Do you hide your smile? Have you ever noticed someone who covers their mouth when they laugh or smile? People tend to do this if they have crooked teeth, stained teeth or a missing tooth. They do not feel confident about their smile, so they cover it.
Drinking coffee and smoking are the common reasons why teeth become stained or yellow. Many people don’t realize this has a reasonably easy fix. Everyone should take the first step to visit their local dentist for a cleaning and check-up every six months. Problems with your teeth and gums can impact your overall health. Check-ups are essential.
Next, talk with your dentist about your issues with your smile. If you are unhappy with teeth that are stained or discoloured, your dentist will not be surprised! According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry(1), Americans spend 1.4 billion dollars, with a B, on whitening products each year. One survey showed over 80 per cent of citizens aged 18-49 want whiter teeth.
A confident smile matters. It makes a difference when you interview for a job, meet new people, or go out on dates. That is why so many advertisements offer ways to whiten your teeth, including a number that claim to be natural. The American Dental Association (ADA) is concerned that some of these options may be harmful to your teeth and gums. The safest route for you may be professional teeth cleaning.
Over the Counter Options
One of the most common advertised options is whitening toothpaste. It is not much of a choice because it doesn’t tend to produce a very noticeable change. Others you can purchase at the local drugstore are teeth whitening strips, whitening trays and LED whitening pens.
The whitening strips are the same no matter which brand you choose. You place them on your teeth for a certain amount of time each day for a few weeks. Results can be inconsistent since they don’t reach all areas of your teeth. They can make your teeth about two to four shades whiter.
The boil and bite whitening trays and the LED pens have about the same outcome. Your teeth may lighten a few shades but tend not to be consistent, as is true with most over the counter options.
Read: Popular Teeth Whitening Methods
Professional Teeth Cleaning
This treatment falls into a cosmetic dentistry category at your local dentist. Most offer laser whitening or a bleaching session. Both are simple and convenient ways to instantly take years of stains and age off of your teeth. By choosing treatments offered at your dentist, you can be sure that they are safe and comfortable options.
The treatments are tailored to you to give you the best results possible for your teeth. This is not possible with over the counter purchases. Laser whitening takes about 30 minutes at your dentist office. It whitens your teeth in several shades and can last up to five years. One side effect can be teeth sensitivity which is treated with a special toothpaste before the treatment.
Professional bleaching is also very effective. The treatment is only safe when done by a dentist. It whitens your teeth in some shades as well but may have to be done more than once. If sensitivity is caused, you can use toothpaste for sensitive teeth after your treatments.
Both men and women need to have a confident smile. It impacts so many areas of life, especially how you feel about yourself. You can join a large number of Americans in purchasing over the counter options or see your dentist for professional whitening treatments.
Take the time to choose and make an investment in self-care that will give you confidence when you show off your dazzling smile.
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