Teeth Whitening Treatments

It's sad but true; the models in the magazines always seem to have whiter teeth than you do, no matter how conscientious you are about caring for your teeth. Because tooth whitening can be accomplished in number of ways, acquiring a whiter, brighter smile is not that difficult.

There are a variety of methods you can use to whiten your teeth. An overview of each method, along with their advantages and disadvantages, will be discussed in this article.

Dental Office Treatments: Advanced bleaching treatments are available from your dentist; these last a long time and are quite effective. The treatments range in price from $300 to $500 so are they can be quite expensive. This is the most effective treatment method, if you can afford it.

Whitening Mouthwashes and Toothpastes: Although they do not work as well as professional dental whitening treatments, mouthwashes and toothpastes that claim to help whiten teeth can be effective. The results may not be immediate, though. These work best on light to medium stains. They work very well as a preventative and maintenance measure and are more affordable than many other methods.

Whitening Strips: Depending on the quality, whitening strips can cost as much as $40+, and are readily available at all drug and grocery stores. The strips that cost the least work well only when used on a regular basis. The more expensive strips will provide results that almost match the effectiveness of teeth whitening treatments provided in a dental office. You don't want to have stripes on your teeth due to uneven whitening, so care must be taken during application. Increased tooth sensitivity can occur as a result of using whitening strips.

Brush-on Methods: If you are hoping not to spend too much money, then brush on treatments might be the best method for you. A two week-kit is quite affordable, in some cases only costing about $3. The applications can be quite difficult and messy. You can also wake up with terrible morning breath after using these products.

A Change in Diet: If you avoid known stain inducing agents, you can reduce the need for whitening procedures, no matter which whitening method you choose. Try to refrain from using tobacco, coffee, tea and soda so that your teeth do not become stained and discolored again.

There are a variety of teeth whitening treatments available to help whiten your teeth. No matter which method you choose, remember that regular visits to your dentist and a change in diet can help to maintain a whiter, brighter smile for many years to come.