“Hollywood smile”: how to whiten teeth

Every girl wants to have a “Hollywood” smile and this is not surprising, because snow-white teeth look very aesthetically pleasing. That's why different ways of doing it have become so popular today. whitening, from home techniques to professional dentistry. 

Why do teeth turn yellow?

First, let's look at the reasons why our teeth lose their original appearance and begin to turn yellow:

• This primarily applies to those who like to drink strong tea or coffee, since these drinks stain tooth enamel brown.
• Eating foods with “coloring” pigments – raw carrots, beets, pomegranate and grape juices. Under no circumstances should you refuse them; it is simply recommended to rinse your mouth with clean water afterward.
• Those with a sweet tooth should pay double attention to their teeth, because from a large number of treats, their protective layer becomes thinner, they begin to turn yellow, which subsequently leads to caries.
• Tobacco smoke from cigarettes or hookahs literally “eats” into your teeth, giving them a yellow or even black tint. These changes are no longer amenable to regular toothpaste.
• Irregular brushing of teeth, using a poor quality toothbrush, ignoring dental floss and toothpicks - all this has a detrimental effect on their natural color and general condition.
• Some medications cause yellowness, such as tetracycline.

Whiten teeth at home

There are many folk recipes that will help restore the whiteness of your teeth without resorting to expensive means and procedures.

Tea tree oil whitening

For this method we need 100% natural oil, you can buy it at the pharmacy. It helps get rid of yellow plaque well. After you brush your teeth with regular toothpaste, add 2 drops of oil to your brush and repeat brushing. Then rinse your mouth very carefully, as it may cause slight numbness in the tongue and gums.

Whitening with soda

Everything here is easy and simple - just brush your teeth with soda once a week, mixing it with toothpaste.

Or another option is to apply soda paste diluted with water onto a cotton pad or piece of gauze. Clean your teeth thoroughly and rinse your mouth.

Whitening with hydrogen peroxide

The first step is to prepare the rinse liquid: dilute 20 drops of peroxide (3%) in 0.5 cups of warm water. After regular brushing of your teeth, rinse your mouth with it. Then you need to dip a cotton swab in peroxide (not diluted) and treat each tooth separately. Perform all actions very carefully to avoid burns. After this, you need to rinse your mouth with water and brush your teeth again.

A course of such whitening can be carried out no more than 3 times, because as a result of contact with hydrogen peroxide, the sensitivity of teeth and gums increases.

Whitening with lemon

Lemon juice helps to effectively clean tooth enamel from staining substances. You can simply brush your teeth and then rub them with a slice of lemon or make a whitening composition:

• Prepare a mixture of juice and 1-2 teaspoons of soda. Wipe the saliva off your teeth with a tissue and apply it with a brush. Wait 1 minute (no more) and rinse with water.

Teeth Whitening Strips

You can independently remove unsightly plaque from tooth enamel using special whitening strips.

The yellowness disappears under the action of a gel with hydrogen peroxide, which is applied to them. These strips are very convenient to use due to the fact that they are very thin and elastic. It is recommended to apply them to the teeth 1-2 times a day for 30 minutes. After the procedure, simply rinse your mouth with water.

The effect lasts for several months or more, depending on the manufacturer of this product. More expensive ones allow you to get better results. As a rule, they are sold in pharmacies or online stores.

Teeth whitening trays

Mouth guards are called special coverings for teeth. A special whitening gel or paste containing hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide is poured into them. It is better to select the ratio of each component individually according to the dentist’s recommendations, since all people have different tooth sensitivity.

The advantages of this method are its relatively inexpensive cost and the ability to use them at home. Sometimes they can be used at night while you sleep, for this purpose the most gentle composition is selected.

Disadvantages: the need to wear a mouthguard for a long time - some must remain on the teeth for up to 5 hours. And after removing it, you need to abstain from food and coloring drinks for at least 2 hours.

Today you can find three types of mouth guards:

• Standard - put into mass production, their sizes are universal and they are the cheapest in price.
• Thermoplastic - becomes soft under running warm water and takes the shape of your teeth.
• Individual - made to order in a dental clinic, taking into account all the structural features of the patient’s jaw.

Teeth whitening system

Currently, various systems that will help your teeth achieve the desired whiteness are becoming very popular.

The most common and budget-friendly whitening system is “White Light”, which includes:

• gel;
• mouthguard;
• a special device with a lamp.

The principle of operation is as follows: the lamp supplies a light beam of a certain wave, due to which the action of the gel is activated.

This procedure should be carried out for 10 minutes a day. The manufacturer claims that it has no side effects or contraindications, and the effect will be noticeable within 5 days.

Teeth whitening at the dentist

This method is the most expensive, but the most effective and safe, as it is carried out strictly under the supervision of a specialist.

Usually this procedure is painless, but all people have different tooth sensitivity, so some discomfort may still occur.

Professional whitening has a number of contraindications:

• diseases of the oral cavity, bleeding gums, caries, tartar;
• individual intolerance to drugs;
• pregnancy and lactation.

It all happens as follows: the doctor applies a special composition to your teeth, and then acts on them with a photopolymer lamp or laser. Usually 1-3 sessions are enough.

Afterwards you need to observe the “colorless” diet at least 2 weeks.

The result can last from 6 months to 3 years, depending on the individual characteristics of your tooth enamel.

Teeth whitening is harmful

As is known, there are no special medical indications for this procedure. Whitening performs a purely aesthetic function. And if traditional methods are quite harmless, then professional ones have some not very pleasant consequences:

• Demineralization of tooth enamel is possible, that is, the beneficial minerals it contains are destroyed in the process. In this case, they will have to be additionally restored.
• Over time, teeth lose their shine and become dull.
• Their sensitivity can increase significantly. Even regular cleaning will cause discomfort, not to mention hot and cold food.

Teeth whitening - reviews

To whiten teeth or not, and which method to choose for this, is a personal matter for everyone. There is no clear opinion about this procedure. Some are very satisfied with the results of home methods, some buy whitening systems at their own risk, others trust only professionals. But most importantly, you should consult your dentist before using any of them. After all, in pursuit of beauty, you should not forget about your health.