Advantages and Disadvantages of Tooth Whitening

Posted by administrator Sunday, December 21, 2008


Tooth Whitening is one of the gifts of modern health care. It came as a revolutionary treatment that could convert dark embarrassing smiles in to pleasant adorable ones. Looking back to the advent of tooth whitening, it can be viewed as a major milestone for cosmetic dentistry. But wait! We are not here to discuss the history of tooth whitening. You have, I estimate, landed on this article to check out the advantages and disadvantages of tooth whitening so that you can determine whether it is safe for you to go for tooth whitening.

Before I pour you with advantages and disadvantages of different tooth whitening systems, it might be worthwhile to understand how the concept of tooth whitening works. So what's the magic chemical that is in the various tooth whitening agents that make the teeth whiter. Most tooth whitening agents that show good results have a bleaching agent commonly hydrogen peroxide or sometimes carbamide peroxide. This bleaching agent (oxidizing agent) simply bleaches the teeth which makes them look whiter. So what is bleached actually? Technically speaking, the bleaching agent penetrates the teeth in to enamel and dentin and bleaches (oxidizes) the stain deposits thus making the teeth look whiter.
Now moving on to the advantages and disadvantages of tooth whitening, I will outline the pros and cons of different kinds of tooth whitening systems. This is because, each whitening system has its own share of advantages and disadvantages and it's impossible to list them generally as a whole.

Tooth whitening chewing gums
Advantages

-Not an issue if you are a regular gum chewer
-No side effects or hazards associated with it.
-Chewing gums are really easy on the pocket. -Gums improve saliva flow in mouth which also maintains good oral hygiene.

Disadvantages

-If you plan to whiten your teeth by starting to chew gums, you might be in for a tough task as it takes long and is a tedious process.
-Long duration of treatment required (First signs of improvement appear around 6 weeks)
-It is not much effective and a difference of around one shade is generally seen.

Tooth Whitening tooth paste

Advantages

-Not required to do anything fancy. Just brush away with the given tooth paste.
-No sensitivity, pain or irritation associated with whitening pastes.
-They are priced slightly above your normal toothpaste and hence bear no burden on your pocket.

Disadvantages

-Though promising much, most tooth whitening pastes fail to deliver. The results are disappointing for most people.
-Many experts have claimed normal toothpastes are just as effective as these so called tooth whitening pastes.

In house teeth whitening kits

Tooth Whitening Gels

Advantages

-Are reasonably effective (Shade difference of 2-3 is often seen)
-Available over-the-counter and hence no hassle in getting them.
-No major side effects or problems associated with it except temporary discomfort and sensitivity.
-Reasonably priced when compared to the expensive In-office treatments by a Dental professional.

Disadvantages

-The one size fits all trays do not fit every one comfortably and hence reducing its effectiveness.
-If the gel coming in contact with gums, it may cause irritation and pain.
-Results vary greatly depending on brand and individuals.

In office teeth whitening systems

Advantages

-These are touted to be the most effective with a shade difference of 8-10 being achieved.
-Performed by a dental professional so that you don't have worry about being in safe hands .
-The procedure is painless with no complicated process you have to go through.
-The results achieved are long lasting and can be reasonably maintained by taking good care of your teeth.

Disadvantages

-Blisters, Cankers and swelling on lips have been reported by some people.
-Teeth sensitivity is a common side effect but it lasts for a few days.
-Excessive and repeated treatments wears your teeth.
-These professional whitening treatments costs a lot.

Check our latest article on different types of tooth whitening at our dental health blog

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

Blog Widget by LinkWithin

1 Responses to Advantages and Disadvantages of Tooth Whitening

  1. Anonymous Says:
  2. You are violating the terms of service at Ezine Articles by stripping out the authors resource box and not making links clickable. You have 48 hours to make the corrections or I will report it to EA and they will contact your blog host to have them enforce their Acceptable Use Policy.

    http://www.ezinearticles.com/terms-of-service.html

     

Post a Comment

Search

Recent Post

RSS Feed Subscribe posts via RSS FEED
Subscribe posts via email:

Delivered by FeedBurner

Followers