Contents
Introduction
History of Teeth Whitening Teeth whitening has become the most popular smile enhancing procedure in the last 10 years. Americans, for example, spend $1.4 billion annually on teeth whitening products. But, teeth whitening has been around for centuries, even millennia. Around the year 4000 B.C., ancient Egyptians valued a white smile as a sign of...
What are teeth made of?
The human tooth is made up of three main parts: the pulp, the dentin, and the enamel. The Enamel The hard, white outer part of the tooth is the enamel. It’s made of 96% of a mineral called calcium phosphate (also known as hydroxylapatite or hydroxyapatite), and it’s the hardest substance in the human body;...
Teeth Stains
How do teeth get stained? Over time, salivary proteins build up on tooth enamel forming a thin film or “pellicle” on the surface of the tooth. Food particles, bacteria, and teeth staining agents tend to cling to this film. The pellicle provides protection for the tooth from acids that would attack the enamel. Chewing wears...
How to whiten teeth
How does Teeth Whitening Work? Even if we use the term teeth whitening indifferently from teeth bleaching, it is important to know that there is a difference between the two. Teeth whitening actually lightens stains to help restore teeth to their natural color, which can be light yellowish to grey. Teeth bleaching whitens teeth beyond...
Natural Teeth Whitening
Many people prefer to use whitening products or methods with natural ingredients. Whether they just want to go natural, or they want to avoid the possibility of secondary effects of peroxide-based teeth whiteners. Natural ingredients are usually less expensive than do-it-yourself whitening kits and dental office treatments. Common non-peroxide based teeth whitening agents include: 1....
Factors Influencing Results
Several factors can affect whitening results either immediately or overtime. One is that the tooth whitening effect is lost as stain molecules that are initially broken up by the whitening process come back together over time. Researchers also believe that dehydration of the tooth enamel during the whitening process provides a temporary whitening effect and...
Teeth Whitening Tips
Here are a few tips to get the most out of your at-home or dental-office whitening efforts: 1. Have realistic expectations about the product you are using. It’s important to understand what affects tooth color and what kinds of treatments work for which kinds of stains. Each product has a different capacity to whiten. 2....
Possible Secondary Effects
While most people don’t experience any secondary effects from their tooth whitening treatment, some people do. These secondary effects may include: 1. Bleach spots. These can happen if there were calcium deposits on the teeth prior to whitening. These calcium deposits will grow brighter during or initially following bleaching, but will normalize following treatment. 2....
Ingredient List
Whitening products can contain various ingredients, each with its own specific function and ability to whiten on different levels. Ingredients often included in common teeth whiteners can include: Alcohol Alcohol dehydrates the gel or brush-on formula so that it stays on your teeth to do the job. However, alcohol can also dry out the mouth...