Tooth Whitening

Tooth whitening, why should it be done? There are different ways you can go about getting your teeth whitened. You can do in-office bleaching, at-home bleaching, or toothpaste. There might also be possible side effects from whitening.

Before you starter using teeth whiteners you should ask your dentist how well whitening will work on your teeth. How well it works will depend on the color of your teeth. Yellow teeth will bleach well, brown colored teeth may not bleach as well, and gray teeth might not bleach at all.

In-Office

In-office bleaching is done at your dentist's office. In-office bleaching is referred to as chairside bleaching. Whitening your teeth in this manor might take more than one visit. The whitening sessions generally take between 30 minutes and one hour. In-office uses a light or heat source to speed of the process.

Many of the in-office bleaching products that are used by dentists have the American Dental Associations seal of approval. The ones that have the ADA seal of approval lets you know that the products being used are safe and effective.

At-Home

With several options of bleaching to do at-home bleaching, knowing which to choose could be a problem. The whiteners are generally a gel that you place in a mouthguard. How often you do the bleaching depends on which product you purchase. It might vary from a couple times a day for two weeks or just use it overnight for a few weeks.

At-home kits from dentists cost between $300 to $500. Bonding is generally done in one visit and ranges from $300 to $700. Porcelain veneers take at least two office visits and the cost is $700 to $1200 per tooth. You can buy starter whitening kits off the Internet that start at $19.95. They might not be worth it and you have no guarantee how effective these products are.

There is also toothpaste that can help with whitening. Toothpaste with the ADA Seal of Acceptance has a special chemical or polishing agent that provides extra effective in stain removal. Bleaching helps in lightning stains that are caused by age, tobacco, coffee, and tea.

There might be possible side effects to tooth whitening. Your teeth may become more sensitive while you are using a bleach whitening solution. Another possibility is soft tissue irritation. This is caused from the tray not fitting correctly or if the solution comes in contact with the tissue. In most cases the use of whitening products is safe. The only time you might have a problem is if you use the product too much. Bleaching can cause tooth enamel to wear away if you get carried away.

There are many ways you can try to whiten your teeth. The best way is probably going to be talking to your dentist and getting their opinion on what to do. You can try over the counter whitening but it might not be as good. Just make sure you do some research on the product that you are buying to see how well they work.