agent inside your mouth. Your dentist will hand you the customized tray along with the bleaching solution and some important instructions to follow. Wear the tray according to the prescribed time by your dentist until the desired whitening level is achieved. The result may appear within 2-3 weeks of daily use. This technique is less likely to produce tooth sensitivity.
2. Over-the-counter Whitening Products:
This category involves teeth whitening solutions that do not require professional help from dental professionals. They are more affordable, but the results are not as good as professional whitening. The chances of developing tooth sensitivity and relapse of the achieved results are higher. These products include:
Whitening Strips:
Whitening strips are small pieces formed of flexible plastic material coated with the whitening material. All you have to do is to adapt it on the outer teeth surface and leave it for 5-30 minutes. You can use it over several weeks until you reach the desired outcome. Be careful the whitening strips do not come in contact with decayed teeth because it will elicit severe pain. Trim the tray margins away from the gingiva to avoid gingival inflammation. Whitening strips are easy to use and available, but they can cause sensitivity or uneven teeth whitening if you don’t adapt them properly.
Whitening Trays:
Over-the-counter whitening trays are the same concept as take-home whitening. The main difference is that the tray of the over-the-counter tray does not fit snugly as the customized tray fabricated by dental professionals. The unfitted tray may lead to seepage of the bleaching solution and its dilution with oral saliva. That consequently diminishes the bleaching effect and may irritate the gums.
Whitening Toothpaste:
Whitening toothpaste usually contains whitening materials such as peroxide and abrasive materials. They only remove the external surface stain; they do not change the teeth’ color. If overused, the abrasive materials may cause scratching of the enamel surface, which may lead to the development of teeth discoloration faster. They represent an affordable, safe way to a bright smile. It is recommended to use the whitening toothpaste once or twice daily for no more than six weeks.
3. Natural Remedies:
Many natural teeth whitening solutions are available. Some people favor natural teeth over professional and over-the-counter solutions. They may be a safer option but less effective. Natural remedies include using baking soda and oil pulling.
Baking soda is one of the oldest, cheapest, and most natural home remedies for teeth whitening. The mechanism of action of baking soda depends on being a mild abrasive and alkaline nature that reacts with the acidic food pigmentation from tea and coffee. To use baking soda to whiten your teeth, you can add it to your toothpaste or use a toothpaste containing baking soda. Baking soda toothpaste is more effective and causes less damage to teeth than regular whitening toothpaste.
Oil pulling involves swishing oil inside your mouth for 20 minutes. Coconut oil is the most suitable oil used. Coconut oil binds with the bacteria and removes stains from the tooth surface, but this does not whiten teeth. There is still no evidence supporting this method.
Conclusion
There are a variety of teeth-whitening solutions to brighten your smile. These solutions range from natural home remedies to professional whitening solutions to complete teeth covering through veneers. The decisions depend on the reason behind the discoloration and your expectations. Consult your dentist to select the most effective and safest option.
