Home Teeth Whitening Tips

Feb 162012

Having whiter teeth is the goal of many, especially those who smoke, drink coffee, dark sodas or red wine as these products tend to turn teeth yellow or dull gray over time. For most people, white teeth are an indication of good health and youth. But there are many home whitening products available for you to use that can help reduce yellowing and maybe brighten teeth.
Home Teeth Whitening Products

Before buying a home whitening kit, research products to choose one that is right for your teeth and the shade of white you want to achieve. Home teeth whitening products include teeth whitening gels, strips, whitening toothpaste, teeth whitening pens and whitening trays.

Most of these products contain peroxide, which is safe to use, but may cause tooth sensitivity for some people. This can be painful or annoying during the whitening process.

Home whitening products will probably not give you the whitest teeth, but may remove some yellow or gray from your teeth to make them appear whiter. Review product instructions, read customer reviews and compare products to find the best one for you.

If you have healthy teeth and gums, you should consider using a home whitening product as the peroxide and other ingredients should not cause much tooth sensitivity. If you suffer from bleeding gums, gum disease or other issue with your teeth, using one of these products may cause severe discomfort. Discontinue using if discomfort occurs.

Depending on how easily your teeth stain, home whitening may keep your teeth white for several months.

Touch-Up Products

In addition to home teeth whitening products, you can use products in between that will help you remove new stains. These products are available as whitening strips or whitening pens. When used in between whitening products, you may notice whiter teeth for longer periods of time.

Baking Soda and Other Home Teeth Whitening Tips

Baking soda when used with toothpaste may help whiten teeth. You can buy toothpaste with baking soda included or you can sprinkle baking soda on toothpaste before brushing. It may take a while to see results, but some people have reported whiter teeth and the removal of small stains.

Other ways to whiten teeth include:

Eat strawberries, celery, carrots to whiten and clean teeth
Use a mouthwash with whitening ingredients
Floss regularly

Results may vary depending on how discolored your teeth are and the level of whiteness you want to achieve.

Whitening Tricks

The following tricks can help give you the appearance of whiter teeth or prevent new stains without using a whitening product:

Women should use a red lipstick or lip gloss to make teeth appear whiter.
Chew gum after eating to prevent new stains from appearing
Avoid drinking red wine (switch to white wine)
Reduce consumption of coffee, soda and other drinks with artificial colors

Home teeth whitening tips only help reduce or prevent surface stains on the teeth. If you want deep whitening, you will have to visit your dentist to use professional teeth whitening equipment.

Teeth Whitening Trays

Mar 122012

Getting your teeth professionally whitened can be costly and time consuming, so if you want to try a tooth whitening method which will save you both time and money, then a whitening tray could be for you.
Products by Roots Dental Lab, Smile 4 You and Bella Labs have all proven popular with many people who want to brighten up their smiles, but there is a certain amount of uncertainty which surrounds the phenomenon of teeth whitening. If you feel like you have tried every product out there to no avail, then teeth whitening trays might be the one product that works for you.

How do Teeth Whitening Trays Work?
A teeth whitening home kit is cheaper and more convenient than a trip to a cosmetic dentist. Trays themselves are a type of silicon/plastic gum shield that fits around your teeth and gums. Depending on the brand, you will often find that a whitening gel is placed in the tray and then placed on your teeth for about 30 minutes to one hour. This is done once a day for up to 2 weeks (depending on the intensity of the gel).

The whitening gel is generally made of a form of bleach which targets the stains on your teeth to lift away dirt and prevent tartar build-up. Some kits also come with a primer – a pen containing a substance which allows you to target specific stains by applying a more intense formula. The primer can then react with the gel to remove food stains. The oxygenation process (the process where the gel reacts with oxygen) also allows stains to be lifted from teeth and removes discoloration.

Bella Labs Whitening Trays and Gel
Many people have been impressed with this product, but it is careful to note that the gel has a thin consistency so applying too much can mean that it runs off the trays into your mouth, so take care with application! The liquid nature of the product means that it is able to reach all corners of your teeth, ensuring an overall gleaming smile.

The Benefits of Using Whitening Trays
Fast Results – Most courses of home whitening tray kits last up to 6 days. This means that you only have to plan a week in advance if there is a special occasion you want to whiten your teeth for.
Reliable – trays which are customised and fit perfectly around your teeth and gum line will ensure a successful course of whitening. Trays which are properly fitted to your teeth i.e. have a mould to suit your mouth size and shape, will keep the whitening gel in close contact with your teeth, allowing the gel to work its magic much more effectively.

No Gum Irritation – When applied properly, with the right amount, in the right way, as often as the instructions state and no more; then your gums and teeth should not become irritated. This specifically applies to FDA approved products which have been given the “all clear” by authorities. This ensures that you are using a product which will not cause any harmful effects.

Whiter Teeth – Some tooth whitening trays with gel will work to remove stains, others will aim to lighten the overall shade of your teeth. Whether you are going for stain removal or general whitening, trays are a great way to get a brighter and whiter smile!

Teeth Whitening Pen

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Mar 122012

There are many tooth whitening products on the market today that it can be hard to decide which is the most effective method, brand, kit, or product for whitening teeth. Teeth whitening pens have proven very popular with consumers and it’s no wonder – they are easy to use and are a much less messy method of making your teeth sparkle.

Mammoth, LAwhite and Idol White are all well known teeth whitening pen products that can help reverse the effects of tooth discolouration. Whilst regularly brushing your teeth, using mouthwash and flossing can remove small bits of food from in between your teeth and therefore reduce the risk of plaque and decay, the foods we eat can often leave stains on the outer layers of our teeth.

A good dental care routine is vital in maintaining healthy, white teeth and it is important to limit your intake of foods and beverages which might stain your enamel. These can include coffee, tea, fizzy drinks, and acidic fruit and vegetables. Certain medicines and also the use of tobacco (smoking or chewing) can lead to significant tooth discolouration.

Aging can often lead to yellower teeth, but good dental hygiene methods should still be carried out to keep your teeth in as good a shape as possible. To ensure that your teeth, gums and mouth remain healthy, try cutting down on the types of food and drink that are likely to stain your tooth enamel. If you feel like you have tried a variety of tooth whitening methods and have not yet successfully found a product which whitens your teeth effectively, a teeth whitening pen could be the best solution for you.

How Does a Teeth Whitening Pen Work?
Different types of whitening pens are built in different ways, but one of the most popular shapes is the pen form with in-built brush or soft pen tip. The pen lid comes off so that you can squeeze the whitening gel onto your teeth and spread it across your tooth enamel using the brush. The brush is particularly effective for allowing you to apply the product evenly across the layer of your teeth. The whitening gels contain a mild form of peroxide (bleach) which works to lift away any food stains which might be sitting on your teeth.

Are Whitening Pens better than other Kits?
This is totally down to personal opinion, but a good teeth whitening pen can be a great way of getting fast results. A tooth whitening pen kit (as with other kits) often comes with a deadline after which you will start to see results (usually less than 7 days). Pens are known to show results a lot quicker than other tooth whitening kits and you should see a significant whitening of your teeth within just a few days.

Not only are pens fast acting, they are also a lot cleaner than whitening trays. Creating customised moulds and fiddling around with whitening gels to put in the trays can be complicated, messy and time consuming (although still an effective whitening method). Pens take away the “complication” factor and allow you to control where and how much whitening gel you use on your teeth.

Whitening pens are cheaper than other kits, and a lot cheaper than going to your dentist to get your teeth professionally whitened. Although we would recommend seeing your dentist for regular checkups and ensuring that your teeth are suitable to use whitening products on, home whitening pens and other kits can save you time and money.

Teeth Whitening Toothpaste

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Feb 282012

What are you looking for in a teeth whitening toothpaste? Whether you want the perfect smile by getting rid of stains on your tooth’s surface or you just want to whiten the overall shade of your teeth, good oral health and a good quality whitening toothpaste can make a difference.

When it comes to whitening your teeth, speaking to a dental professional should always be your first port of call before you start to use a product which may damage your teeth. Many teeth whitening kits use harsh chemicals to remove stains from your teeth, but these can sometimes result in weakened tooth enamel. To start off your at-home dental tooth whitening routine, all you need to do is think about the type of whitening which would benefit you most; stain removal or overall shade whitening.

Stain Removal
Acidic foods and drinks can often lead to stains on your teeth. Although these stains won’t penetrate the inner layer of the tooth, they can build up over time and start to get darker. A specific product such as the Blanx Intensive Stain Removal Toothpaste, which tackles darker stains on your teeth is a cheap and effective way of lifting away stains.

This toothpaste uses lichen which is a natural tooth whitening ingredient discovered in the Arctic. The arctic lichen used in the Blanx toothpaste is a unique element of the toothpaste’s formula which allows the lifting of stubborn stains and the whitening of teeth overall. Baking soda is another ingredient which is ideal for stain removal. As baking soda is a chemical, it reacts with your tooth’s enamel to gradually lift away stain particles and dissolve plaque (an accumulation of bacteria on your teeth).

Shade Whitening
People usually want to see results fast when it comes to tooth whitening, so if you don’t want to wait around for your teeth to get a few shades lighter, then you will need whitening toothpaste to help you along the way. A toothpaste such as the Theramed Express White (recommended use over 7 days) allows you to monitor your teeth during the use of the product. It is strong, but doesn’t include bleach which other whitening products do, making it a lot safer and less likely to damage your enamel.

Lifestyle
Coffee, red wine, and tobacco are the main culprits of stains on our teeth. Aside from the damage to our teeth, these items can also be bad for our general health too. In fact, even foods which come with dark sauces can contribute towards an accumulation of stains on our teeth. The best solution is to cut these out (or at least cut down). Sports drinks especially can be a major contributor to tooth discoloration, so if you want to avoid stains and keep your teeth white and healthy, drinking water in place of sugary and acidic sports drinks is a better option. Water not only hydrates your body, but is also great for loosening food particles between teeth so that they get washed away.

Alternatives
For those who have found whitening toothpastes ineffective, other alternatives are available. Gels such as the Bella Labs Whitening System can be used in addition to your twice-daily brushing routine. A swab and powder combination such as Alta White on the other hand can be great for polishing your tooth’s surfaces to make them gleam!

Teeth Whitening Gels

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Feb 282012

Over time, teeth can become stained or discoloured due to diet or lack of care, so if you want to make a change and transform your smile back into the sparkling set of pearly whites that they once were, then you need a reliable solution. With so many teeth whitening products on the market today, it can be difficult to decide which is best for you. So why not try teeth whitening gels? They are great for brightening your smile and ideal for a low budget!

How do Teeth Whitening Gels Work?
Teeth whitening gels are very rarely applied directly to the tooth’s surface. In fact, gels usually come in a kit that includes a set of U-shaped trays which fit around the shape of your teeth. Depending on the brand you opt for and the severity of discolouration on your teeth, you may need to use more gel per session or may need to leave it on for longer to see a lasting effect.

Some whitening kits come with custom fit trays such as the Roots Dental Lab kits. This type of kit can offer a one month course of tooth whitening treatment and comes with customised, well fitted trays to sit on your teeth, meaning that the gel has good contact with your teeth and also ensures that the bleach doesn’t leak into your mouth or onto your gums.

Teeth whitening gels are made of hydrogen peroxide, which has an acidic quality that can act as a bleach for your teeth. Strength of this weak bleach can vary from product to product and the stronger the peroxide level, the more effective it will be at whitening your teeth. However, be warned; stronger bleaches with higher peroxide levels which whiten your teeth too quickly could cause longer term damage to your teeth’s enamel. Hydrogen peroxide is a fast and effective home teeth whitening treatment and the bleach reacts with your tooth’s surface to lift away unwanted stains.

When to be Careful with Teeth Whitening Gels
People want to see fast results when they use teeth whitening gels which can often result in them not using the kits properly.

The application of too much whitening gel seems to be another issue which people face when aiming to get the perfect smile. This can mean that the gel is either ineffective, or it can cause sensitivity to your tooth’s surface. It can also mean that the gel runs out before the end of the course. A kit like Bella Labs Teeth Whitening System allows you to apply just the right amount as it comes with an applicator to coat each individual tooth.
Also, spending less money on poor quality products can also lead to other problems such as irritated gums. Some gel and tray kits come with standard sized tooth moulds which are designed for use on the average sized set of teeth. This means that a lot of people end up using poorly fitting trays when whitening their teeth which often leads to the bleach spreading to their gums, thus causing irritation.
Another issue that people face when applying gel is that they use the product too often. Whitening kits can last you for a few days, one week, two weeks, or sometimes even a month. However, due to some people wanting to see the effects quickly, they might apply it for longer or more often than required. Stick to the kit’s instructions and you will be able to get whiter teeth without damaging your enamel.