Teeth Whitening: The Path To a Beautiful Smile

Teeth whitening has been around for many years, though it has only reached a fever pitch of popularity in the last few. Whether this is due to increased Hollywood worship (where everyone has glowing, remarkably straight smiles), a change in the culture, or simply more marketing from the companies providing the solutions is unclear. What is clear is that the shift isn’t going away anytime soon. Even in places like the UK, where white smiles were never the goal of the game, people are becoming increasingly drawn to that flashy grin America has made so ubiquitous. If you’re thinking of doing it yourself, here is the lowdown on the many available methods.

The cheapest path to teeth whitening comes in the form of toothpaste. Several companies, including Crest and Colgate, provide pastes that are designed to turn your smile a few shades whiter. Unfortunately, the results with these products are unlikely to be particularly dramatic. One of the main components of a good product is how concentrated it is and how long it stays in contact with the teeth. A toothpaste is not very concentrated and it spends very little time on the teeth. Put this together and you have a recipe for failure. Some people have even reported some increased sensitivity when using the product.

One of the main volleys in the teeth whitening products war were the strips, most notably marketed by Crest. These strips are quite a bit more effective than toothpaste and they have enjoyed considerable popularity because of this effectiveness. Certainly, they are nothing compared to prescription strength products, but for an over the counter remedy, they aren’t bad. Because the strips are limited in their length, the customer needs to understand that little whitening will be done to any of the teeth in the back areas of the mouth. This may be of little importance to some, but of great concern to others.

Take home bleaching trays and in-office dental teeth whitening combine to make up the best possible results. If you are serious about teeth whitening, you should not hesitate to contact a cosmetic dentist near you and inquire about the possibilities. The results are far more dramatic than those experienced by anyone using over the counter remedies and they can be done under the watchful eye of someone who is concerned, first and foremost, about your dental health. If you want to watch your smile go from smudgy to sparkling, this is your best option.