Best Way to Whiten Teeth

You can whiten your teeth easily with a strawberry and baking soda. We haven't tried this ourselves, but it sounds like an amazing way to stay natural and keep your teeth white. This is recommended no more than once per week as it produces a strong acid whicih can damage your tooth enamel if used excessively. Let us know if you've tried this and how it's worked.

What comes to your mind when you try to think of the number one requested cosmetic service these days?  If you are at all like me then teeth whitening did not enter your mind for the number one slot and maybe not even for the top five or ten either.  Lately there was a survey taken which showed that eighty percent of Americans between the ages of eighteen and forty nine do indeed want whiter teeth.  Six out of ten individuals believed that a brighter and whiter smile would enable them to experience an increase in their self-esteem, especially those who were in the younger part of that age group.

80% of People Want To Know The Best Way To Whiten Teeth

I would be very surprised if only a mere 80% of people and only those in that 18-49 year old age bracket are concerned to some degree or another about the appearance and whiteness of their teeth.  Considering the statistics that just Americans alone spent well over one billion dollars on other the counter products designed to help whiten their teeth in just one year, I would say the percentage is probably much higher and the age range much larger that do care about how their teeth look.

One of the very first things that people tend to notice about someone when they first meet them is their smile and their teeth.  It may be shallow but it is true nonetheless.  When you meet someone with missing teeth (especially the front ones) and ones that are grey or yellow and perhaps even have some that look more like fangs, honestly admit at least to yourself the thoughts that run through your mind.  Not pretty are they (I am referring to your thoughts!)

Whitening your teeth can project a more positive image of yourself especially when meeting someone for the first time at a job interview or a first date.  Unfortunately teeth can and do become discolored over time and with age.  Certain foods we eat, things we drink and smoking are just some of the things that can discolor what should be our “pearly whites.”

There are also hereditary factors that can play into this as well as certain diseases and medications.  Those with poor dental hygiene routines are more than likely not going to have nice white teeth.   Aging is also a factor which contributes both to teeth literally moving forward (my dentist told me that one!) and also to the yellowing affect.  The outer hard coating of your teeth which is the enamel begins to wear thin over time, which in turns lets the underlying yellowish layer show through.  The most common non-white colors teeth can take on are yellow, yellow-brown to dark brown stains that can be from a number of things such as a build up of dental plaque, cigarette smoking, beverage stains (coffee, sodas, tea etc), food stains and again, poor dental hygiene.  Personally I would put cigarette smoking at the very top of this list of how teeth turn ugly looking.  Smoking can create a build up on teeth which can cause either a yellow or even an orange/yellow hue-how beautiful!  These stains can take longer to lighten when trying to use teeth whitening products.  If you have no plans of quitting smoking, why waste your time and money trying for white teeth which are doomed to go back to yellow or orange/yellow?

Best Way To Whiten Teeth When You Have Cigarette Stains

Cigarette stained teeth can take up to three months if not more to see some improvement with teeth whitening products, provided you have decided to finally quit smoking for good.  Keep smoking and the tobacco will actually speed up how quickly your teeth will begin to lose their newly found whiteness.  Ok I will stop the anti-smoking lecture (for now) and give a good rule of thumb to consider overall as far as what can stain our teeth.  Keep in mind that practically anything that has the power to stain your carpet or your clothes can also very easily stain your teeth.  Just a few items that come to mind are blueberries, red wine and tomato sauce.

If you are considering any sort of teeth whitening products, whether you find them at your local store or online, the best advice is to first schedule a thorough appointment with your dentist.  He or she should be very well educated and be able to give the best guidance concerning your teeth whitening process and what would be both helpful as well as safe to use.  Your dentist may try to have you get your teeth whitening treatments done there which is fine, but be sure to weigh all of your options before having it done as they have been known to be quite costly and usually require a number of treatments.  There are some good over the counter products in stores and online that your dentist just may give you the ok on (mine did!)

Something to keep in mind is that if you have dental work (bonding, tooth-colored fillings in your front teeth, veneers and so on) teeth whitening may not work for you.  By this I mean the whitening products will not work on top of dental work that has already been done which can leave you with multi-colored teeth where some will be white and some won’t.  In some cases this could go unnoticed whereas in others it could be quite noticeable.

Some people have a certain amount of sensitivity and pain to teeth whitening products; however they are mostly short-lived.  There could be a few side effects if you have cavities or bleeding gums but overall they should not be a big concern.  Once more if teeth whitening is something you are considering, before you make any decisions or buy any products, be sure to set up an appointment with your dentist and get all of your questions and concerns addressed.  Many people have had very good success with teeth whitening products and found the best way to whiten teeth!