Reprinted Articles

Have you noticed the incredible amount of pressure being placed on us, by the media, to look good and feel great? Did you know that the vast majority of images you see in the media have been manipulated so that the people depicted look perfect? Now ask yourself, are you really happy with the you feel about your own appearance? Have you ever considered cosmetic surgery, microdermabrasion or teeth whitening to improve your looks?

The four questions raised above should make you think about how you have been effected by the constant appearances of people with perfect skin, superb figures and shiny white Hollywood smiles. However much we try to convince ourselves that we are perfectly happy with our bodies deep down a large percentage of the population have at least one or two things which they would like to improve and, increasingly, having teeth whitening treatment or other dental work done is appearing in the list.

When we see the models in the glossy magazine, more often than not, they will have a gleaming smile with shiny white teeth. However, you will also notice that the whites of their eyes are often pure white and their skin is blemish free. However in reality they may have one or two spots and a rather dull set of teeth. The images you see have been digitally enhanced to make the image perfect but in processing the image the publisher is portraying a false image.

The most basic classification of teeth whitening treatment is home whitening and profession teeth whitening treatments but these methods can be used solitary or together. Below you will see some of the various techniques practiced today.

Bleaching is one of the most common ways in which teeth whitening can be carried out but there are actually a few different types of teeth whitening techniques involving the use of a bleaching agent. These types range from over-the-counter kits available in the shops to professional tooth bleaching. Home bleaching, laser bleaching and combined bleaching are some of the most popular ways to whiten teeth.

Home bleaching can be done in a number of ways. The easiest, but often the least effective and the one involving most risk, ways to whiten teeth at home is by using an over-the-counter (OTC) preparation. These kits contain a weak hydrogen peroxide gel which is applied to the teeth and left for around half an hour. The most effective home bleaching utilizes materials supplied by your dentist a bleaching gel and a rubber mouth tray are provided. The gel is much stronger that OTC gels and the mouth tray ensures that the gel stays in contact with the teeth.

Alternatively you may wish to try professional teeth whitening. This treatment is performed in the dental surgery and also involves the use of a bleaching agent and mouth tray. How this treatment differs from home treatments is that a stronger solution can be used. Furthermore various types of light emitting equipment are used to enhance the effectiveness of the whitening gel.

Combined teeth whitening is the most powerful technique used to bleach teeth. Combined bleaching is actually a combination of the two types mentioned above, home bleaching and professional bleaching. Usually home bleaching is carried out before your professional treatment however, depending on the products use, there may be further home bleaching after your session at the dental surgery.

A different approach is taken for the treatment called internal bleaching. As the name suggests it is the interior of the tooth that is whitened in this treatment so it is common to include one of the above treatment to bleach the exterior surface of the tooth. In this treatment a bleaching agent is injected into the tooth and allowed to work for a week before it is removed and the entry point permanently sealed.

Tags: Health