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Teeth Whitening
Cosmetic Dentistry has become very popular among the American People.Teeth Whitening procedures performed at dental offices are at an all time high in America.Because of the demand for Teeth Whitening, there have been many consumer -do it yourself- whitening products emerging on the market for consumer use at home. This paper will address the benefits and potential dangers of using consumer whitening products at home.This paper will discuss the pros and cons of doing your dental whitening at your dental office.This paper will also go into some detail about the kinds of products that have been tested and what kind of product is best for each certain tooth whitening situations.

The American Smile- it is quite a famous aspect of our culture.Many other countries do not enjoy the quality of dental care that Americans have.In fact, many people in different countries can recognize whether or not a person is an American just by their smile in a picture.Many people in different countries don't smile because they don't want to show their teeth.They are embarrassed when compared to an average American smile that they have seen in photographs and on TV.This is because many smiles in America are white and healthy.Americans care about their teeth.The average American sees the dentist yearly or semi-yearly for a check-up. The average American has good oral hygiene.This means brushing at least two times/day, flossing, and using mouth rinse products.Another reason Americans care about their teeth so much is because the American media portrays beautiful people with white teeth and healthy smiles.Americans want to look their best.They want to look beautiful or handsome.This can improve relationships and help make connections.Because of this many Americans have tried teeth whitening.

There are some Americans that go too far. It has been estimated that among the total number of patients who get teeth whitening and have other cosmetic procedures have some sort of lack of self confidence or -preoccupation with one's physical appearance. -A recent test, done by De Jongh A. natural acne treatment tips , et al, on cosmetic dentistry patients, stated that the results suggest -preoccupation with one's physical appearance is a motivating factor for undergoing certain types of cosmetic dental procedures- (4). This test showed that many American suffer from Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) which is a constant dissatisfaction with one's own body (4). This is another reason why cosmetic dental procedures and tooth whitening has become so popular. Now that we know that teeth whitening procedures are popular, we can examine the many ways that one can whiten one's teeth.

Teeth Whitening is a very broad label for all the ways we can get our teeth whiter.One way to whiten our teeth is to simply remove debris and mess from our teeth.This can be accomplished by daily oral hygiene, brushing and flossing.Since the average American already brushes and flosses, that means the average American already whitens his/her teeth.Whitening Teeth can also mean returning the color of the tooth to its natural color.This can be accomplished by a thorough dental cleaning or by restorative tooth materials and chemicals, but not bleach.

There are many ways to whiten the teeth naturally without bleaches or lasers.Many whiteners can be bought at the grocery store.The FDA classifies some toothpaste brands as whiteners.Have you ever bought a tube of toothpaste that said -whitening- on itWere you skeptical about whether or not it actually whitens your teethThe American Dental Association (ADA) tests and monitors many consumer dental products.Among these products are toothpastes.The consumer can know if the toothpaste is tested by the ADA by looking for the -ADA logo- somewhere on the product.If the toothpaste says that it whitens and there is an ADA stamp of approval, then you can know for sure that it really does whiten.Using toothpastes to whiten your teeth will take a long time to achieve the results that may be desired.This is because there are minimal bleaching agents in toothpastes.If you want your teeth to be whiter in a shorter amount of time, there are some home-based alternatives to professional teeth bleaching.

Teeth Bleaching refers to any material that causes the tooth to become whiter than its natural color and uses various types of bleaches. Very recently, there have been many scientific studies done on home-based consumer tooth whitening products. This is partly because these products have become so popular and companies who sell these products want to show that there is evidence that they work and are safe. These companies hire independent research laboratories like -Clinicians Report,- or many other research agencies, to test their products. Recently, Hasson (et. al. ) completed a study entitled, -Home-based chemically-induced whitening of teeth in adults. -This study compared many different home-based whitening products on their safety and efficacy in whitening. In the conclusion of their scientific paper they state, -There is evidence that whitening products work when compared with placebo/no treatment. There are differences in efficacy between the products, mainly due to the levels of active ingredients, hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide- (5). When buying home-based teeth bleaching products, pay attention to the % carbamide and peroxide. get rid of acne fast The lower percent number of carbamide and peroxide, the less intense the bleach will be. Also, pay attention to how long each product directs you to leave bleach on your teeth. Leaving bleach on your teeth for too long can lead to sensitivity issues.

Bleaching your teeth actually opens up the micropores in your enamel and then dyes your tooth structures white.Since, by bleaching, you are reducing the structures in your tooth; your teeth may become more sensitive after bleaching.This is because cold water and other small molecules will be able to more readily pass through the now widened pores in your bleached teeth enamel.These molecules can diffuse through your tooth pulp and reach the nerve of your tooth, sending an impulse of pain to your brain.But don't be too discouraged.There are some products on the market today that have been shown to reduce tooth sensitivity while still delivering great whitening results.A study done by Browning (et.al.) has shown that if you find products that contain certain sensitivity-reducing chemicals, you will experience less sensitivity and the same amount of whitening effectiveness as the products without sensitivity-reducing chemicals.In their study entitled, -Comparison of traditional and low sensitivity whiteners,- Browning et.al. concluded that -The addition of a small percentage of potassium nitrate to a 10% carbamide peroxide tooth whitener was shown to significantly reduce postoperative sensitivity without reducing efficacy (2).This means that there are tooth bleaching reagents out there that cause less pain and result in less sensitivity while still delivering the same whitening power.Specifically look for teeth whitening reagents that have potassium nitrate in a 10% carbamide peroxide mixture.

Although bleaching is one of the fastest and most effective ways to whiten teeth, bleaching can permanently damage your teeth.Bleaching can affect the -microhardness- of your teeth.In a recent study, done by Majeed A, et al (3), four different bleaching products, from a company called -Opalescence,- with different bleaching intensities, where tested for damage they caused to the enamel.The test concluded that -All 4 Opalescence products damaged enamel. Higher damage was done by the 10% carbamide peroxide and 20% carbamide peroxide products because of the much longer exposure period (112 hours in comparison to 7 hours)- (3).This means that the longer you have the bleach on your teeth the more damage it will do.The 10% and 20% carbamide peroxide products had less intense bleaching intensities than the 45% products but caused the most damage because the manufacturer's instructions require that these two products be on the teeth for 112 hours compared to 7 hours of the more intense bleaching reagents.

Be careful not to leave bleach on your teeth too long even if you have dark or yellow stains that won't seem to lift even after repeated bleaching sessions.You may have a condition called tetracycline stain.Tetracycline stain is a dark yellow stain on your teeth enamel near the roots.It is caused by taking a medication with the chemical tetracycline in it.Tetracycline has been a commonly used chemical to treat acne and other medical disorders for many years but has recently been discouraged because of its effect on teeth enamel.If you have tetracycline stain, don't dismay.Today, there are new bleach treatments that combine the bleaching power of peroxides with the biological power of enzymes.

Enzymes can be used to whiten teeth.This is one of the most effective ways to whiten teeth safely without bleach.Many people have yellow stains on their teeth.Some of these stains come from the use of tetracycline medicines which were commonly prescribed for acne in the past 10 years.These stains were irremovable until enzymatic bleaching came about.In a recent study by Gimeno (et.al.), enzymatic tooth whitening was tested.The results said, -Enzymes such as peroxidase could be used as whitening catalysts to increase the rate of tetracycline decoloration- (1).Now even tetracycline stains, which were previously too hard to remove, can be removed with these new technologies and methods.

Many Americans have white teeth but many Americans want whiter teeth.Because of this cosmetic dental procedures like whitening and bleaching have become more popular.Because of the demand for whitening products, there are now many safe and effective home-based bleaching products.When choosing a home-based product be sure to consider intensity of bleach and tooth sensitivity.Tetracycline stains can now be removed effectively at you dental office by using enzymatic teeth bleaching reagents.Using teeth whitening products is a great way to improve you smile and maybe even become more effective in making relationships with other people.

1.Gimeno I, Riutord P, Tauler P, Tur J, Pons A. The whitening effect of enzymatic bleaching on tetracycline. Journal of Dentistry [serial online]. October 16, 2008;36(10):795-800. Available from: MEDLINE, Ipswich, MA. Accessed December 9, 2008.

2. natural acne treatment tips Browning W, Chan D, Myers M, Brackett W, Brackett M, Pashley D. Comparison of traditional and low sensitivity whiteners. Operative Dentistry [serial online]. July 2008;33(4):379-385. Available from: MEDLINE, Ipswich, MA. Accessed December 9, 2008.

3.Majeed A, Grobler S, Moola M, Rossouw R, van Kotze T. Effect of four different opalescence tooth-whitening products on enamel microhardness. SADJ: Journal of the South African Dental Association = Tydskrif Van Die Suid-Afrikaanse Tandheelkundige Vereniging [serial online]. June 2008;63(5):282. Available from: MEDLINE, Ipswich, MA. Accessed December 9, 2008.

4.De Jongh A, Oosterink F, van Rood Y, Aartman I. Preoccupation with one's appearance: a motivating factor for cosmetic dental treatment. British Dental Journal [serial online]. June 28, 2008;204(12):691. Available from: MEDLINE, Ipswich, MA. Accessed December 9, 2008.

5.Hasson H, Ismail A, Neiva G. Home-based chemically-induced whitening of teeth in adults. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews (Online) [serial online]. October 18, 2006;4:CD006202. Available from: MEDLINE, Ipswich, MA. Accessed December 9, 2008.