White teeth – who does not dream about them? Teeth brightening is not difficult these days. There are effective methods for white teeth: whitening pastes, strips, varnishes and gels. The mere removal of the scale gives a visible improvement. Read about ways to whiten your teeth.
The natural colour of teeth ranges from white, through ivory, to shades of grey-blue and yellow-brown. It is not uncommon for individual teeth (on the same person) to have a different colour.
What influences the colour of the teeth?
First of all, the genes that determine the mineralization of tissues, their chemical composition, dentine colour, enamel thickness and shade. Time also plays a significant role – the enamel wears away with age, and the thinner its layer, the more the darker dentine tissue shows through.
But our diet (dyes in tea, coffee, red wine, blueberries, cherries ), habits (smoking), medications ( iron, some antibiotics ) or simply careless tooth brushing also have a significant impact. Dark, discoloured teeth do not add beauty. So let’s take advantage of the wide range of Teeth brightening agents and treatments. Which one to choose? It depends primarily on our expectations and the wealth of our wallet.
Teeth Brightening: Start By Removing The Tartar
Often it is enough to clean the enamel of plaque and calculus to make the teeth immediately brighter. So let’s start with a visit to the dentist. Tartar can be removed in several ways:
- mechanically (so-called scaling),
- ultrasounds,
- during the so-called sandblasting.
After cleaning the teeth, it is worth checking the filling. The composite ones put on years ago, also become discoloured, and the amalgam fillings can change the colour of the enamel. Therefore, it is better to replace them with new ones, made of materials with a permanent colour.
Teeth Whitening: Whitening Pastes
The use of Teeth brightening toothpastes is the easiest but effective way to remove slight discolouration – it gives the effect of lightening by 1-2 tones. Teeth brightening toothpastes contain special enzymes and active microgranules to dissolve the film that binds plaque to enamel, as well as abrasives (e.g. hydrated silica, calcium carbonate) to mechanically remove plaque.
When buying such a paste, pay attention to the abrasion index (RDA) on the packaging. It should not exceed 200, because the enamel can be damaged. For the same reasons, it should not be used for more than 2 months. The whitening toothpastes are supplemented with special brushes and mouthwashes. Between the cleaning fibres, the brushes have rubber brushes to polish the surface of the teeth, and the liquids inhibit the build-up of plaque.
Teeth Whitening: Tray At The Dentist
Whitening with overlays can also be performed with the help of a dentist. The overlays are made in a prosthetic office according to the previously made dentition impression, so they are perfectly matched. The doctor also selects a gel with an appropriate concentration, but Teeth brightening is carried out at home. The overlays should be worn twice a day for about 2 hours or put on overnight for 4 hours.
Such whitening takes up to 4 weeks.
Teeth Whitening: Whitening Strips, Varnishes And Gels
Hydrogen peroxide is the most common active substance in-home chemical whitening preparations. They can lighten the teeth by 2–4 tones. The effect is achieved in 2-3 weeks.
The most popular are elastic strips soaked in whitening gel, which are glued to the upper and lower teeth twice a day for 20 minutes (but not on the entire dental arch, but from fours to fours).
Other preparations: varnish, gel, wax are intended for teeth painting. Unfortunately, they do not reach the interdental spaces.
In this respect, the overlay method works better. Plastic aligners should be warmed up in hot water, then bitten down and adjusted to your teeth. They are filled twice a day with whitening gel and placed on the lower and upper jaw for half an hour. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to fit the aligners exactly, which may result in uneven whitening of the teeth or irritation of the gums with the gel.
When it comes to getting the perfect grin, we’re always happy to help.