Teeth Bleaching and Whitening

well, i'm 15 and i already had pretty white teeth, but i used original crest whitestrips and my teeth came out gorgeous white. it's like 25 bucks at a drugstore, but you can get it on amazon for about 15 if you search well.

My dentist also told me that this is safe, if used correctly. so don't use like 4 a day when you're only supposed to use 2 and use other whiteners with them. (besides whitening toothpaste. that's fine)

(You probably know all that, but i just said it in case someone on here starts saying it's bad for your teeth)

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I want my teeth to be much much whiter in two months time… but I can't afford to go to the dentist and get them bleached. They aren't too terribly bad, I drink a lot of water but my teeth got really discolored when I was younger… They are a dull white now , after many many years of whitening toothpaste and listerine… but I want them to dazzle =)

They are not nearly as superior as the dentist office.

Yes they do work, but very minimal results.

Zoom Whitening for in office is great!

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In the oral healthcare market of today, home teeth whitening systems have become a leading industry. Whitening chewing gum alone is reckoned to make a staggering 17 million dollars per annum in gross sales, and that is just for one brand name. When you include several other products such as brushed on bleaching gels, whitening toothpastes and whitening strips, it is easy to see just how large and lucrative the market has grown into. Oral care as we know it today, has not always been that way though and is far removed from its rather humble origins. The lengths which some folk would go to in the past just to get a natural smile can make you very appreciative of the modern-day conveniences that we take for granted nowadays.

These days, we all know that brushing our teeth daily or after meals is the 1st step in home teeth whitening. To do that, we turn to our dependable toothbrush to get rid of any surface buildup on our teeth. Everyone has a toothbrush readily available but what would you do if you could not find yours. You would venture outside into your front or back yard naturally and find yourself a suitable twig. Hundreds of years ago, folk would actually chew on sprigs in order to clean their teeth. After that, some clever individual, way back in history, had the bright idea of fashioning a piece of wood and adding boar bristle to the end of it. And so the toothbrush was born although the thought of having a mouthful of pig hairs first thing in the morning is not too appealing.

The need to have whiter teeth is by no means the latest fashion craze because it has been around for many years. Hundreds of years ago, the local barbers shop would also be the place to go if you needed anything done to your teeth. To give you the brilliant white teeth that you desired, the barber come dentist would file the tooth surface down and then apply a Nitric Acid solution. While this process would certainly work in the short term, the teeth would start crumbling quickly because of the lack of tooth enamel protection that would be destroyed by the process.

Consider that fresh minty taste of your toothpaste. Most whitening toothpastes nowadays contain bicarbonate of soda as an active element and it is still popular practice among some folks to brush their teeth with neat baking soda right out of the package. However, If you do not fancy the taste sensation of bicarbonate of soda in your mouth, you may be better off sticking with toothpaste. Back in the 1800’s, that may not have been such good advice since urine was a common ingredient in toothpaste at that time.

The best home dental whitening system begins with proper tooth care. You do need to brush every day and floss regularly. Frequent check-ups at the dentist can assist in keeping your teeth healthy and your gums in great shape. You do not want to brush your teeth with pure bleach. You may ,in addition, want to skip tobacco products, red wine and beverages such as tea, coffee or soda. All of those stain the enamel over time. If whiter teeth seem too much trouble, then look at how far people had to go in the past to have dazzling white teeth.

Teeth whitening procedures could be dangerous to your health?

Most people are concerned about making their teeth white but how many of those are ever thought about the potential danger in teeth whitening procedures. Your mouth tissue and teeth could potentially be at risk.

The potential danger is within control and could be minimized but still you need to know about it.

3 Potential Dangers in Whitening Your Teeth

1) For those people who have sensitive gums and soft mouth tissue, they could respond negatively to the chemicals solutions such as carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide that are normally used in tooth whitening procedures.

Special precaution should be taken if you try to apply these chemicals by yourself at home. Make sure that none of the chemicals come in contact with any mouth tissue except your teeth.

The risk is minimized if you get the dental professional to do the work. The dentist have the professional tools to safeguard your teeth and prevent other mouth tissues from come in contact with the chemicals used.

Some teeth whitening home kits do provide some protection tools such as mouth guard. Since this mouth guard is one size fits all so it may not work very well with everyone. It may fit some people perfectly but may not fit others well.

2) Chemical used in teeth whitening could also affect people who have sensitive teeth after the treatment. This reaction is normally very noticeable when eating food while they too are hot or too cold such as ice cream.

3) The chemicals used (carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide) in the whitening procedures could also be potentially dangerous if swallowed. Some people will have a reaction of stomach upset, nausea and vomiting.

Some case studies have shown that the use of hydrogen peroxide for teeth whitening has been associated with the development of tongue cancer. While there is no conclusive or large enough sampling to quantify the claims but there is something to be aware off.

I have no clue how much I should be looking to pay in this endeavor, although I am willing to pay a fair deal if the product is safe and highly effective.

First you should consider having a dental cleaning and check up if you haven't already as any build up (plaque or calculus) will prevent (block) the whitening agent from getting on the tooth surface and working well. Honestly I feel that Crest Whitestrips are a good option for the price. As a dental hygienist I sell them (Supreme version) at my office for $75.00 which is more than Walmart, but ours are 3 weeks worth of strips and are 3 times stronger, so they are more effective.
The over the counter versions are -
Crest Whitestrips Premium Plus, you will see full results in 10 days - and have a whiter smile for 18 months.
Crest Whitestrips Premium you will start to see results after 3 days and full results in 7 days - and have a whiter smile for 12 months.
Crest Whitestrips Classic, you will see full results in 14 days - and have a whiter smile for 12 months.
And none of these have the ADA seal of acceptance, in fact only 2 Dentist prescribed products are. In short it depends on whether or not the company wants to participate - Read below-
Dentists and consumers have long recognized the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance as an important symbol of a dental product's safety and effectiveness. For more than 125 years, the ADA has sought to promote the safety and effectiveness of dental products. The first Seal of Acceptance was awarded in 1931. In 1984, President Ronald Reagan gave the Association a certificate of commendation for the outstanding self-regulatory efforts of its Seal program.

Although it is strictly voluntary, more than 300 companies participate in the Seal program. Participating manufacturers commit significant resources to test and market products in the Seal program. More than 1,100 dental products carry the Seal of Acceptance. Of these, about 40 percent are products sold to consumers, such as toothpaste, dental floss, manual and electric toothbrushes and mouth rinses. The rest are products prescribed or used by dentists, such as antibiotics or dental restorative materials.

Hope this helps and good luck!
JAMRDH - a dental hygienist

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With so many commercial brands in the market, searching for the best teeth whitening products can be somewhat of a challenge. Although teeth whitening treatment is a cosmetic procedure, it can be seen as a necessary one as it can affect your personal life and even career. For those in the service profession, personal appearance is especially important for creating a favorable first impression.

Because results are fast and often satisfactory with little pain or discomfort, many are willing to pay the high cost of laser teeth whitening. Home teeth whitening systems are availabe for those on a budget. However these products can be a little troublesome for many as the gel has to be applied over several days in order for the whitening process to work.

For light stains and discoloration, home DIY kits offer a viable solution that can be effective and less costly in the long run as they provide a cheap teeth whitening solution. Teeth whitening strips or dental trays are just some of the various forms of packaging that whitening gels come in. Whitening gels are now available in pen formats that are convenient to use as and when you want.

There are some intensive home teeth whitening systems that are commercially available such as Opalescence. This hydrogen peroxide based treatment requires the mixture from two containers to be left on overnight to work.

Over the counter kits may be unable to achieve the whiteness that professional treatment can reach.

In such cases, going for laser teeth whitening would be best. Teeth discoloration is removed by a laser light that activates the bleaching agent which penetrates teeth to stimulate color change. A few sessions may be needed to get the desired shade of teeth whiteness which can lead to much higher teeth whitening cost.

After laser teeth whitening, try and maintain the results by using a whitening toothpaste that contains a bleaching agent. However, stains will return over time as food and drink consumption will cause teeth stains. It’s well known that coffee and tea have strong staining effects. Teeth stains appear rapidly for those who smoke. To reduce and delay teeth stains, avoid these types of food and drink.

For those who want their teeth to appear perfect, veneers will give that result. Very thin porcelain veneers are bonded onto the front of teeth in this expensive procedure that is normally carried out for chipped or misalign teeth. It is also used for teeth that have severe stains.

There are disadvantages with veneers. Broken veneers cannot be repaired. Also, having veneers bonded onto teeth requires that a minimal but noticeable amount of teeth enamel to be trimmed to fit the veneer. To keep the natural looking shape, teeth that have been fitted with veneers will always have to have veneers. Therefore, costs can become very high over the years.

Given all the pros and cons of each procedure plus teeth whitening cost, it is best to be fully informed as to what each entails so that you know what to expect during and after each teeth whitening treatment.