Are you wondering how to whiten your teeth? Let's face it, sparkling white teeth as seen on celebrities are not always easy to obtain without a complete mouth makeover but if you weren’t blessed by naturally white teeth there are a few measures you can take to improve their appearance. Hmm...you can start by putting down that cup of coffee and stamping out that cigarette! The nicotine in cigarettes and drinks like cola, coffee and tea all stain the teeth and so will your favorite red wine! Sorry! The first step you can take to whiten your teeth is putting a stop to the activities that make them yellow.
Quitting may be easier said than done though, and there may be other reasons why your pearly whites are more like gritty yellows. Nerve degeneration, the use of antibiotics and excessive fluoride (especially when you are young) can all lead to yellowing and discoloration of the teeth. Take heart, though there ARE a few effective ways to brighten your pearlies and they are listed below.
Power Bleaching
Power bleaching won’t change your teeth to sparkly white but it will make your teeth a few shades lighter (if they weren’t damaged by antibiotics). It is probably the best way to whiten your teeth and once the treatment is done you’ll only need a touch-up once every few years. A variety of treatments are available and they vary in cost, quality, safety and technique.
Bleaching will not whiten restored teeth like bonding, laminates or crowns and will cause some sensitivity to cold and hot foods and drinks.
A ‘true’ power bleach or ‘chairside whitening’ is done in one sitting at your dentist’s office and takes about 30 to 120 minutes. This depends on the dentist’s technique and how much you want to whiten your teeth.
You will be fitted with a dental tray - this is a mouthpiece that covers your teeth (not gums). Next a bleaching gel is applied to the tray. The gel is made of highly concentrated carbamide peroxide and it is left on your teeth for between 30 and 60 minutes. Heat and light is used to break the gel down and as it does so oxygen enters the enamel and dentine of your teeth, cleaning the discolored areas. This process does not change the chemical structure of your teeth in any way.
The cost of a power bleaching ranges from around $390 - $1,200 for upper and lower arches. It is a very popular method at the moment so some discounting occurs at good dentist’s offices. If you want to whiten your teeth safely and effectively power bleaching is the answer.
