How to Whiten Teeth: Procedures

If you are concerned about your teeth stains then you must be wondering about how to whiten teeth.

You can whiten your teeth at home or you can get an in-office dental whitening treatment.

Though before choosing a proper dental treatment you may want to experiment with home remedies.

This article discusses the different methods on whitening teeth.

Learn about all the procedures that may help you get rid of your yellow teeth and smile brightly with whiter teeth.

 

Why Should You Whiten Teeth?

Your teeth will eventually start to stain over the years as your enamel weakens and your dentin becomes apparent.

It is harder to remove stains from the dentin as compared to the tooth enamel.

Teeth stains emerge from intrinsic and extrinsic discoloration.

You can clean extrinsic stains by using home remedies, whitening products and teeth whitening procedures in the dentist’s office.

This discoloration is a result of the food we eat and our habits.

The colored drinks and foods(such as coffee, berries and red wine), as well as smoking, can cause your teeth’ enamel to stain on the outside.

Whitening toothpaste can also remove these stains over time.

However, intrinsic stains are mostly on the inside of your teeth or on the dentin.

Hence, it is harder to remove them from your teeth using only remedies.

Staining has different shades. It is not only a light yellow color but also darker shades of yellow and brown.

You can use teeth whitening systems such as:

• Whitening Toothpaste
• Whitening Gels
• Strips
• Trays
• Whitening Rinses

Or you can choose home remedies such as oil pulling, baking soda, lemon and much more.

If you feel even a slight bit underconfident due to your teeth, then you should try whitening treatments.

Yellow teeth may lower your self-esteem and they may represent the quality of a person’s oral hygiene in public situations.

Even if that isn’t true, people may think that you don’t take adequate care of your teeth and oral hygiene if your teeth look yellow.

Therefore, if you feel like gaining your bright smile back, keep reading to adopt these whitening methods.

 

How to Whiten Teeth At Home?

Oil Pulling 

If you are wondering how to make teeth white naturally from yellow then you need to try a few home remedies.

Oil pulling is an ancient technique that popularly uses coconut oil or sesame oil to remove toxins from the mouth.

Though you can use other oils as well such as sunflower oil.

This technique whitens teeth by removing plaque as you swish the oil inside your mouth across all your teeth.

It is an effective procedure as the bacteria that causes plaque and eventually, gingivitis reduces due to it.

According to a research, the number of Streptococcus mutans decreased significantly in one week of oil pulling.

Therefore, you can use it to get whiter teeth by reducing the buildup of plaque.

Baking Soda 

Another popular home remedy is to use baking soda.

You can combine baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to make toothpaste or you can directly brush some baking soda to your teeth.

Make your paste by mixing a tablespoon of baking soda with two tablespoons of hydrogen peroxide.

Start by brushing for 2 minutes twice a day for a week and notice any changes.

Baking soda helps to reduce bacteria and plaque in the mouth while hydrogen peroxide has whitening properties.

However, you should use it with care and sparsely as regular use of hydrogen peroxide can cause tooth sensitivity.

Using Fruits 

You can whiten teeth with lemon, banana and orange peels.

These fruits contain citric acid that can help to whiten teeth.

Hence, you can gently rub the fruit peels on your teeth for one or two minutes and then brush your teeth later.

Though there aren’t much researches to back this remedy.

Furthermore, the acid in these fruit peels can eventually erode your enamel and act as mild abrasives.

You should stop it as soon as you feel sensitivity in your teeth.

Eating Healthy Fruits and Vegetables Rich in Water Content 

If you eat crunchy fruits after your meal, it can help clear the bacteria in your mouth.

This is because it stimulates saliva production and clears all acids in your mouth.

Moreover, fruits and vegetables that are rich in water content can reduce plaque and bacteria.

Fruits such as strawberries and pineapple also have whitening properties that can remove stains.

Overall a diet that contains fruits and vegetables is healthier and will protect your teeth and gums from cavity tooth decay, and gum disease.

 

Removing Stains Using Teeth Whitening Products

Apart from natural home remedies, you can also use tooth whitening systems to remove yellow and brown stains off your enamel.

However, you should talk to your dentist before using them especially if you have sensitivity, dental work like tooth fillings, extremely dark stains or any restorations.

These products contain carbamide peroxide which helps to whiten the teeth in order to remove the stains.

It will range from 10 to 20 percent in concentration. Start from the lowest and gradually progress if that does not have any effect on your teeth.

One such product is right in your washroom, the toothpaste.

• Toothpaste

All toothpaste helps to remove stains at a surface level however, whitening toothpaste may contain chemical agents and a higher concentration of carbamide peroxide which removes stains.

They can lighten the shade of your teeth by one shade.

• Mouthwash and rinses

You can also use mouth rinses to swish out bacteria, plaque and acids from your mouth.

The mouthwashes and rinses that contain hydrogen peroxide can also whiten your teeth while clearing off the bacteria.

Though the rinse is in less contact with teeth hence, you will not see immediate results.

In fact, results may take up to 12 weeks to show any change.

Rinses are not as effective as strips and trays that stay in the mouth for up to 30 minutes. Learn about them below.

However, they still help to prevent gingivitis by cleaning plaque and promote oral health.

Plus, they will show a whitening effect eventually, even if it takes longer.

• Strips, Gels and Mouth Trays

Teeth whitening strips are full of gel with hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide.

Y can apply these strips to your teeth for 30 minutes.

These are transparent hence, no one else might notice that you have them on.

You will see a significant difference in a matter of weeks which can last up to 4 months.

You can also apply these whitening gels separately.

Apply them directly to your teeth with a given brush for 2 weeks.

You will notice results in a few days that will have last longer.

The mouth trays are like mouth guards that fill up with the same whitening gel to use a few hours in a day and all night.

You will require to wear them at least for 4 weeks depending on the extent of your discoloration.

You can get these over-the-counter or your doctor can recommend you use mouth trays after your dental whitening procedure.

After they are done with the whitening procedure, these trays can help you sustain your whiter teeth for longer.

If you are using any whitening system at home then be careful about using it with proper instructions.

Do not let it stay longer than the instructions indicate, moreover do not apply them on sensitive teeth.

 

How to Whiten Teeth In Office?

An in-office treatment in a dentist’s clinic will either be a Zoom Teeth Whitening Session, Teeth Cleaning or Scaling and Polishing.

Scaling and Polishing as well as Teeth Cleaning will help to remove the plaque and tartar in your teeth that cause gum and periodontal disease.

This cleaning will also clean off the stains that make your teeth look yellow.

However, a zoom whitening or a bleaching treatment will whiten your teeth up to 8 shades.

You can select the whiteness of your teeth and your doctor may proceed accordingly.

The gels in the dentist’s office are much stronger than the whitening gels available over-the-counter.

Hence, their result is more effective.

Moreover, it also uses Blue LED light which breaks down the hydrogen peroxide in the gel to oxygen which helps to whiten the teeth.

This procedure can last up to an hour and your teeth may feel slightly sensitive immediately but they will be fine eventually.

Another in-office procedure to whiten teeth is Laser Teeth Whitening.

However, unlike Zoom Whitening, this procedure applies to each tooth individually.

Hence, zoom whitening ensures that all teeth are of the same shade.

People who have a high gag reflex may initially find the procedure difficult but your dentist will calm you down and give you medicines to do so.

Therefore, for them, it is better to choose laser dental whitening.

The results of an in-office treatment are more long-lasting than home remedies and whitening systems.

You will also get instant results in only an hours’ time.

Moreover, visiting a dentist had additional benefits.

They can check if your teeth are completely clean or require any restorations.

Though, even if you want an effective and fast solution to your yellow teeth, you should opt for dental whitening procedures.

 

Finally,

We have thoroughly covered how to whiten teeth.

You can either use home remedies, whitening systems or in-office procedures.

However, you will have to wait if you choose remedies and systems while you can get immediate results through dental whitening.

Choose what you think is best for you!