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A Dental Hygienist’s View of Teeth Whitening

September 24th, 2008

Everyone wants white teeth. As a Dental Hygienist, people are looking at my teeth all day long. They make a judgement about how well I will take care of their teeth by how well I take care of my own. White teeth are a status symbol of someone who takes care of themselves. What does your teeth say about you?


No matter how well a person brushes, we can’t always keep our teeth completely white and stain-free. This is partially due to genetics, some lack of dental hygiene (ie brushing, flossing, etc) and what we eat and drink. We all eat lots of processed foods containing colorings and dyes, and drink coffee, tea and sodas. Most everything we eat or drink tend to leave stains on our teeth. Over time, these stains become worked into the enamel, so even consistent brushing won’t do the trick. This is precisely where teeth whitening can help.


Teeth whitening can be done in several ways. First, there are teeth whitening strips, which you place on your teeth in order to cleanse or abrade away layers of plaque and tartar. Plaque and tartar build up on on your teeth making them harder and harder to clean. The whitening process can assist in dissolving accumulations on the surface of your teeth.


Sometimes it takes more than an ordinary teeth whitening process to cleanse your teeth – sometimes it take rather strong chemicals, in this case a form of bleach. The bleaching process creates a chemical reaction with the plaque and tartar, and loosens the buildup on your teeth. You must be careful with bleach, because if it is overused, bleach will begin to eat away at your tooth enamel. Tooth enamel is the substance that coats your teeth and keeps plaque and bacteria from making their way inside. Always use any bleaching product according to the directions the manufacturer has supplied, and let your dentist know what products you are using.


Preventing stains and tartar buildup is the best way to keep your teeth pearly white. Make sure not to drink to much coffee, tea, or sweet drink. It’s all right to have these on occasion, but many people overdo consumption of these items. This causes harmful plaque and tartar buildup on the surface of your teeth. Excess plaque and tartar will result in tooth decay and gum disease if left untreated. Use a straw whenever you can. Using a straw will help the liquid move past your teeth without coating them.


Not only are white teeth a sign of good looks, they’re much healthier than stained or yellowed teeth. Removing tartar, plaque and the associated stains will give you a healthier mouth. Tooth whitening is a good alternative when stains crop up despite consistent oral hygiene. Caring for you teeth is always cheaper than repairing your teeth. Please visit my site AskTheDentalHygienist or talk to your dentist for more information about preventing the most common dental problems.


Melissa is a Registered Dental Hygienist that has been practicing for more than 12 years in the same dental office. You can find more information about your dental health by visiting her site www.AskTheDentalHygienist.com.

The best teeth whitening for you

September 23rd, 2008


Benefits of teeth whitening treatment have taken our smile
into a new level. More and more people are now starting to notice the effect of
having white teeth. Having whiter teeth doesn’t just give us good looking
smile. It also adds value to our smile and boosts our self-esteem. Now that
there are many teeth whitening treatments available, attaining that white teeth
have become faster and easy. But choosing the right teeth whitening treatment
for you is a bit tricky. Not all of this teeth whitening treatments are sure to
be beneficial and effective for everyone. There are some that will have no
effect at all. Since there are many products to choose from, it’s best that you
ask your dentist first about the right teeth whitening treatment for you to
avoid complications. Because it has been said that 50 percent of all this
products don’t actually work exactly the way they advertised it to be. Besides,
white teeth will not last long if it doesn’t come with a good dental health.

How to have proper white teeth

September 23rd, 2008


People give specially value to their smile because of the
fact that it gives an impressive impression. This is why most of the
professional dentist is not surprise why over the counter teeth whitening kits
became very popular. But what they should also know is that this product can
also cause dental health problem. Since over the counter kits can be used without
professional supervision, there’s high chance that user might over use it and
cause damage to their oral health. This over the counter teeth whitening kits
are only beneficial for those people who wants to have whiter teeth with the
comfort of their own home. They should also know that this kit only works in
the surface of the teeth. Therefore, if the cause of their discolored teeth is
underneath, they should go to the dentist and have the right teeth whitening treatment that will work best for them. Having whiter teeth doesn’t mean
grabbing any teeth whitening kits in the market. A whiter tooth is best
achieved if it compensates good dental health.

Teeth Discoloration And Gum Disease Connection

September 8th, 2008

The concern for whiter teeth has almost swept people across the globe.
It is just natural to notice teeth discoloration as we age, that is why
people seek professional teeth whitening
and other go for inexpensive teeth whitening toothpaste. Teeth
discoloration is not only due to aging. Tooth stains are mostly caused
by smoking, using smokeless tobacco or the consumption of coffee, tea,
colas and other certain medications. Factors such as gum disease should
not be taken lightly. Using the wrong toothpastes such as those for
teeth whitening, may even contain harsh ingredients that can further
damage and enhance gum disease. Take into account the use of all
natural toothpastes to keep teeth white while fighting gum disease.
With a product does not contain harsh ingredients, whiter smile is much
possible with a healthy teeth and gums.