subject: Home Teeth Whitening - A Guide To Safely Whiten Teeth At Home [print this page] Home Teeth Whitening - A Guide To Safely Whiten Teeth At Home
Home teeth whitening products have become a hugely popular in recent years. In fact the teeth whitening business is now worth over a billion dollars a year. There are now several products that are fast and effective (and pain-free) but side effects could happen if the products are not used as indicated. To be on the safe side, follow these simple precautions:
Not all teeth whitening products have the same bleaching agent concentration so the safest route is to choose a small bottle in the mid strength range and test it. From there you can determine the strength of concentration and go higher or lower. Remember that if your gums or your tooth are being irritated or hypersensitive you can choose the lower grades but then the desired results will take longer to manifest. Conversely, higher concentration gives faster results if comfort is not an issue.
Follow instructions and indications. Do not leave teeth whitening products, whether gels or rinses, longer in the mouth than prescribed. Extending the time will not improve the affectivity of the products. After each treatment do not drink carbonated beverages for at least two hours to get better results and protect the teeth.
Children younger than sixteen years old, pregnant women and lactating mothers are not recommended to have teeth whitening. Teeth whitening products normally have counter indications printed at the label. Veneers, crowns and fillings and some repairs to the tooth will not be bleached. It will always retain its color. If these are present on teeth that show when a person smiles, chances are whitening the teeth will result in uneven teeth color. Professional supervision is needed in such cases.
Finally, see your dentist first if you have suffered teeth trauma in the past and have gums that are easily irritated. Even if you do not have these issues, you may still need a mouth exam and an assessment of your gums. Remember that teeth darken with age and there are 16 teeth shades and the color differs from one person to another.
