Many brides and grooms spare no expense on their wedding day, lavishly opening their bank accounts- or their parents’, to have the most exuberant facets for them on the day they will wed their loved one. Imagine waking up on the morning of your wedding day – eyes glittering, heart pounding through every inch of your chest, love pumping in and out of your heart and slipping into every inch of your being, getting your hair curled to the perfect ratio of length and width- everything is perfect.
Then, as you walk down the aisle and open your mouth to smile, you notice that your guests aren’t staring at your insanely expensive dress, or done-up hair, but your teeth. You are pleasantly disgusted by the buttery chartreuse glaze ever-so-gently resting upon the surface of your teeth. Of course, some people are comfortable with their yellow or off-white teeth, and just so, others are not. This is why you should consider having your teeth match your stunning white dress on your big day:
How Does Teeth Whitening work?
Your teeth are made up of an outer layer, called enamel, an inner layer, called dentin, and a bundle of nerves underneath that called the pulp. Across the span of your life, many things have accumulated and made stay on the surface of your teeth to form a pellicle film: acidic foods, coffee, cigarette smoke, darkly colored sodas, the list goes on and on. As time goes on, these foreign materials enter the second layer of your teeth, the dentin, and causes it to become discolored.
However, the whitening agent found in a teeth whitening product basically enters the second layer of your teeth to sets off an oxidation reaction that breaks apart the staining compounds and leaves your pearly whites looking pearlier. There are two main types of teeth whitening: in-office professional teeth whitening and over the counter teeth whitening methods that you can apply at home.
Having your Dentist Take Care of your Teeth Whitening
Professional teeth whitening is done in a dental office under the care of a qualified oral care practitioner. This method is the fastest way to brighten your teeth up to ten shades lighter in as little as an hour! The agents used in teeth whitening are considerably stronger than that of in-home teeth whitening strip, but with this method, your gums and the rest of your mouth are much more protected. The best systems for whitening teeth include a buffer in the gel that protects the tooth enamel from damage.
The in-office method will only whiten the front eight teeth and is a wonderful way to jump start a take-home system. The oral care practitioner you go to is the most qualified to handle any issues that may arise from your treatment, like tooth sensitivity. Although most tooth sensitivity problems can be dealt with quickly and easily. The effects of your treatment should last one or more years, it all depends on how well you take care and manage your teeth. If you follow up with an in-home teeth whitening system, and apply regularly, the effects could last even longer!
Teeth Whitening at Home
In-home systems have become popular in recent times because they are inexpensive, easy to apply, quickly to do. There is a good selection of over-the-counter teeth whitening products that can be purchased without the consent or prescription of your oral care practitioner. They include whitening strips, whitening toothpaste, and even whitening gum. Having a mouth tray that fits properly is an important factor for comfort and health. Most over-the-counter products that have mouth trays don’t conform to the user’s mouth as well as an in-office system would. These products/systems are generally safe and effective, but if you have any concerns, make sure to check in with your local, trusted, oral care practitioner!