Teeth Whitening Products
There are many different teeth whitening products commercially available that can be bought from reputable High Street stores or over the internet. Some products are sold as being exclusively for the purpose of teeth whitening whilst others could fall under the general heading of ‘oral hygiene’. ie. Tooth pastes and brushes, flossing materials and mouth washes.
The vast majority of products dedicated as teeth whiteners contain a peroxide compound. There also teeth whiteners that contain acids and abrasives. However, unless they are being used by a properly qualified person; acid and abrasive products should be avoided as they can destroy the enamel on your teeth rather than cleaning and whitening it.
The strongest and most effective teeth whitening products are the peroxide compounds. They are purchased in the form of a gel which is applied to the teeth and left to work for a period of time before rinsing it off. Not even these strongest teeth whiteners work immediately. Several applications over several days will be required to attain perfectly clean and white teeth.
Even if you are undergoing a program of teeth whitening treatment, or have just finished one, there are products you can buy to help maintain your teeth in their bright and white state. Two such products are an electric toothbrush and your regular toothpaste. An electric toothbrush will give the individual teeth in your mouth a more consistent and thorough cleaning. The best electric toothbrushes to buy are ones that are labeled ‘rotation and oscillation’ ones. Of course not everyone feels comfortable using an electric toothbrush, if you are one such person then at least renew your toothbrush regularly and preferably use one with ‘cross-over’ bristles. If you don’t do so already, you should switch to buying a tooth paste that is specially formulated to help whiten your teeth. Also, if you’re a smoker then you should be using a tooth paste for smoker’s which is formulated to combating the staining effects of the habit. However, you need to quit smoking now if you really want to have white teeth.
Using good quality flossing materials will also help you in the process of whitening your teeth. Effective flossing removes particles of food trapped between the teeth that any brushing didn’t dislodge. In doing so it removes any particles that, due to their remaining presence, could cause discoloration over a period of time or the build up of unsightly plaque. If you have sensitive teeth or gums that are currently preventing you from using teeth whitening gels, then you can try using a water-jet flossing kit. These kits use pressurized water to thoroughly ‘floss’ your teeth and gums, over a period of time your gums would become healthier; possibly allowing you to then use a teeth whitening gel.
Whilst generally speaking mouthwashes are formulated just to freshen your mouth or clean your gums, there are some that are also formulated to help keep teeth clean and white. A consideration here is whether or not using a mouthwash will remove, or at least reduce, the effect of other teeth whitening products you’ve just used?