Keeping your teeth young
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Keeping your teeth young

As we get older suddenly we realised many things we didn't appreciate about being young - being fit, having smooth skin and having all your own teeth. As our loose teeth (and bridges) struggle to deal with chewier food we start eating bland mush and, there is no easy way to say this, OLD PEOPLE FOOD. I'm determined not to let that happen to me and I'm doing everything I can to keep my own teeth as long as possible, and when that's not possible to get the best possible teeth replacement. If you are like me and want to keep on eating whatever you want, I think you'll like my site. It's all about dental health and teeth replacement & maintenance.

Keeping your teeth young

What You Need To Know About Teeth Whitening

Mabel Hicks

As dental cosmetic procedures go, teeth whitening is probably the most common and most noticeable, capable of turning your smile into a dazzling thing of beauty. But if you're considering whitening your teeth, there are some things to be aware of so that you understand the limits and possibilities of this procedure. With that in mind, here's a rundown of what you need to know before you make that first trip to the dentist:

Insurance Won't Pay For It -- Dental insurers consider teeth whitening as a strictly cosmetic procedure, which eliminates it as a covered part of a dental insurance policy. The only possible exception would be if the whitening is required as the result of another covered procedure that stained your teeth. Therefore, it's important for you to calculate the costs of each type of teeth whitening knowing that you will bear the entire cost of the procedure.

Results Aren't Permanent - Whether you whiten your teeth in a dentist's office, or you use the at-home method, teeth whitening is not permanent. The rate at which your teeth will yellow again depends on the type of food you eat, because caffeine-heavy drinks such as tea and coffee, and confections such as chocolate tend to stain teeth in a shorter period of time. If you're a smoker, you will also likely shorten the longevity of the teeth whitening. Typically, however, you will have to whiten your teeth again within a year.

Two Methods Are Common -- In-office teeth whitening is the fastest way to see results. In this procedure, your dentist will apply a special whitening gel to your teeth and maximize the gel's effectiveness with ultraviolet light. This application is repeated several times, and within an hour, you will see significant whitening of your teeth. In-office whitening is more expensive than the second method, at-home whitening, in which your dentist takes an impression of your teeth to create a dental tray that you take home with whitening gel. The dental tray and gel are worn once a day for about twenty minutes, and within a few weeks, you will see whitening results. Although the at-home method may not yield the exact same results as the in-office method, it is still quite effective, and budget-friendly.

It Can't Eliminate All Stains -- Teeth whitening can only work on your natural teeth, so any stains on porcelain crowns or cavity fillings cannot be whitened. In addition, teeth whitening gels is not effective against stains caused by tetracycline.


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