Do You Want a Brighter and Whiter Teeth?
Gray or yellowish teeth are causing you not to smile? As you age,
consuming certain foods and drinks can stain your teeth. Avoiding some
things and applying special agents to your teeth may begin to restore
the teeth’s whitish luster (and smile). The following information offers you some
suggestions that may help restore your sparkling smile.
Do-It-Yourself Teeth Whitening
Superficial tooth stains can often be removed or reduced by using
over-the-counter items such as toothpaste with whiteners, whitener
strips, and other kits. In general, the major components of stain
removers are mild bleach and abrasives in toothpaste.
Tooth-Whitening Kits
Most home tooth whitening kits contain carbamide peroxide or
hydrogen peroxide. These chemicals may help remove superficial and some
deeper discolorations. Depending on the kit, the compounds are either
brushed on with a toothbrush or the compounds are in gel form that is
put into upper and lower teeth molds, placed over the teeth, and kept in
the mouth for about 45 minutes although times may vary.
Home Whitening Strips
Whitening strips usually contain about a 5% hydrogen peroxide
impregnated strip of polyethylene that people can apply to teeth at
home. They are usually worn for a few minutes a day for about a week.
Whitening Toothpastes
Most regular toothpastes, gels, and liquids may remove some stains,
but most do not contain the bleaches mentioned above, so they may have
little or no effect in making your teeth whiter.
Home Remedies for Whiter Teeth
Baking soda, sometimes mixed with lemon juice, has been claimed by
many to help whiten teeth. Saliva flow and the scrubbing action of foods
like apples, pears, and carrots also help to keep teeth white.
Strawberries are considered to contain both astringents that remove
stains and vitamin C that may remove plaque. Sugarless gum helps
stimulate saliva to wash teeth and neutralize acids in foods. All off
these are considered “home remedies” to get whiter teeth.
Dental Work and Tooth Whitening
Be careful with tooth whiteners if you have had some types of
dental work such as crowns, bonding, veneers, fillings, tooth implants,
or bridges. Whiteners work on natural teeth but not on other
manufactured or altered teeth. Consequently, using whiteners could
result in some teeth becoming whiter but not matching well with dental
work done on other teeth.
Preventing Teeth Stains
Tooth enamel, the outer whitish layer covering teeth, wears away as
we age; underneath the enamel is dentin that is more yellowish. So as
you age, eating foods and drinking fluids that attack and discolor or
stain enamel (see following slides) may cause dentin to be exposed. By
eating and drinking non-staining foods and fluids and by using whiteners
carefully, whitening treatment may last about a year. However, people
can overdo whitening. Using whiteners too much, too often, or that are
too concentrated can cause teeth to look translucent with a resulting
bluish or blue-gray coloration.
To Keep Teeth White, Don't Smoke
One of the most common and worst compounds that stains and
discolors teeth is tobacco. Brownish streaks and stains along with
yellowing can occur rapidly with smoking (and chewing) tobacco. Tobacco
products also increase the risk for many types of cancer and contribute
to bad breath and gum disease.
Beverages That Cause Teeth Stains
Common beverages that cause tooth stains and discolorations are
coffee, tea, dark-colored sodas, and many fruit juices, especially the
darker-colored ones. A rule of thumb: If a beverage (or food) can stain a
white T-shirt, it can likely cause tooth stains, too.
Other Drinks That Cause Teeth Stains
Some drinks that may be relatively good for you may not be so good
for your teeth in terms of staining them. Red wine (yes, only one glass,
please), cranberry juice, and grape juice are very good at staining
teeth. So should you not drink these beverages? The answer is no, but
you should remember to rinse out your mouth and brush your teeth well
after drinking these fluids. Remember the previous slide about staining a
T-shirt? If you spill staining beverages over your white T-shirt, the
best way to prevent it from staining is to wash it with water and to
scrub it with mild cleaners. The same is true for your teeth; rinse and
brush before the stain is set.
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