Generally the main ingredient that whitens is a type of peroxide. The teeth whitening solutions come in either a paste or gel form, containing either carbamide or hydrogen peroxide. Stain removal on the teeth by both of these products containing peroxide work effectively. Because the solution is strong, usually between 10 and 22% peroxide, it is important that it isn’t used on the gums. Actually, the teeth that are the most yellow are whitened; as long as you take your time, all will be good.

Some people have trouble with sensitive teeth and if this is the case for you, it is a good idea to brush your teeth with Sensodyne two weeks before and two weeks after using a teeth whitening product. If your teeth have never been sensitive, you shouldn’t have a problem with the teeth whitening solution, but it is wise to begin by using a minimal amount of the solution, just in case.

White strips are falling out of fashion because more people are realizing that they just don’t do the job. No matter how yellow your teeth are, a good at-home teeth whitening kit can work for you.

We offer reviews and advice for real teeth whitening to average people just like yourself, as we observe methods of teeth whitening. It is no longer necessary to pay for a dentist visit to have your teeth whitened. Be certain to obtain our teeth whitening reviews.

Side effects of treatment

Some side effects of surgery may be a change in the patient’s ability to talk, chew, or swallow, especially if a large tumor is removed. The patient may also look different.

Radiation therapy may make the mouth sore and it can change the amount of saliva produced, making chewing and swallowing difficult. A decrease in saliva can also cause tooth decay. Radiation therapy may also make the patient very tired, so resting is important. Also, the skin may become red and dry, tender, itchy, and then moist and “weepy”. Men may lose all or part of their beard, but the facial hair usually returns after treatment is finished.

Patients being treated for oral cancer often have a sore mouth, causing serious weight loss. Eating several small meals and snacks during the day may help, as can eating soft, bland foods with sauces and gravies. Soups, puddings, and high-protein milkshakes may be more easily tolerated.

Other side effects may include a lowered immune system (so patients get sick easier), nausea, vomiting, inability to wear dentures, and loss of appetite.

Rehabilitation after treatment

Rehabilitation usually begins as soon as possible after treatment. This may include:

* Dietary counseling
* Surgery – reconstructive or plastic surgery
* Prosthesis – if surgery cannot be performed, then a dental or facial-part prosthesis may be used to help the patient look more normal
* Speech therapy – the patient may need help learning to speak again

Risk factors

There are several risk factors that increase the chance of developing oral cancer. These include:

* Exposure of the skin, especially the lips, to the sun
* Tobacco use
* Alcohol use, especially beer and hard liquor
* Poor diet, especially if it is low in fruits and fiber
* Chronic irritation to the mouth and upper throat, such as poorly fitting dentures or dental appliances
* Poor dental hygiene and gum disease
* Over 45 years old
* Male
* African-American

Also, using mouthwashes with high alcohol content, or having herpes simplex or human papilloma virus (HPV), may also be related to oral cancer.

Prevention

According to the National Cancer Institute, tobacco use is responsible for more than 90 percent of oral cancer in men and 60 percent in women, and is responsible for 90 percent of oral cancer deaths in men. People who stop smoking cigarettes reduce the risk of developing oral cancer by 50 percent within 3 to 5 years and return to the normal risk within 10 years.

Heavy cigar use is especially associated with oral cancer development. Marijuana use has been shown to be a cause of oral cancer in younger people.

Since the risk of oral cancer increases with the number of cigarettes smoked per day as well as the number of alcoholic drinks consumed per day, stopping both drinking and smoking lessens the risk of oral cancer considerably.

Other lifestyle changes that can decrease oral cancer risk include increasing fruits and vegetables in the diet, which can lower the risk by 30 to 50 percent. Using sun block on the lips, either as colored lipstick or as lip balm with sunscreen, lowers the incidence of cancer on the lip, especially the lower lip.

Screening

Regular checkups by both dentists and physicians help detect oral cancer in the early stages, when the cancer is the most treatable. Ninety percent of oral cancers occur on the floor of the mouth, the front one-third of the tongue, and the soft palate, so these areas should be closely inspected. Leukoplakia (white patches) and erythroplakia (red lesions), which are precancerous changes, should be treated.

Monthly self-examinations are easily done using a mirror and looking for any changes in the mouth.

People who have had previous oral cancer are at higher risk of developing a new cancer of the mouth or another part of the head and neck. Vitamin A is currently being studied for protective properties against these secondary cancers.

Treatment for oral cancer is most successful when the disease is diagnosed in its earliest stages and the necessary lifestyle changes are made.

Oral cancer involves the oral cavity and the oropharynx.

The oral cavity consists of:

* the lips, teeth, and gums
* the lining inside the lips and cheeks (buccal mucosa)
* the bottom of the mouth under the tongue
* the front two-thirds of the tongue
* the hard palate (bony top of the mouth)
* the small area behind the wisdom teeth

The oropharynx consists of:

* the back one-third of the tongue
* the soft palate
* the tonsils
* the back of the throat

The main causes of oral cancer include:

* Tobacco, including cigarettes, cigars, pipes, chewing tobacco, and snuff
* Alcohol use, especially when combined with cigarette smoking
* Leukoplakia – a whitish patch that forms inside the mouth or throat
* Erythroplakia – a red, raised patch that forms inside the mouth
* Too much sun exposure can cause cancer on the lip
* Chewing of betel nuts

Symptoms

The warning signs of oral cancer can include:

* A growing mass that may be painful or painless
* An ulcer that does not heal
* A continuing sore throat
* Difficulty swallowing
* Bleeding or numbness
* Loose teeth or dentures
* Foul mouth odor
* Changes in hearing, smell, or taste
* Difficulty speaking or changes in voice
* Facial weakness or pain
* Decreased saliva
* Painful, enlarged lymph node in the neck

Cancer or some other, less serious problem may cause these symptoms. Pain is not usually an early symptom of oral cancer. If any of these symptoms lasts more than 2 weeks, you should see a physician or dentist immediately.

Diagnosis

Regular dental checkups are important to detect cancerous or precancerous conditions early. Looking in the mirror and checking your mouth every month also helps detect any changes early.

If an abnormal area is found, an oral surgeon or ear, nose, and throat surgeon will remove all or part of the mass (biopsy). Almost all oral cancers are squamous cell carcinomas because squamous cells line the oral cavity. If cancer is found, then further tests, such as x-ray, CT (or CAT) scan, ultrasonography, and/or MRI, may also be done to determine the spread of the cancer.

Treatment

The type of treatment used is based on the patient’s overall health and medical history, the stage of disease, the patient’s preference, and how the disease is expected to proceed.

Early cancers (stages I and II) are highly curable by surgery or radiation therapy, while more advanced cancers (stages III and IV) are usually treated with a combination of surgery, radiation therapy, and sometimes other experimental therapy.

Surgery may include one or more of the following techniques:

* Primary tumor resection – the entire tumor and surrounding tissue are removed
* Maxillectomy – The tumor and part or all of the hard palate are removed, if bone is involved
* Mohs’ micrographic surgery – the tumor is removed in “slices” so that very little normal tissue is removed
* Laryngectomy – A large tumor of the tongue or oropharynx is removed, which may also include the larynx (voice box)
* Neck dissection – The lymph nodes are removed along with the main tumor

Radiation therapy may be administered externally using a machine or internally with radioactive materials. Radiation may be given before surgery (to shrink the tumor) or after surgery (to destroy any remaining cancer cells).

According to the National Cancer Institute, patients who smoke while undergoing radiation therapy do not respond as well to treatment and do not live as long as patients who do not smoke.

Some experimental treatments being studied include chemotherapy (drugs used to treat cancer), radiosensitizers (drugs used to make the tumor more sensitive to radiation), and hyperthermia (heat treatment).
to be continued soon…

The first thing you should do is throw out your non-electric, bristle-worn toothbrush and replace it with a fresh, new, electric toothbrush (you should get a new toothbrush at least every three months). If a deluxe model is not in your budget, a standard, battery-operated toothbrush will do the trick. These usually run for around five or six dollars or so and can be purchased at most any department or drug store.

Most people brush their teeth once in the morning and once before they go to bed, but care should be taken to brush your teeth after lunch and dinner as well. If you don’t have access to a sink and other necessary materials during these times, at least carry with you a package of nonstick, sugarless gum, preferably a brand containing xylitol. Not only will this help prevent plaque and tooth decay, it will help freshen your mouth in general (you don’t want your boss or that important client to avoid talking to you because of your bad breath).

When you do brush your teeth, you should brush vigorously for at least three minutes (six is preferable), which may seem like an eternity to some, but is well worth the time. After brushing, you should use a good mouth rinse, such as Listerine Total Care, which helps strengthen teeth, fight plaque, reduce cavities, restore minerals to enamel, and kill germs that cause bad breath (once again, you don’t want to scare off associates by simply talking to them face to face).

One of the most important ways to take care of your teeth is to floss each and every night. Simply take a strand of floss (10 to 18 inches is preferred), slip it between each of your teeth (all the way down to your gums), and floss with 10 or so vertical strokes to dislodge food particles and plaque. Not only will this help preserve your teeth (“floss only those teeth you want to keep,” a dentist once said), it will give you good, strong gums that are largely free of bacteria. If your gums don’t bleed a bit during teeth cleanings at the dentist, there’s a good chance that you are flossing regularly.

Naturally, sweet, sticky foods should be avoided to maintain a bright, healthy smile. If you must indulge in sweets (and who doesn’t from time to time?), only do so when you are in a position to brush and floss immediately afterward. Also, instead of eating nutrition-absent sweets for an extended period (such as nibbling on jelly beans while sitting at your desk), eat a cookie or a piece of pie (at least they have some food value), finishing it within a couple of minutes so you can go take care of your teeth and get back to what you were doing. Even better, substitute sweet snacks with cashews, carrot sticks, or pretzels.

Taking care of your teeth is an important aspect of maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Regular brushing, flossing, and other such preventative measures can help ensure that you have a pretty smile and relatively inexpensive, hassle-free trips to the dentist. Speaking of the dentist, you should visit him or her every six months.

In order to make this whitening paste that is all-natural, mix a crushed strawberry with a sprinkling of baking soda. Once every week, brush your teeth with this paste and you can see the results over time. Remember to use a fluoride toothpaste in order to remove the acids and natural sugars from the strawberries.
It is important to not overdo it with this solution. Once a week is plenty. If you use it more often than that, the acidic quality of the strawberries may damage your tooth enamel in the long run.

Salt and Baking Soda: As an abrasive cleanser for your teeth, baking soda can’t be beat. This makes it a tooth whitener that is all-natural and effective. For added scrubbing power, baking soda was mixed into the strawberry paste, but it also is effective combined with other tooth whiteners.

A very effective all natural solution for getting your teeth whiter is salt and baking soda. Combining 1 part salt with 6 parts baking soda makes a powerful whitening powder for your teeth. Use a regular toothbrush or (for maximum results) a toothbrush with a spinning head to apply the abrasive solution. With this powder, just a little is enough, as it goes a long way.

Salt granules give you good scrubbing power; however, be advised that you will absorb quite a bit of salt through your gums. See your doctor to be sure it is alright to brush with salt if you are on a low sodium diet.

As with strawberries, you shouldn’t use this type of treatment more than once a week as it could cause wear on your enamel. Although baking soda is quite gentle, it can still be damaging to tooth enamel in the long run.

Hydrogen peroxide: Baking soda is the best known natural tooth whitener.  Peroxide comes right after that. The toothpaste that is your favorite brand probably lists peroxide and baking soda as ingredients. That is because these two compounds possess excellent tooth whitening power.

Mix a little hydrogen peroxide with baking soda to enhance your tooth whitening regimen. Just apply it to your brush and brush your teeth as you normally would. Alternatively, you can brush normally after pouring a small amount of hydrogen peroxide onto the toothbrush. When using either of these techniques, you can finish with a fluoride toothpaste to freshen your breath. Hydrogen peroxide is not really a good breath freshener, even though it whitens teeth well.

If you brush once to apply whitening solution and again to freshen your breath, be sure to do it gently. Don’t be too harsh on your gums while trying to get whiter teeth.
After you brush your teeth, you can rinse your mouth with a hydrogen peroxide solution. Just mix 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 2 parts warm water. You won’t get granulated scrubbing action for this mouthwash, but it will help you keep your teeth white between use of tooth whitening solutions.

With all tooth whitening solutions, it is important to remember that a little goes a long way. All natural tooth whiteners may cause damage to the enamel of your teeth just like professional solutions. Don’t overdo it, and have fun with your whiter smile.

Which foods keep your teeth healthy?
Everyone knows there are some foods that are not good for the teeth. Consuming food that contains high amounts of carbohydrates or sugar can produce unpleasant critters called bacteria, which like to eat on the bits we leave behind; while eating they generate an acid that leads to tooth decay. So after saying this, are you aware that there are foods that can really help battle this bacteria? Yes, certain foods can prevent these nasty animals from generating acids. Once you prevent the bacteria from producing acid, you can have a pretty smile and a healthy mouth.

Bacteria in the mouth can be battled using celery. Besides celery’s most noticeable advantage, which is that it is beneficial for you, celery also makes you chew more and produce extra saliva. When you create saliva, you kill the bad bacteria found in the mouth. Celery doesn’t have a good taste, but you could think about eating it as snack instead of potato chips, which is the most known plaque creator that bacteria hunger for. The extra water that celery contains also is a method of cleaning your teeth when you eat; it is a way of brushing naturally.

Additional onions and Shiitake mushrooms are ways to eliminate bacteria. As you eat a raw onion, the substances contained in onions do their best to destroy those irritating teeth eaters. You might have to put up with smelly breath, but the advantages of your teeth being healthy are worth the trouble and you can chew gum after this. Shiitake Mushrooms perform a similar function. They might not destroy the bacteria, but they prevent it from creating plaque which will sooner or later, if you don’t take care of your teeth, turn into cavities which hurt a lot.

The most tasty choice would be cheese, a food that also contains some elements that will help your teeth. Cheese makes the mouth produce more saliva, which can destroy the bad bacteria found in the mouth. Cheese can prevent your teeth from being discolored. Your teeth are saved from becoming stained with this protective wall that is provided.

People all over the globe suffer from stains and discoloration. There are some foods found at home that can assist in whitening the teeth, for instance, oranges and strawberries. Try brushing your teeth daily with strawberries and then rubbing the skin from an orange rind against your teeth. You can try products such as tooth gel, but the occasional side effects can outweigh the benefits. It is  easier and not as harmful to just search and use what you see in your home that can help your teeth.

It is a good thing to find that the foods you are eating are good for your teeth and your body. The benefits of consuming raw onions are worth it, even though you might not like eating them. With all of the knowledge we have right now, we can maintain white teeth for the remainder of our lifetimes. The nicest way to have white and clean teeth is by consuming these foods. Since everyone has to eat, why not try foods that are good for your brain, body, and your teeth?

While savoring delicious candy bars and scarfing down potato chips, the effects these things are having on their teeth never crosses the minds of most people. You might be shocked to learn which foods are bad for your teeth and which foods are even worse. Tooth decay is caused by bacteria, nasty organisms that live and thrive in your mouth. Unless you care for your teeth properly, bacteria will gorge themselves on plaque, the sticky substance that often remains on your teeth after you eat or drink anything. Some foods tend to deposit more plaque than others, while some foods actually fight the bacteria that cause tooth decay. To keep your teeth in great condition you must brush and floss regularly, but you should also eat certain foods and avoid others, whenever possible.

Many people believe that candy is the primary cause of tooth decay, but in reality any food that contains carbohydrates will cause plaque on your teeth. Potato chips can contribute largely to tooth decay. Potato chips leave plaque on teeth which bacteria feast on voraciously. Candy, along with any food that contains sugar, can promote tooth decay, but bacteria love carbohydrates. Of course, sugar is one type of carbohydrate, but potato based items provide the primary source of carbohydrates. If you do not brush your teeth each time you have potato chips or candy, the bacteria will have the opportunity to produce harmful acids in your mouth. If you do not stay away from foods that contain lots of carbohydrates, you will most likely have some type of tooth decay. You can fight bacteria by conscientiously brushing your teeth, but unless you take your toothbrush with you everywhere, bacteria will always be munching away.

Soda and coffee are thought by some experts to be instrumental in causing tooth decay. Although that may be true, the only thing that studies have proven with regard to coffee and sodas is that they WILL cause tooth stains unless proper care is taken. It is possible to purchase teeth whitening products that will help lighten the stains. And any over the counter product should provide similar results. It has never been simpler to whiten your teeth at home. Aside from causing stains, soda has not been shown to be any worse for your teeth than candy.

You can avoid tooth decay if you are very selective about the things you put in your mouth. If you take good care of your teeth and are vigilant about what you eat, you can be  certain that cavities and gum disease will never be issues for you. I realize that you will never totally give up candy and potato chips, but if you can limit the amount of these foods that you eat, you stand to benefit substantially. If you find it impossible to avoid them, your teeth whitening efforts will have to be diligent.

Yellow teeth are a huge problem!

Your personal and professional lives can suffer if you have yellow stained teeth, which is the reason that professional business people usually have bright, white teeth. What causes all those stains on your teeth? You can leave permanent stains on your teeth by consuming tea, colas, and coffee. You cannot brush this type of stain away. Stained teeth give those with whom you come in contact the impression that you do not use proper hygiene. Even if this is not a conscious decision on their part, subconsciously they may decide that they’d rather not date you or they will pass you up for a promotion… just because of your teeth!

Halitosis is Even Worse!

Do you wonder why people might lean away from you when you speak to them? If you notice this, you might have bad breath. A problem that is serious, having bad breath in your professional and personal life can be detrimental. People may stand apart from you, try not to have to speak with you and your loved ones may even try to avoid kissing you! At any price you have got to avoid bad breath.

Going to the Dentist is Costly!

As if stained teeth and halitosis are not enough, your teeth are probably also covered with lots of accumulated plaque and tartar. Although this can cause cavities and tooth pain, many people choose to suffer rather than paying the high costs involved in dental care. Plaque and tartar need to be dealt with in some way.

What is the fix?

WHITE LIGHT™ Home Tooth Whitening System is the fastest, simplest and least costly method of treating stained teeth, halitosis, and plaque and tartar. They are easy like magic to use!

The following are things that the WL Home Teeth Whitening System does:

* Cleans your teeth, removing the yellow stains
* Is simple to apply and can be used at home
* Battles plaque and removes tartar
* Destroys bacteria that cause halitosis.
Buy the WL Teeth Whitening kits for a fraction of the hundreds you spend at the dentist. You don’t have to leave home to use them, and they don’t hurt at all! It’s now your turn to use Home Teeth Whitening kits, as millions have in order to make their teeth beautiful.

Next, we’ll guide you through the process of caring for your teeth, what a daily routine consists of, and how to make your smile brilliant with the correct whitener.

Your Teeth

We need to go back to how teeth begin in order to totally understand how to ideally care for them. As young kids, our teeth are totally enclosed in a sturdy, porcelain-like enamel which serves as a barrier, safeguarding teeth. With the everyday stresses our teeth endure, the enamel gradually erodes and turns transparent. This lets the yellowish hue of your teeth’s dentin (what it is basically made of) become visible, and leads to a dull, ugly look. With repeated chewing, countless tiny crevices may develop over time. These crevices become filled with extra debris which lets stains develop, leading to possible cavities. Caring for your teeth and employing the right teeth whitening techniques can help get rid of this plaque build-up and the stains that are there, with a daily eating routine.

Pause a moment to consider what you put in your mouth every day. For most people, this includes up to four meals, plus additional snacks, and drinks. Do you often find yourself too weary at night to take the time to really brush your teeth prior to retiring to bed? Everyone is guilty of this, yet in order to have brighter and healthier teeth you must change this habit, and make brushing teeth a ritual.

We need to be real clear, teeth care is a continual process. As with showering or shaving, this is something you need to do each day to get perfect, white teeth. This is a change in your daily way of living that you need to do on your own. That’s not to say that you have to be in the bathroom brushing your teeth all the time, or chastising yourself if you skip a day or so, but a constant effort is required.

To sufficiently maintain your teeth, it’s better to perform your teeth regimen following breakfast, and prior to going to bed, after dinner at some point. This lets your teeth be clean most of the day, and while you are asleep, two huge portions of the average person’s life.

Our Advised Teeth Whitening & Cleaning System

Once more, we advise you to employ this system after you eat breakfast, before you begin your day, and after eating dinner, before you retire for the night. This requires approximately 15 additional minutes daily, thus you need to give yourself this extra time to adapt. After this becomes a ritual, it gets really easy, and you’ll see results in no time.

1. Begin with the use of a home teeth whitening kit for the recommended amount of time, typically around 5 or 10 minutes. We like to do this for starters, which lets you wipe off any additional whitener remaining on teeth and gums. Keep with us to find out which whitening product we recommend most.
2. Then, with a motorized toothbrush, extensively clean each tooth. This means the front, back, and underneath as well. Your tongue needs to be scrubbed well, too, just in case you forget!
3. Get a device for flossing, which is simpler to use than floss alone, and really intensively clean between every tooth. This becomes a key area for formation of cavities due to debris accumulating there and leads to staining between teeth too.
4. Finally, you need to rinse out your mouth with mouthwash to safeguard your clean teeth until you get a chance to brush again. This will add to the freshness of your breath which is always welcome.

What are the most effective teeth whitening products on the market?

To treat yourself with an additional dose of whiteness, we strongly suggest using a teeth whitening product in addition to your brushing. This enables you to increase your smile’s whiteness even further. We have experimented with almost every product out there ourselves, but with advances in technology, the old whiteners lose their appeal over the more efficient and user-friendly new products.

WHITE LIGHT™ Home Tooth Whitening System

One the newest and most effective teeth whitening products we have discovered on the internet and is known as the WHITE LIGHT™ Home Tooth Whitening System. Upon using for 10 days, the results were noticeable and dramatic. That is very astounding, since the teeth whitening kit was used by a person who had previously been using a different teeth whitening system before changing over.

We recommend: get whiter teeth QUICKLY with Light Technology!

Method #1: Dental (in-office) teeth whitening

Dentists are always thrilled to have a patient request an in-office teeth whitening procedure. There was only a single option that was available in the ’90s.

Your dentist would create a mold of the teeth, which would be sent off to a lab for 5-10 days before you would receive your teeth whitening mouthpiece. Then you would spend 1-2 hours in the dental chair as the teeth whitening molds were filled with low concentration peroxide and pressed against your teeth.

After three or four visits, you would be told your teeth were whiter and would be let go with a $500-$1000 bill. And obviously brighter teeth.

Over the past 10 years, dental office teeth whitening has improved dramatically. The current most-popular teeth whitening procedure is known as Laser Bleaching (aka Power Bleaching, Argon Bleaching, etc.), and is a shorter process.  During this procedure, a concentrated peroxide gel is applied to your teeth, and then you sit in the chair with your mouth open so that a light may be shined into your mouth to complete the process.

This procedure for teeth whitening is effective. Many dentists say that you can have a whiter smile by doing multiple applications, since the teeth whitening solution will have more contact with your teeth. The downside is the expense of the procedure, and the fact that you’ll need to either come back or take home some home whitening items. Why did you just spend all that money in office teeth whitening?

Luckily, thanks to modern technology, teeth whitening is cost effective and simpler!

Method #2: Home teeth whitening

In most cases, it is now possible to get the same teeth whitening effects at home as it is at a dental office. Office whitenings have been reduced by the advent of at-home procedures, although millions of advertising dollars still compete with the home procedures.

Teeth whitening was a complicated process, until a few years ago. For many people home teeth whitening was not a viable option, as it was too hard getting the fitted mouthpieces made for each person.

Essentially, there are 3 different home teeth whitening options available

Teeth whitening option #1 – brush-on whitening

This is a good concept, where you brush on the formula, allow it to dry, then leave it your teeth overnight. Does not sound complicated, right?

The truth is that this method is meant for people that want an easy shortcut without spending the time to do it right.

There are two main problems with brush on teeth whitening:

1. When you apply the teeth whitening formula, it should be allowed to dry on the teeth. This is okay in theory, however, if the teeth whitening formula gets wet, it’s easy to accidentally remove parts of the formula. And what do you think happens when only part of your teeth is rubbed with teeth whitening formula? That’s right – the whitening result is not there! You wind up with patches.

2. As far as I can see, the second disadvantage of brush-on teeth whitening is the ingredients. The leading ingredient of any leading brush-on whitener is alcohol. Your breath smells foul with alcohol! Most of these brush-on teeth whitening formulas also contain glycerin, which will dry the enamel of your teeth and cause increased tooth sensitivity.

Teeth whitening option #2 – strips you stick on your teeth

In second place within home whitening options comes whitening strips. The main draw of this teeth whitening option is ease of use, as they’re easy to use and there is no preparation. Again, shortcuts are preferred by everyone, correct? However, with teeth whitening you once again get what you put into it. Let us elaborate…

Whitening strips tend to be designed as two strips pressed against the outside of your teeth. Consider this for a moment … Are your teeth completely flat? No! There are recesses and grooves, especially between your teeth. Picture a freshly painted fence, only you didn’t paint the grooves between any of the boards. The fence would not look very pretty, would it? Even with nice paint on the outside, the grooves between the boards would still have the old, unwanted look.

Teeth whitening strips can cause this same effect to happen to your teeth. The dingy cracks become more obvious when your teeth become whiter. After awhile it appears that you have small holes between each tooth. This is definitely not the result you had been hoping for.

Teeth whitening option #3 – trays with bleaching gels

This option remains the best choice as far as being efficient and affordable. Now, let’s give you a few tips and secrets about teeth whitening.

Firstly, there is not much difference between the teeth whitening gels that are available with your dentist. There is not much difference between dentists, as there are very few manufacturers who produce the gels.

Secondly, the quality of the teeth whitening gels at retail stores is not great. Not only have they been sitting around for a potentially long time, but they are also at a low concentration due to their low cost. Many of these older teeth whitening gels use only a 16% concentration of carbamide peroxide.

What should be your next move after gaining this new teeth whitening knowledge?

There are four basic steps to ensuring you whiten your teeth to their full potential.

1. Brush your teeth with oxygenating toothpaste before whitening, as it will strengthen your gums and help with sensitivity. You can be positive, this way, that the whitening gel applies to the enamel of your tooth, instead of the plaque on it.

2. It’s best to use the strongest teeth whitening gel to make sure that your time whitening your teeth isn’t wasted. Using a 21% carbamide peroxide concentrated teeth whitening gel will reduce the sensitivity of your gums and teeth. This concentration percentage means that in a short period of time, the teeth will become whiter.

3. By using an oxygenating oral rinse, you can enhance the effect of the teeth whitening after treatment. Keep in mind that you should not use a mouthwash with alcohol in it because this can interfere with the bleaching process — plus, it dries out your mouth!

Lastly, this teeth whitening system should be followed for 5 continuous days. If you wish, you can even do the top and bottom arch separately, for comfort. It is GUARANTEED that your smile will be noticeably whiter after that.