Teeth whitening procedures have become very common in today’s society for a number of reasons. It’s a common procedure used by a number of people to improve their looks. There are more and more drinks and foods which result in discoloration or staining of teeth. What causes our teeth to loose their color? Red wine, certain kinds of food, coffee and smoking are some of the causes for our teeth to loose their natural color.

There are several kinds of whitening procedures that are available today. There is surface, found in chewing gum and toothpaste, which focuses on removing coffee and cigarette stains. If people’s teeth require agents that are stronger then they can go to a cosmetic dentist who is able to provide a person with stronger agents. People today want healthy white smiles and over time people tend to find that perfect white smile disappearing. Other whitening techniques that are available in the market are chemical whitening, mild acid whitening, abrasive teeth brightening, and laser teeth whitening.

There are three different types of whitening techniques that a person uses. There is in-office bleaching, where the patient goes to the dentist office and gets their teeth whitened or bleached. The dentist will apply a whitening agent that contains Hydrogen Peroxide on the patient’s teeth. Then he will activate the Hydrogen Peroxide by using a light or laser source, which when activated will break down into water and the agent. The agent will attach itself to the molecules that are causing the stains and make them weak. This procedure will take 45 minutes and in that time the patients smile will be given a new look. The dentist will show the patient various illustrations of different shades of white that can be achieved. Once the procedure is complete, the dentist can see the results of their work immediately. There are a few disadvantages to this kind of whitening - one is the cost the patient incurs and second is that they may have sensitive teeth for some time after the procedure.

A number of patients prefer the at-home whitening treatment option. The patient can buy whiteners prescribed by a dentist or simply buy whiteners that are available off the shelf at their local pharmacy. A dentist will recommend a whitening kit, which will consist of a gel this is applied the teeth. This application may either last a few minutes or some require the gel be kept on all night. Usually takes 10 days for results to be noticed but can happen as soon as 5 days in some instances.