How to Whiten Teeth
Whether you are looking to remove years of staining caused by smoking, drinking tea or overindulging in sugary foods, or simply want to brighten your smile. There are a number of methods available to you that can help you to whiten your teeth and put a spring back in your step.
Should I go to the dentist?
Whilst visiting your dentist may be your first port of call when it comes to teeth whitening, this doesn’t necessarily mean that it is the best nor the most affordable option available to you.
Sure, a visit to your dentist can offer you the reassurance of guaranteed results. After all they are professionals. But the truth is your dentist uses the very same Carbamide Peroxide gels that are sold in home teeth whitening kits.
It’s true! And what is even more fascinating is the fact that most manufacturers who sell home teeth whitening kits also supply dentists with this gel.
Why the difference in cost?
On average it can cost you anywhere between £100 and £750 to get your teeth whitened at your dentist. Yet, to access this very same gel, you can simply buy a home teeth whitening kit and achieve the same results at a fraction of the cost.
So why is your dentist so expensive?
Well for one of two things:
- You are paying for a professional service, and
- They can ensure that your tooth mould is properly sculpted to your teeth and won’t allow the Carbamide Peroxide gel to escape.
Other than that, there is no difference between the products you are getting.
Both use 120ml/cc of 16% Carbamide Peroxide to enter the pores on your teeth, create active oxygen and convert coloured compounds into colourless compounds so that in a few weeks your teeth can become up to 11 shades lighter.
How else can I whiten my teeth?
Your dentist and teeth whitening kits are not the only tools available to you that can help you to whiten your teeth. You can also benefit from the following:
Home Remedies
These are quite useful if you don’t like the idea of putting Carbamide Peroxide on your teeth. However, it is important to note that these home remedies will not produce the same results of a teeth whitening gel. You’ll mainly find that they help to deal with discolouration:
Strawberries – believe it or not but strawberries contain natural teeth whitening agents. Simply mash up a strawberry, rub it onto your teeth and immediately brush off with toothpaste.
Strawberries, baking soda, lemon juice and peroxide – scrub this unique combination onto your teeth for 5 minutes and finish by brushing your teeth with toothpaste.
Baking soda and normal toothpaste – the baking soda won’t bleach your teeth like a gel, but will help to remove plaque and make them shiny.
Hard wood ash – enriched in potassium hydroxide, the tiny crystals in hard wood ash can help to remove stains and get into those hard to reach places. Just be careful to not use it too often, as it can wear down your tooth enamel.
Teeth whitening strips
These generally contain a weaker concentration of Carbamide Peroxide, Hydrogen Peroxide or Chlorine Dioxide as they are designed to be applied directly to your teeth and worn for hours at a time (in some cases overnight).
Because of their weaker concentration, teeth whitening strips take longer to produce the same results of higher concentrated products and are best for giving your teeth a touch up after you have had them whitened.
Teeth whitening gum
Chewing gum is generally good for removing plaque and limiting the build up of stains as it encourages you to produce more digestive enzymes in your saliva.
Similar to teeth whitening strips, their peroxide formulation is significantly weaker, so we would recommend using them to help you maintain your teeth whitening.
Any of the above methods can help you to achieve a whiter smile, so if you are genuinely interested in whitening your teeth, then why not give them a go and see what a difference they make?
