The quest for a whiter, brighter smile leads many people to a logical place: The dentist’s chair. In fact, whitening is one of the most common cosmetic dental treatments. Dentists have many options for professional teeth whitening that can meet different needs—and different budgets. What most people want to know before getting started is the...
Even someone with perfectly straight teeth might be unhappy with their smile. Tooth stains and discoloration can make them embarrassed to grin or show their teeth. Indeed, whiter teeth can boost self-confidence, and often give a healthier, more youthful appearance. There are quite a few teeth whitening options for dull, dingy, discolored teeth. The choices...
Teeth can become stained over time by foods like coffee, tea, and wine, as well as from smoking or from certain medications and health conditions. Teeth also tend to darken in color as people age. The quest for a whiter, brighter smile is so common that tooth whitening is now a multi-billion-dollar industry. Within that...
If you are sending out Holiday Greetings this year, you’re in good company: In the U.S. alone, Americans send out roughly 1.6 billion greeting cards for Christmas, according to the Greeting Card Association. More and more of those cards are being personalized, often with family photos. If there is a chance you’ll have your photo...
Teeth whitening is a cosmetic procedure. This means that it is an elective procedure, rather than something that is necessary for the person’s health. Unfortunately most insurance, even dental insurance, does not cover cosmetic dentistry. A lack of insurance coverage does not have to rule out whiter teeth. There are things that you can do...
Most people are familiar with hydrogen peroxide and might even have that familiar brown bottle in their medicine cabinet. In addition to its disinfectant properties, it is also a main ingredient in teeth whitening products. People may be less aware of carbamide peroxide, but it, too, can whiten teeth. Whether going to the dentist for...
When a product works better and faster than the competition, people expect a higher price. Teeth whitening is no different. That is not to say that an inexpensive product from the drugstore won’t work to brighten teeth in some cases. But overall, professional whitening at a dental office tends to get better, more consistent results....
Teeth whitening at the dentist, or even with some at-home kits, is often a two-part process. Along with a bleaching agent that is applied to the teeth, an instrument called a curing light is moved over the teeth to help activate the chemicals. Because some curing lights use UV technology (others are halogen or LED),...
The search for whiter teeth is a common one. Whitening products and procedures are a multi-billion-dollar industry. There are several options on the market to choose from, both do-it-yourself products and those applied in a professional setting. The cost, safety, and results can vary widely depending on where you get your teeth whitened. Before choosing...
There are plenty of reasons to get teeth whitened: In anticipation of being in a wedding, for example. But what would be a simple decision for most women gets a little more complicated for those who are pregnant. Are teeth whitening and pregnancy a bad combination? In its recommendations about dental care during pregnancy, the...