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Things That Whiten the Teeth

Your diet and daily habits can discolor your teeth, turning a beautiful smile full of white, pearly teeth into a stained grin. Cigarettes, coffee, cola, wine and other products can stain your teeth. Excess fluoride from toothpastes and your water supply can also cause discoloration. There are several solutions available that can whiten your teeth to create a picture-perfect smile.

  1. Power Whitening

    • Power whitening uses light technology called photopolymerization to whiten your teeth. This procedure is performed by a dentist. Power whitening uses a high concentration of hydrogen peroxide that is applied to your teeth four times in 15-minute intervals for an hour. Results are usually profound and almost immediate, but this procedure is also very expensive compared with other teeth-whitening options. Teeth hypersensitivity is also an issue because of the peroxide concentration.

    Strips

    • Whitening strips do not need to be applied by a dentist and can be purchased in various stores. This whitening system uses tiny amounts of hydrogen peroxide concentrations ranging from 3 percent to 10 percent placed on clear, plastic strips that you apply to your teeth. Whitening strips are cheaper than a dentist visit but take longer to work, and the strips may not stay in position.

    Trays

    • Trays come in two varieties --- pre-formed or the boil-and-bite system. The pre-formed trays look and feel like teeth-whitening strips. They are placed on the front of the teeth and line up with the inside surface. Trays are more secure and allow better placement compared with strips.

      The boil-and-bite system uses plastic trays that are softened in hot water and bitten into, which creates a mold around the teeth. A whitening agent is then placed into the mold and into your mouth to whiten your teeth.

    Baking Soda

    • Baking soda can be used to clean and whiten your teeth. It can remove or lighten stains and plaque that can lead to a brighter smile. It can also be combined with hydrogen peroxide to create an effective toothpaste. However, it is dangerous and toxic to swallow baking soda or hydrogen peroxide.

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