Teeth discoloration is a natural process that happens to each and every one of us. Color molecules from food products, stains left by beverages such as tea, coffee, soda pops, wine and tar from cigarette smoke all contribute to the discoloration process thereby reducing the shine and luster of the teeth. In fact, the deciduous tooth of a child is at least ten times brighter and shinier than the adult tooth that precedes it.

The only cure to this age related problem is to perform dental bleaching which is more commonly known as natural teeth whitening. It is termed as natural because of the use of naturally occurring chemicals to treat darkened teeth and gum. One can either choose to go in for professional teeth whitening or else try out a DIY at home teeth whitening procedure using readily available teeth whitening products.

Professional Teeth Whitening vs Teeth Whitening At Home

Regardless of whether one opts for a professional cleaning or at home teeth whitening, one should first visit the dentist to have a thorough scan of your dental health. The dentist shall perform an oral survey and take X-rays of the mouth cavity to prep you for a teeth whitening process. Once, you are certified ready for undergoing the procedure you can either choose to do it yourself at home or let the dentist perform the procedure at the clinic.

Professional teeth whitening requires a visit to the doctor and probably more than one sitting at the dentist office while manually performing teeth whitening at home curtails the duration and also reduces the number of visits to the dentist. However, the increase in luster is more with a dental cleaning due to the difference in the chemical constituents and the concentration used by the dentist and that found in over the counter teeth whitening systems. However, doing teeth whitening at home has the distinct advantage of being much more cheaper than professional teeth whitening.

Various Teeth Whitening Products And Their Reviews… Found  Right Here!

There are many commercially available teeth whitening systems and products in pharmacies and super markets that one can purchase however before trying out any of these teeth whitening products do read through our in-depth reviews posted on the product so as to ascertain the efficiency of the system.

Here is a small list of the most popular teeth whitening systems available easily in the super markets or on the internet:

• Teeth Whitening Gums – These are easy to chew gums that come in tiny packets and can be popped into the mouth whenever you like. They contain very minute concentration of bleaching agents such as carbamide peroxide and calcium carbonate.
• Teeth Whitening Trays – Some commonly available brands are Opalescent Extra Boost, Laser Smile, LumaArch, BriteSmile, PolaOffice etc. These products come with a concentrated bleaching agent in the form of a gel that is to be applied to a dental tray which shall fit onto your denture line perfectly. The procedure lasts for half an hour at most and provides the quickest results.
• Teeth Whitening Strips – Considered as the best teeth whitening products available commercially for effective treatment of discolored teeth.  These are low concentration strips that contain less amount of bleaching agents than the whitening trays and are supposed to be used for over a few hours to a few days at a time.

We have put all these products and more through the most stringent of scrutiny just so that you, the consumer doesn’t have to ‘test’ them on your teeth to find out what works and what does not! The many teeth whitening reviews found on our site not only gives you expert reviews but also those from actual users who have tried them. Most of the reviewers would have compared their results with a standard whitening shade guide, so as to provide realistic measurable ratings.

Natural Teeth Whitening Methods And Their Dangers

Unknown to many, people follow age-old methods of natural teeth whitening and damage their teeth enamel. The problem with most of these methods is that they either depend on acidic or basic substances to remove deposits as well as abrasive substances to scrub. While such treatment once in a while is accepted as moderately safe, doing it regularly is sure to reduce calcium content of the teeth and damage the enamel layer permanently.

Some of the commonly used natural teeth whitening methods are mentioned below. However, use it at your own peril.

• Lemon Juice
• Strawberries
• Apple extract
• Baking soda
• Wood Ash
• Sea Salt
• Olive Oil

A whitening solution is first created from each of the above ingredients and then it is applied to the teeth with a toothbrush. Latest dental research shows that the use of these items for whitening teeth is dangerous and should not be tried.
Read more about teeth whitening product safety.

Best Teeth Whitening Products

The best whitening products use either carbamite peroxide that breaks down into hydrogen peroxide inside the mouth or a direct application of hydrogen peroxide. While the hydrogen peroxide teeth whitening solution contains around 15% in low concentration DIY kits, it is often used in concentrations of 33% or more in solutions for dentists. The treatment time varies according to the concentration.

Another professional teeth whitening system used commonly nowadays is the light accelerated bleaching. It uses the same chemical products that are used by dentists in conventional teeth whitening products along with the use of a light source to stimulate the chemical content increasing your efficiency. This method was initially called laser teeth whitening and can only be redeemed at the dentist clinic. Previously, the light source used was a laser light and hence the name laser teeth whitening. However, today Halogen, LED and plasma arc light sources are used. Recent studies suggest that Halogen light is the best at activating hydrogen peroxide molecules.

Is There Any Side Effects Associated With Dental Bleaching?

The risks associated with dental bleaching are over-exaggerated and recent chemical trails have shown that it is not harmful to the dental cavity. In fact, the most that one faces after using teeth whitening products is some amount of sensitivity in the gums and slight discoloration. This usually lasts for no longer than three days.

People with sensitive teeth face greater pain and discomfort and may require professional teeth whitening services as natural teeth whitening products cause irritation and pain. There are chances of increased tongue cancer but these claims have remained largely unproven.