Who doesn’t want to have a pearly white smile? A complete set of beautiful teeth can boost your confidence and make you feel good about yourself. This, in turn, often makes you friendlier and more approachable, as you are comfortable with yourself.
That said, almost everyone wants to have a set of white teeth. In order to achieve this, some people make use of desensitizing pastes, oral rinses, whitening chewing gum, and even professional dental whitening procedure.
Teeth whitening procedures are one of the common cosmetic treatments that dental patients undergo when visiting a dental clinic. This procedure entails a dental process that aims to have teeth appear whiter than they currently are. This is done with the help of a product that causes an intrinsic change to the tooth enamel, rather than surface stain removal. One of the most advanced procedures for teeth whitening is the laser procedure.
If you’re considering giving it a try, here’s what you need to know about when you should undergo a teeth whitening procedure, other teeth-whitening alternatives to try, and how laser teeth whitening procedure can be a viable option.
The Need for Teeth Whitening
According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, abnormal tooth color is considered any color other than white or yellowish white. Although yellowish teeth are often seen as unattractive, the truth is that most of the time, these teeth are perfectly healthy. However, many people try to obtain pearly whites for aesthetic purposes.
There are several reasons why your teeth may not be as white. Generally, they can be divided into two categories: extrinsic and intrinsic stains.
Extrinsic stains affect the surface of the enamel, mainly because of lifestyle choices such as smoking, drinking coffees and teas, and chewing tobacco. These contain tar and nicotine that can cause yellowish stains on the surface of teeth. Intrinsic stains, on the other hand, occur within the inner structure of the tooth, called the dentin. While fluoride can be beneficial for your teeth, getting too much of the mineral is not good for your teeth color.
Laser Teeth-Whitening Procedure
Tooth whitening or bleaching is said to be the most cost-effective and least invasive procedure that you can undergo to improve your smile. Laser teeth whitening is incredibly effective. However, it is also often the most expensive method for whitening.
Laser teeth whitening is administered in a dental office exclusively. During the procedure, the dental bleach is applied to each tooth with heat generated by a laser to speed up the process. The bleaching gel used is a hydrogen peroxide gel with a concentration that ranges from 25 to 40 percent.
The laser procedure involves cheek retractors, desensitizing pastes, and formulated soft or rubber dams to cover gums as well as any professional applications of fluoride or similar desensitizing products.
Other Whitening Alternatives
As far as teeth-whitening is concerned, there are other whitening alternatives that you can resort to. OTC whitening products are available in your local drug store or supermarket. These may include the following:
- Toothpaste and oral rinse
- Gel used in trays
- Whitening strips
- Whitening chewing gum
- Whitening paint-on gel
// Which one is the best option for you?
The choice of the teeth-whitening method that you’d like to use to achieve those pearly white teeth is completely up to you. As mentioned, there are whitening alternatives that you can use; however, they are not as effective as getting a teeth-whitening procedure at a dental clinic.
Laser teeth-whitening treatment may be the best option for you if you wish to have a better and immediate whitening result. However, the procedure can be quite expensive. Besides, a dental exam is required prior to the actual procedure; thus not everyone is a candidate. But if you’re lucky enough and have the financial means, why not undergo a laser teeth-whitening procedure? For all you know, a pearly white smile may translate into a happier life!
Vitarelli Dental is a dental office based in Madison NJ, get in touch today to see how we can help you maintain a great set of teeth.