We all seek a pristine smile, which sadly is absolutely impossible as teeth darken as we grow older. It is natural for teeth to turn yellowish, brownish with age. This is where teeth whitening comes in.

This article will mainly cover the aspects that surround teeth whitening. Things like the proper care needed to make it last, what causes the stains in the first place, and the general ways to achieve teeth whitening.

So if you are interested in knowing about teeth whitening or curious about knowing more about everything, you will get a good idea of what teeth whitening entails and how it is achieved.

What the teeth whitening procedure entails

We all want to have that flawless, white smile. But think about it, it would be futile if you do not take care of it! Proper care such as brushing and flossing everyday is needed for it to last a long time like intended. Imagine it as owning a car, if you do not proper care of it then it will look more and more neglected.

Now, let’s talk a little bit about the treatment itself and what it does. Teeth whitening treatment typically uses one of two methods: hydrogen peroxide or laser treatment.

With hydrogen peroxide, the dentist uses a whitening gel at high concentrations. This is done with the proper measures and techniques to get the best results. The process works on the tooth enamel to remove all of the stains that darken its color. If the proper measures are not taken, then it is very likely that you will experience some level of discomfort, as it leaves your tooth sensitive and gums irritated by the whitening gel.

With laser treatment, the dentist makes use of more advanced technology to achieve the same result. But this time quicker and with zero side effects.

Also, just in case you were wondering, it is totally okay to get certain teeth whitened to match the others. It is not necessary to whiten all the teeth at once. And also consult with your dentist before hand as to what would work best for your teeth.

You can contact us anytime to get in touch with Los Algodones dentist with very affordable prices compared to that of the States and Canada.  Not only do they study in the US and take yearly courses, they are also fluent in English, too.

What stains your teeth and what to do

As previously mentioned, since we want to ensure you have a good dental hygiene, it is important to know a little bit of everything regarding what naturally stains your teeth.

You see, as we grow older, the dentin of our teeth naturally darkens. Also if you have a thinner tooth enamel, it will be easier to notice the darker color in your teeth.

For you to keep your teeth without stains for as long as possible, there are a set of habits to do and avoid. So be wary of these things as they can cause stain on the teeth:

• Staining foods and drinks such as berries, coffee, red wine, tea stain the surface of your teeth. You can rinse your mouth with water after consuming these for them to not be as harmful.
• Grinding your teeth hurts your dentin. The dentin inside your tooth grows darker as it repairs itself. Same goes for hitting or falling on a tooth.
• Also excessive amounts of fluoride (fluorosis) can affect the color of your teeth.

Two types of stains

As for the types of stains, there are two types: extrinsic and intrinsic discolorations:

• Extrinsic discoloration. This refers to the stains on the surface of the tooth. Things such as smoking, ingesting dark foods affect the outer surface of the tooth. Products that only target the surface are non-bleaching.
• Intrinsic discoloration. This one is about the stains inside the tooth. The dentin, which is just after the tooth enamel, grows darker and darker with age and as it repairs itself. Products that contain hydrogen peroxide are capable of bleaching the dentin to make it a lighter color.

There are certain products you can use at home to also bleach and whiten your teeth. Such as over-the-counter whitening toothpastes, whitening strips and gels, whitening rinses and tray-based tooth whiteners. These products as well as well as the tooth whitening procedure are available at much more accessible prices here in Dental del Rio in Los Algodones, Mexico. Feel free to contact us if you are interested!