Local Dental Care - Bleach Teeth Whitening

Carbamide Peroxide for Teeth Whitening

Teeth bleaching is a way of chemically lightening the color of your teeth. The most common tooth bleaching agent used to whiten teeth is peroxide. Yes, that's the same thing "bottle blondes" use to bleach their hair! But peroxide comes in different chemical forms, and you can bet the kind you put on your teeth isn't quite the same as the kind you might use to lighten your hair.

Carbamide peroxide is the teeth whitening agent used in most commercial teeth whitener products. Laser teeth whitening at the dentist's office, on the other hand, uses the stronger teeth whitening agent, hydrogen peroxide. By law, dentists can use and prescribe more concentrated teeth bleaching agents than can be used in over-the-counter teeth whiteners.

While professional teeth whitening is the fastest route to white teeth, it's also more expensive than using the carbamide peroxide whiteners that are available at grocery stores and pharmacies. Since these products have lower levels of peroxide in them, it takes longer to bleach teeth effectively. However, carbamide peroxide is safer for you to use at home. It's just not safe to use a stronger bleaching agent without a dentist's supervision; you could inadvertently damage your teeth or gums.

Lots of tooth whiteners contain carbamide peroxide. Whitening toothpaste and whitening strips are some of the most popular options, but they're not the only ones. You can get a bleaching paste that you wear in bleaching trays over your teeth. You can get bleaching gel that you paint onto your teeth. Or you can go to your dentist for instant whitening -- it all depends on how fast you want a new bright smile!

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.

Teeth Whitener Options: Different Ways to Brighten Your Teeth

"Tooth whitening" is a broad term, and it's sometimes hard to know what's the right tooth whitener for you. Wondering what your options are?

• Teeth whitening or laser bleaching at the dentist's office
• At-home bleaching kits provided by your dentist
• Over-the-counter tooth whiteners sold at pharmacies, grocery stores, etc.

You'll get the most dramatic results if you see your dentist for instant whitening. Dentists apply a powerful bleaching agent to your teeth for a short period of time. (In laser teeth whitening, the dentist uses laser light to activate the bleaching agent.) The appointment typically takes about an hour and can lighten teeth by a number of shades. For deep-down tooth stains, multiple sessions may be required to achieve maximum brightness.

Your dentist can also give you a kit that allows you to bleach your teeth in the comfort and privacy of your own home. Your dentist will take molds of your teeth to create customized dental trays; made of thin plastic, the trays slide over your teeth and provide a tight seal. Each day (or night), you'll put a small amount of bleaching paste or gel in the trays, then slide them over your teeth. Most people wear the trays for about half an hour a day for two weeks.

If you're skipping the dentist and buying tooth whiteners at the store without a prescription, you're not getting the same type of whitening offered by cosmetic dentists. These products will do the job, but they will never be as effective as what you'll get from a dentist. By law, over-the-counter tooth whitening products cannot use as strong of bleaching agents as those used by licensed dentists.

These commercial products come in a number of forms. Whitening toothpaste has been around for a long time, and whitening strips have become increasingly popular. They may provide a bleaching gel that you paint on your teeth or apply via one-size-fits-all bleaching trays.

In considering your teeth bleaching options, you should ask yourself how much money you're willing to spend and how many shades whiter you want your teeth to be. Your dentist can also help you decide what's the right method for you.

+Jim Du Molin is a leading Internet search expert helping individuals and families connect with the right dentist in their area. Visit his author page.