Teeth Whitening
According to the American Dental Association, teeth whitening is the most requested procedure at a dentist’s office. This is not so surprising, given that smile makeovers seem to be so popular these days. Many people want their teeth to be as white as they can possibly be – they want the same dazzling, bright smiles that their favorite Hollywood stars have.
Luckily, there are several teeth whitening procedures through which a person can get the brighter smile she desires. There have been quite a few technological advances in the field of dentistry over the last several years that make obtaining teeth whitening accessible to anyone.
Teeth Whitening = Stain Removal
While many people may not want to think of it this way, the procedure of getting the teeth whitened is actually a stain removal process. Throughout the years, the enamel of a person’s teeth develops cracks. (Everyone’s teeth have these cracks; it is a natural effect that happens because of eating solid foods.) Now, over the years, these cracks begin to fill with whatever a person puts in his or her mouth, whether it is coffee, soda, smoke from cigarettes, or, of course, food particles. As time goes by, the debris-filled cracks start to make the teeth look dull and off-color, typically yellowish or off-white in appearance.
Teeth whitening procedures of any type work by removing all of the debris that is in the cracks of a person’s teeth. This naturally leaves the teeth looking bright and white.
Of course, after any teeth whitening process, the very same cracks in the tooth enamel are still present – and they begin to fill back up immediately. So, no whitening process is permanent because of this.
Misconceptions about Teeth Whitening
Because there are so many different types of teeth whitening procedures and products available these days, there are a great many general misunderstandings and false impressions. Here are some of the most common confusions about teeth whitening:
- Teeth whitening will not necessarily work for everyone. If a person’s teeth are grayish in color, rather than yellowish, it is quite possible that whitening procedures will be unsuccessful, or at least less successful.
- There are no “best” whitening methods, no matter what any advertisement says. This is because what works for one person may not work for another person. For example, an in-home tooth strip product may dramatically whiten one person’s teeth, while another person may fail to see any results at all from it. The second person may require an in-office laser treatment.
- There is no set amount of time that whitening from a procedure will last. Most last at least several months; however, this will depend upon the treatment used, dental care maintenance, and stain-causing items ingested afterwards.
- No whitening process will affect crowns, bridges or any other false teeth. This may be an important consideration for some people.
- Whitening toothpastes and gums will not actually work to whiten the teeth. They may help in keeping the teeth whiter for longer after a teeth whitening procedure has been done, however.
