Tooth Whitening Products -The Big Anti Aging Picture
There are many tooth whitening products on the market. Having white teeth is an essential part of the anti aging formula. Anti aging means you've got to keep your eyes on the big picture, twenty years from now.
The darker more stained your teeth are, the older you’ll look. If you want to hang onto your youth, keeping teeth bright and brilliant is important.
However, as we age the harder and harder they are to keep white so we need help. You can get teeth whitened professionally for around $300 and UP. You can also do it yourself for a lot less money.
Like anything else, it's different strokes for different folks. There are many varying opinions on which tooth whitening products work and which ones don’t. A lot depends on YOU and your lifestyle.
The amount of time whiteners last depends on how much dark, staining food you have eaten or will continue to eat. If you drink six cups of coffee a day, whitening products are not going to last as long as for a person who drinks only one cup a day. That's why its always good to brush after your morning coffee!~
What's great about OTC tooth whitening products is that you can repeat their use over and over without ever visiting a dentist. However, you don't want to overuse them.
Frequent use of these products can make your teeth more sensitive to hot and cold. Always follow the directions on the products you use. If you whiten once every six months, you're not spending a lot of money and you’ll be saving your enamels.
Whichever system you decide to use, they only work on natural enamels. They will not bleach crowns, veneers or fillings.
Before you try tooth whitening products it’s a good idea to know whether they're OK for you to use them. You don't want to bleach something that you shouldn't and wind up having problems later.
OTC Tooth Whitening Products
Strips
There are different types of strips that bleach teeth. You can use some for five minutes a day every day, and some for 30 minutes a day for 10 days. They're safe and very easy to use. There are many strips to choose from like Listerine Whitening Quick Dissolve Strips, and Crest Whitestrips Dental Whitening Formula, just for starters. I had also heard that Crest Night Effects Whitening Gel Kit works pretty well. Most products unfortunately, seem to work differently on different people. Sometimes its just a process of elimination to know which ones will give you the best results.
Prices range from $16 to $40.
The strips compare to clear Band-Aids. Simply peel off the back of the product and wind it carefully across your top teeth and across your bottom teeth. Press them onto the teeth making sure that all of them stick properly. The bleach in the strips is what lifts the stains and whitens your teeth. Simply pull them off when you're finished.
I have always heard that Crest Toothpaste has the best whitening toothpaste on the market.
I would also think that Arm and Hammer works well, although I haven’t used their products for years. Baking soda has always been known for its ability to clean well. My grandad used to brush with baking soda only. Product for thought~
Crest Whitestrips cost between $24.99 and $39.99.
Ampules
"Go Smile" is the only company that makes this type of product.
It comes with little tubes/ampules and a sponge type brush. To use, bend the ampule (which has a clear liquid in it) and sponge it on your teeth. Wait five minutes at least before drinking anything. Spit out any saliva that forms in your mouth. You don't want to swallow the active ingredients. Unlike the strips, brushing the product on enables you to get into every nook and cranny. It's also fast and effective.
The cost is around $60 - $100 or more, depending on where you get them. The instructions say you should use it twice a day for seven to 10 days.
GOSMILE Zen Toothpaste For Sensitive Teeth is a new product by GOSMILE. Although it's not advertised as a whitener, I've read that it also helps to whiten teeth. It contains hydrated silica, a gentle abrasive, as well as cranberry extract, lavender oil, and fluoride.
From what I've read, B1 ampules work better than the new GOSMILE B2 ampules. Some say the new B2 ampules present some real problems while others love it.
You can also buy a variety of toothpaste flavors by GOSMILE for those who have adventurous tastebuds: GoSmile 5 senses toothpaste kit. Huh, who'd have thunk!
Trays
Tray tooth whitening products come with a tray that you fit into your mouth and a whitening gel that you put into the tray. You fill the trays provided with the bleach and then put them in your mouth for a given amount of time.
Most trays are one-size-fits-all, which can not only cause uneven bleaching, but hurt the gum tissue because the bleach can overlap the teeth into the gums. Plus White Whitening and Brightening System has some great reviews for it's lower price, and iWhite Light Activated Teeth Whitening Kit is a bit higher priced but also has some great reviews.
Paint On Whitening Gels
Paint on gels are easy to use tooth whitening products but less effective. You simply paint the fluid in the bottle onto the teeth and leave it for a given amount of time. They seem to be safe but if you lick your teeth or drink fluids, you'll take the bleach right off.
Colgate Simply White Night is one paint on product that I've tried in the past. I used one for a while and noticed only a very slight difference. I've read that this product has more peroxide in it than the original Simply White formula. You can buy these tooth whitening products for around $20.
Whitening Toothpastes
Personally I think that Crest Extra Whitening Toothpaste with Tartar control works VERY WELL for an ordinary toothpaste. Its works even better if you can manage to brush your teeth after each meal including lunch. (when I work at my other office, I have toothpaste and a brush I keep there~!)
Whitening toothpastes remove some of the stain off of your teeth, but they don’t bleach your teeth. They are a great way to maintain whiteness though.
Whitening Pens - Whitening pens are used to maintain whiteness and also have mixed reviews. Rembrandt Whitening Pen and iWhite Maintenance Stick are two popular pen like whiteners. You simply apply the whitener to your teeth using the pen tip. These are very much like paint on whiteners.
Which ever tooth whitening products you choose, remember that white teeth become harder to maintain as we age. The best practice for long-term white and healthy teeth is to practice good dental hygiene every day.
You’ve heard this all before:o)
Brush thoroughly after each meal with a soft-bristle toothbrush, floss or irrigate well, and be sure to brush after eating or drinking things that can stain teeth such as tea, coffee, and blueberries.
If you’re in a scrape and need to clean your teeth, and don’t have access to a toothbrush, see if you can find some cheese or an apple. These foods help eliminate plaque which cleans the enamel.
These two foods actually work better on teeth than chewing gum. (Gum freshens the breath but doesn’t clean as well…)
Also drinking lots of water or lemon water helps keep teeth clean and your body functioning at an optimum!
It is interesting to note that recent studies have found that strawberries and dark chocolate contain teeth-whitening enzymes.
Hmmmmm......
Sounds like a good date!!!
Dark chocolate and strawberries!!! YUMMY!
NEW! A Different Way to Get Teeth Clean and White!
The BONUS feature of the method is that the enzymes that are created in the mouth during the process, helps take tartar and other stains right off of your teeth. I've actually witnessed pieces of tartar in the sink when I get through oil pulling. It beats the heck out of going to the dentist and having them scrape it off! My teeth look whiter than they've looked in years! If you want white teeth, try oil pulling! Its inexpensive, effective, and a great tooth whitening resource!
There are many tooth whitening products to choose from. The bad news is that which ones work best for you will probably have to be determined by trial and error. The good news is that once you find one that works well, you can stick with it! Having white teeth is an integral part of the anti aging formula!
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