Have you ever thought of whitening your teeth? There are many options in the market to getting a bright white smile. The first step in keeping a nice white smile is by brushing and flossing daily. If you’re not impress with that result then you can move to an over the counter product like, teeth whitening tooth paste, over the counter whitening strips or gels, and whitening rinses.

If you’re looking for a faster result there is dental office whitening, and office take home kits. These have a faster result since they are prescribe to the dentist.

Teeth whitening isn’t for everyone. The best way to determine if you’re a good candidate is by scheduling in exam and having a dentist evaluate your teeth. Teeth whitening is not recommended for people who have sensitivity on their teeth, the whitening procedure will increase the sensitivity and leave you with some discomfort. Whitening will not work if you have crowns, fillings, or other restorations these materials don’t whiten. Whitening is not recommended on younger patients than 17 and woman who are pregnant. It also is not recommend if you have dark or intrinsic stains (e.x fluoride stains) on teeth, you find the best result on yellowish teeth.
What causes your teeth to change color? There are many factors that causes your teeth to change colors. The most common one is food and drink, the darker the food or drinks the more it stains the enamel. It is very important to brush and floss after every meal to avoid the staining of teeth. Age also plays a role, over time the enamel starts to wear off due to the brushing causing the yellow dentin to show more. Trauma can also affect the color of your teeth, if you had an accident and damage your tooth it tends to go darker. Some medication is known to stain teeth. Young kids or babies who have been exposed to antibiotics like Tetracycline, when they are young may have discoloration when they get older.
There are some risks in whitening your teeth. You may experience sensitivity after or during your whitening treatment. The sensitivity you experience is temporary, it usually wears off in a day or two. If you do the office chairside whitening you may have some irritation on your gums or soft tissues. This irritation is also temporary and will stop in a couple of days. If you do experience these symptoms there’s always alternatives. If you’re chair side you can ask to stop treatment, and ask for some pain medications. If you have bleaching trays it is recommended to lower the sessions.
If you’re interested in having that beautiful white smile, research all the options you have. Consult with your dentist to see what option is best for you.