Tooth Whitening Solutions

How to Pick The Right Toothpaste

2009-07-01T22:27:00.001-07:00

It's important to brush twice a day, but what toothpaste is best to use? The drugstore shelves are full of choices and we're barraged by media claims that the right toothpaste can help you eliminate cavities, rid yourself of tartar buildup, bad breath, and gingivitis, and restore discolored teeth to a pearly white.

In a recent University of California Berkeley Wellness Newsletter, the various claims for toothpastes are examined. We recommends that you approach toothpaste advertising with great skepticism.

Tips for use

We recommend that you look for the following when you select a toothpaste:

* Always buy toothpaste that contains fluoride.

* Be careful when considering toothpastes that claim they can whiten your teeth. These toothpastes use abrasives that can create sensitivity. In fact, toothpastes that prevent tartar buildup - because tartar is the most significant cause of tooth discoloration - do more to whiten teeth than these specialty whitening brands.

* Most toothpastes that say they combat bad breath merely mask the smell. If you have chronic bad breath, it's time for a visit to the dentist.

* Another clue that it's time to see the dentist is if you're sensitive to hot or cold food and drink. Rather than masking the symptoms, find out if there's a cause, such as decay or a cracked tooth. If you do need a toothpaste to help you limit sensitivity, your dentist will help you select one. Such toothpastes usually need a week or two of regular use before you feel a difference.

* We believe that the abrasive qualities of baking soda are too harsh for extended use. And using baking soda alone, without fluoride, is not recommended. Flavors such as cinnamon can irritate your mouth. If you find it does, try switching to a different brand.

* Natural toothpastes - as long as they contain fluoride - can be safely used.

* You don't need more than a dab of toothpaste. But it's important that you brush twice a day and reach every surface of your mouth with that dab, using either an electric or manual toothbrush. Whatever you may choose, we recommend you brush with soft, nylon, rounded bristles.

Dr. Jan Linhart, D.D.S. of Manhattan is one of America's top restorative dentists, according to the Castle Connolly Consumer Guide, the Consumers' Research Council of America, and his patients. Dr. Linhart has mastered the most challenging cosmetic and surgical dental procedures, including porcelain laminate veneers dental implants and laser tooth whitening Over the years, Dr. Jan Linhart has been profiled in a number of prominent magazines, journals and newspapers, including New York Magazine, Dental Economics, Newsweek and InStyle magazine. For more information about choosing the right toothpaste or other oral health related concerns, please call us at 212.682.5180 or contact us through our website.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._Jan_LinhartHow to Pick The Right Toothpaste

Are Tooth Whitening Kits as Effective as a Visit to The Dentist?

2009-06-25T22:23:00.000-07:00

Why do you want whiter teeth? There are several reasons why whiter teeth are highly sought after today. Whiter teeth are often associated with beauty and they convey the image of a healthy lifestyle. People with whiter teeth tend to smile more and almost always have a higher self-esteem. A whiter smile can help to minimize facial wrinkles and can make you look more youthful. Chances are whiter teeth will provide a friendlier appearance and help you be more attractive to people.

With so many reasons to whiten your smile, it's only natural to find more and more teeth whitening kits available for sale. The low-cost and easy in-home use of over-the-counter tooth whitening kits have made them really popular. There's no question that home teeth whitening kits are one of the easiest ways to pursue your goal of a brighter smile. But are these tooth whitening kits as effective as visiting your dentist for professional treatment? Can the same results be achieved at home? And how long will the results last?

There are actually several solutions that you can purchase from your local pharmacy or superstore that promise whiter teeth. These include whitening toothpastes, whitening gels and teeth whitening strips. These low-cost remedies might be effective in some situations. But for the most part, only people with minimal tooth discoloration will find these treatments satisfactory. To make a really big difference in the appearance of your teeth, you'll need to move beyond these basic whitening products to teeth whitening kits.

Most teeth whitening kits have some sort of tray. The tray (usually plastic) is designed to fit your mouth. Once the tray is filled with a whitening gel, you place the tray in your mouth and the gel comes into contact with your teeth. You leave the tray on for a specified period of time and repeat the treatment daily or perhaps twice a day for several weeks. The gel is usually some sort of peroxide-based chemical agent that removes stains through the process of oxidation. Tooth whitening kits go beyond the simple polishing action of whitening toothpastes and actually penetrate your tooth enamel in order to accomplish the job.

The real question is whether these over-the-counter tooth whitening kits can achieve the same results as tooth whitening kits provided by your dentist. Although these readily available teeth whitening kits can be effective for some, there are actually several advantages to the professional products provided by your dentist.

Teeth whitening kits provided by your dentist usually have a higher strength whitening gel. Higher concentrations of peroxide are possible because your dentist will be supervising the entire procedure. Even the in-home teeth whitening kits provided by your dentist usually require several visits to his office for monitoring.

Your dentist also provides a custom-fit tray for holding the whitening gel. Your dentist will take an impression of your bite and actually create a tooth whitening kit especially for you. This custom tray will have a much better fit than the one-size-fits-all tray that you find in over-the-counter tooth whitening kits. This means there'll be better contact between the gel in your teeth and contact with your gums will be minimized. So there'll be less chance of irritating your gums or other soft tissues in your mouth. Tooth whitening kits provided by your dentist may also include some extra protective measures for your gums that aren't available in kits you can purchase locally.

One of the biggest advantages of professional teeth whitening kits is the supervision provided by your dentist. He will be able to diagnose the source of your tooth discoloration and match the treatment for the best chance of effectiveness. He can keep track of how well it works and follow up afterwards to ensure that you keep your bright smile. With tooth whitening kits that you purchase at the pharmacy, you're on your own.

The biggest advantage that locally purchased teeth whitening kits have over professional treatments is cost. Services and products provided by your dentist will be much more expensive than the home tooth whitening kits that you buy on your own. But more than likely, professional treatments will last much, much longer. If you have severe, stubborn discoloration on your teeth and your budget can afford the fees, then a visit to your dentist is recommended. But if you think you can benefit from the use of home whitening kits from your corner store, there's certainly no harm in trying.

Teeth Whitening Kits are hassle free and simple to use. A teeth whitening kit typically consists of a tray and a teeth whitening gel. Please visit http://www.best-teeth-whiteners.com where you will find useful tips and information.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Jim_A._McDonald

Cosmetic Dentistry for a More Youthful Appearance

2009-06-23T22:33:00.000-07:00

The look of your teeth and gums obviously affects the overall beauty of your face, but most people are not aware of the different ways in which dental problems make you look older.

As we age, our teeth age with us. Some of these effects, such as stains and receding gum lines, are fairly obvious. Dental problems can have further reaching effects on your appearance, which you may not even realize are associated with your teeth and jaws. The muscle tension in your face, the distance from your nose to your chin, your overall profile, and even your posture are affected by your dental health - especially when teeth are ground away from wear over time.

Misaligned bite and tooth grinding

An overbite creates a recessed chin, which can cause a “turkey neck” appearance and a jowly look. An overbite also makes your teeth difficult to see when you smile and it makes your lips look very thin. An under bite creates a protruding chin and a “bulldog” look. Both accentuate the natural effects of aging, making you look older than you really are.

Even if you do not have an overbite or under bite, a misaligned bite of any kind contributes to temporomandibular joint disease (TMD). TMD (or TMJ) places strain on neck, shoulder, and back muscles, and can cause debilitating pain and headaches. TMJ can cause very poor posture, making you look and feel hunched, old, and tired. Your jaw posture affects your overall posture.

Tooth grinding not only damages your teeth, but it can affect the muscles in your face and your profile. Teeth can become visibly worn, chipped, and cracked. The distance between your chin and nose eventually decreases, and deep wrinkles can form.

Neuromuscular dentistry is an advanced form of dentistry, which corrects TMJ and bite problems relieving pain, improving the appearance, and preventing serious future dental problems.

Discoloration

As we age our teeth can become darker for many reasons. Stains caused by eating and drinking habits appear. Enamel deteriorates from years of brushing and dental erosion. As the nerve shrinks and is replaced by yellow tooth structure, teeth become darker from the inside out. Old fillings and crowns can also become strained or tarnished.

Tooth whitening is a good solution for some, and can have beautiful results. However, if discoloration is caused by deteriorating enamel or darkening on the inside of teeth porcelain veneers are a more effective and protective solution. Of course, metal fillings and crowns, older tooth-colored fillings, and crowns, which have become stained, should be replaced with porcelain.

Receding gum line

Bone loss is a natural result of aging and one way that it becomes visible is through gum shrinkage. Other things, such as gum disease and overly vigorous brushing, can cause gum lines to recede, as well. Subconsciously, we recognize a receding or uneven gum line as a sign of age, no matter what the cause. Laser gum re-contouring and gum grafts can correct the appearance of receding and uneven gum lines. An unbalanced bite is sometimes overlooked as a major cause of gum recession.

Crowded or missing teeth and gaps

Crowded and missing teeth are also recognized subconsciously as signs of aging. Crowded teeth can be improved by tooth straightening. Missing teeth and gaps can be addressed in many ways. Depending on the size and position of the gap, porcelain veneers, bonding, and tooth implants can all be good solutions for missing teeth and gaps.

A smile makeover takes into account all of these issues, and can be as effective - or more effective - than a facelift or other cosmetic surgery, in restoring a youthful appearance. For example, many times patients will get a chin implant to achieve a prominent chin, when correcting the jaw posture solves the problem non-surgically.

San Francisco cosmetic dentist Josh Bernstein can help you combat the effects of age. Visit his website to learn more about some of the advanced cosmetic and neuromuscular dentistry treatments available today and how they can help you look and feel better.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Josh_Bernstein

Professional Tooth Whitening

2009-06-20T21:48:00.000-07:00

Professional tooth whitening refers to tooth-whitening procedures that are performed by a certified cosmetic dentist. Thus, these procedures are those that are effectively performed and executed. For executing simple professional tooth whitening, dentists use bleaching agents on the patient’s teeth. Bleaching treatments are considered to be the best whitening option.

Professional tooth-whitening treatments can be categorized as those that are performed by a dentist in the office and those that are performed at home (where the bleaching treatments are performed unsupervised by the person on his own).

Professional tooth-whitening systems contain carbamide peroxide, which is the same ingredient as that found in at-home tooth-whitening kits. The only difference between the two is in the concentration. Most of the over-the-counter kits contain a carbamide peroxide solution of 10 percent or less, whereas the concentrations of the same in professional tooth-whitening gels usually begin at 15 percent.

Professional tooth-whitening methods are completely safe and produce no harmful side effects. Some patients may experience some tooth sensitivity for a while. However, the symptoms are temporary and usually disappear once the treatment is completed. Clinical studies have shown that about one out of twenty users experiences tooth and gum sensitivity, so it is best that patients make use of professional help in tooth whitening.

In comparison to other methods of tooth whitening, professional tooth whitening has many advantages because professional tooth-whitening kits work better. Also, professional tooth whitening can be performed in one sitting, and it produces immediate results. However, professional tooth-whitening gels may cause tooth and gum sensitivity and are expensive compared to at-home tooth-whitening kits. As far as reliability and safety are concerned, professional tooth whitening is undoubtedly the better choice.

Tooth Whitening provides detailed information on Tooth Whitening, Professional Tooth Whitening, Laser Tooth Whitening, Tooth Whitening Systems and more. Tooth Whitening is affiliated with Philadelphia Cosmetic Dentists.
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