Dental hygiene, also known as oral hygiene, is the process by which preventative dental care is provided to avoid dental emergencies. At the core of dental hygiene is the in-home dental care regimen that you perform. Next is the professional preventative dental care provided by dentists and licensed dental hygienists. While you are responsible for day-to-day dental maintenance, dental hygienists play an integral role in preventative oral care in conjunction with the work of general dentists, family dentists, and cosmetic dentists.
Tooth brushing alone will not remove accumulated calculus (also called tartar or plaque) that builds up over time. It must be removed to avoid losing your teeth, as well as having to experience toothaches, cavities, root canals, tooth extractions, bridges, crowns, periodontal disease, and more.
Getting to the Root of Dental Hygiene
Over time, calculus builds up on the teeth. If calculus forms below the gum line, bacteria can form, creating a host of other dental problems. Furthermore, each tooth has several surfaces and areas between the teeth and under the gum line that must be maintained and treated on a regular basis in order to ensure proper dental hygiene. These areas are impossible for you to examine yourself.
Dental hygienists are often responsible for performing professional tooth cleaning, scraping hardened plaque (tartar), removing calculus deposits, taking x-rays, identifying changes in the bite (occlusion), investigating components that relate to the bone, and setting up the nitrous oxide (laughing gas) that is used for more invasive treatment, when necessary.
Your dentist works with your hygienist by further examining the teeth, mouth, and gums to provide any necessary treatment for tooth decay or periodontal disease. Regular dental visits are critical for dental hygiene at any age. The ADA recommends that patients visit with their dentist and dental hygienist a minimum of two times each year to maintain proper dental hygiene.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
Dental Hygiene
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Tooth Cares for Traumatic Tooth Injuries
Traumatic injuries to the natural teeth represent a common incidence of emergency room visits, and a perplexing problem for physicians, often untrained in the proper management of immediate dental care. After-hours emergency dental personnel may not be readily available quickly enough to prevent the unnecessary loss of traumatized anterior teeth.
Completely Avulsed Teeth
Adult teeth that have been partially or fully avulsed (luxated) from the mouth require urgent attention. Successful treatment is contingent on the time frame that lapses from the moment of impact to the time of re-implantation of teeth that are completely removed from their sockets. Treatment must commence prior to a visit to the dentist. If you have an avulsed tooth:
- Gently rinse the tooth in tap water if grossly contaminated.
- Do not attempt debridement of the tooth surface.
- Replace the tooth within its socket with minimum pressure.
- Remember that precise alignment is not as crucial as a quick response.
- Obtain immediate dental care. If circumstances such as contaminated wounds, extensive injuries, or multiple tooth loss preclude re-implantation of the tooth, transport it the dental office in a container of milk, preferably cool temperature.
The patient’s own saliva or water are secondary choices. Remember: Time is of the essence. Teeth re-implanted within the first hour have a significantly better prognosis. Professional treatment usually consists of approximate alignment of the tooth and light stabilization. Further trauma to the tooth and socket should be minimal. Splints are generally maintained for 7-10 days, with no biting force and diet instructions to avoid further disturbance. Root canal treatment is customarily performed two weeks after the injury to reduce the chance of unfavorable pulpal (nerve chamber) responses at a future date. An assessment of other facial and neurological injuries must always be considered, even if other injuries are not apparent. Lacerations that require sutures must be treated within 24 hours for ideal healing and minimum scar formation. Tetanus updates are often advisable for contaminated oral wounds, especially if a tooth has been re-implanted. Appropriate documentation may be necessary for legal and insurance considerations.
Partially Avulsed Teeth
A partially avulsed (subluxated) tooth -- one that has been loosened but not removed from its socket -- requires immediate care, though time is not quite as critical as for the total avulsion. The mouth should remain open sufficiently to avoid further disturbance to the loose tooth and immediate dental attention must be arranged. Do not attempt to forcibly reposition the tooth. The dentist will usually attempt to properly position the partially avulsed tooth, using minimal pressure. If more than an hour has lapsed, there may be a bleeding impediment within the socket to regain ideal placement. The tooth should be stabilized and biting forces removed. A partially avulsed tooth, incompletely repositioned, may be moved at a later time using orthodontic treatment.
Fractures of Natural Teeth
Management of fractures depends on the portion of the damaged tooth structure and require professional expertise. While time factors are not as critical as in the treatment of avulsed teeth, dental fractures may necessitate high priority attention, depending on the level of discomfort and cosmetic concerns. Traumatized teeth that exhibit momentary sensitivity to hot and cold do not generally command as much immediate attention as loose teeth, or those causing persistent pain. Treatment of dental fractures is dependent on many factors and often palliative, even temporary management is preferred. Pulpal damage assessment is complex and often not easily discernable at the time of the injury.
Prevention
The most predictable occurrence of dental injuries is sports related. Participants in contact sports should have an appropriate athletic appliance fabricated to avoid unnecessary tooth loss. The design of the mouth guard depends on the nature of the sport. Eye protection is of even greater importance, particularly in sports involving fast moving objects (even tennis balls may cause substantial ophthalmic injuries).
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Thursday, November 8, 2007
Some Natural Whitening Technique
Some Whitening Techniques
You can try at home in order save money and even time. Please make sure that you have a consultation with your doctor before you try home remedy. Brushes with sodium bicarbonate or hydrogen peroxide are popular suggestion. The sodium bicarbonate is an abrasive takes the risk-taking and the tooth enamel on the right side with repeated use. And we will not stand with hydrogen peroxide. While most of whitening gels with a concentration of hydrogen peroxide which is controlled. Brushes with chemical of yourself is risky, as you could accidentally taking.
We recommend some natural and safer in several way , From prevention, the more their teeth white. Many fruits are natural tooth cleaners. Potatoes and, above all, their own good teeth. Drink as much water as possible to keep away from soft drinks, including diet. Sweetened acids in the wear of your address, the display of your dentin is yellowish saying. Tap water especially fluorine, your address, to more than dentin yellow. And, of course, reduce coffee and tea for the reception and to stop smoking, the yellowing of the impact in their ways, so that your new life in the same search for health with a healthy smile.
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Sunday, November 4, 2007
Tooth Whitening Products
Over the counter kits
Over the counter (OTC) rates are available at most major pharmacies throughout the UK. Usually they contain rubber mouth tray(forms that are about the same shape as the teeth) and the tube of bleaching gel.
After a few presses of gel in the opening of the subjects that you put on your teeth for about 30 minutes at a time. The bleaching ingredient in the gel is usually the hydrogen peroxide. OTC kits contain only weakly hydrogen peroxide, and the tendency is not so effective that the strongest products, which can be used by the dentist.
Using of bleaching gel, it may not apply to certain types of discolouration, such as through the fillings in metal or damaged blood vessels within a tooth. Ask your dentist before using any of these kits, because it can be a more effective way to achieve the results that you are looking for.
Professional Tooth Bleaching
There are several possibilities that the dentist can bleach the teeth. They can be divided into external technical (where chlorine water is on the outer side of the teeth) and the technical internal (where the chlorine water is within the tooth).
External bleaching
This means that the color of the teeth will be facilitated by the freezing of money laundering and outside (external) of the surface of the teeth. Once more with tooth bleaching gel, it may not apply to certain types of dicolouration, such as through the fillings in metal or damaged blood vessels within a tooth. There are three ways of tooth bleaching.
- "Home" tooth bleaching - It is similar to the over-the-counter kits, but with two main differences. Firstly, your dentist makes the rubber mouth trays so that they fit your teeth precisely, and secondly, the bleaching gel is stronger so it tends to be more effective. Your dentist will give you tubes of bleaching gel and instructions on how to put the gel in the mouth trays. You will need to wear the mouth trays for at least a few hours each day. It may take a few weeks to achieve the colour that you want. Your dentist will give you detailed instructions.
-In the dental surgery - "power" or "laser" bleaching. Your dentist can be a rubber seal around your teeth to protect gums, depending on the concentration of chloride used. Then, the freezing of money laundering is to the teeth and a special light is used. This light enhances the process of money laundering. The appointment is between one and two hours.
-Combined bleaching - this may also be known as "power" bleaching - both the home and surgery bleaching are used in combination to obtain the desired result. The home bleaching stage may occur before or after surgery treatment - this depends on the type of product used. Your dentist will give you instructions.
Internal Bleaching
This means that the color of the teeth is clarified by adding a bleaching product, within the teeth. Blanchissement internal allowed not to the teeth, which were successfully root. This means that the blood vessels and nerves, the inside of the teeth were filled with a rubber.
In chlorinated water a tooth in this way, the dentist drilled a hole, and the product in the bleaching it (if it is a front tooth, the hole is at the back, so that you can not see). The holes are sealed with a temporary filling, with the chlorine water, the inside of the teeth. The procedure is without risk, because no nerve of the tooth.
They will return to your dentist about a week later, that temporary filling and the use of chlorinated water. If you satisfied with the new shadow, the dentist will fill the hole with a dental filling color. Sometimes the color is not lighten enough , and the process must be repeated. Occasionally, internal bleaching should be read in conjunction with other techniques, which knows about the desired effect.
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Sunday, October 28, 2007
Whitten Your Tooth using Home Remedy
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Monday, October 22, 2007
Cosmetic Dentistry
The cosmetic dentistry is a branch of dentistry, which focuses on changing the appearance of teeth instead of treatment or prevention of disease. Cosmetic procedures can improve the shortcomings of genetics, environmental factors, injury, neglect or age. Patients interested in cosmetic dentistry tooth must be investigated, so that the dentist can not be determined, what procedures are for them properly.
Some patients are not good candidates for certain procedures. For example, the money can not be recommended for patients with periodontitis. Many cosmetic dentists have access to the computer Imaging technology. Dentists can use this technology to show how patients to see their teeth after a procedure. Before and after images that can be produced before the patients agree, dental work. This can help determine what procedures you are interested, especially if there is great potential. For example, an unusual tooth can be corrected with recontouring or paste. Several options may be slightly different results.
In some cases, may recommend, dentists dental treatments, such as crowns or Veneers, which are used to replace or absence of teeth or structures. Cosmetic Flämische procedure can be very costly, especially when many teeth are involved. In most cases, cosmetic procedures, which are not covered by insurance. However, clean-up measures or procedures for prevention, which are wholly or partly by insurance, which are often as cosmetic benefits. For example, the composite resin, color closely with dental, may, instead of silver amalgam material to repair or replace a cavity a coward or otherwise defective filling. Many cosmetic procedures (eg, bonding) use of artificial materials to modify the teeth. These can be tears, chip or fail. You can not with the colors of the precision surrounding the teeth, or may be a different shade of light in some (eg, in a theater or Disco). Some of these materials are in need of care, even if a lot of attention to oral hygiene. In some patients, there may be sensitive teeth after a cosmetic dentistry. Cosmetic dentistry has its limits. Many of the procedures (eg, money laundering) may be weeks or months to produce. Patients are invited, with their dentists how much they can change, a procedure, how long the process takes and what are the maintenance techniques to be used.
Type Of Cosmetic Dentistry
Many cosmetic dentistry available to the appearance of the teeth and mouth. Paste and bleaching are the most popular and most affordable. Different types of prosthesis (eg, crowns, Veneers, inlays, onlays), and orthodontics (eg brackets) may also cosmetic benefits. Different types of cosmetic dental procedures include:
1. Bleaching. According to the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry (Agency), bleaching is required, more than any other cosmetic dentistry. Peroxide is used to clarify and white or stained teeth. This may be done in the dental office, at home with dentist supervision, or over the counter. However, the American Dental Association (ADA) recommends that patients talk with their dentists on the use of substances produced, including over the counter. Abusive of these products can lead to what the sensitivity dental or damage to the teeth.
2. Bonding. A composite resin, color of the teeth is formed on the teeth and strengthened with a special high-intensity blue light. It is then polished by the dentist is similar to a part of the natural tooth. Liaison can be used to mask gechipt, broken, split or stained teeth, and to close the space between the teeth (XVI). Link can also be used a portion of the root of a tooth, which may be suspended due to loss gums. The same substance may, in restoring repair cavities as an alternative to silver amalgam.
3.Recontouring. In addition, enamaloplasty or redevelopment and contouring. " The dentist removes and shape of small portions of the enamel of tooth or teeth, in a proceeding that, in general, quickly and without pain. These can be the length, shape or contour of the tooth surface or small adjustments to the position of the teeth. It can be used to repair trained crease, overlapping or gechipt teeth. Recontouring is usually combine with bonding. However, not all patients are good candidates for recontouring. The tooth need much enamel in order to safe enough to cut off and pulp teeth can not in the flat. X-rays are used to check the ability to exploit recontouring.
4. Gingivoplasty. In addition, the chewing gum surgery, crown or an extension of chewing gum lift. It is a surgical procedure, which modifies the shape of the gums (gingiva) abducted by cutting excessive gums. In patients for whom a gingivoplasty show less and rubber, and more teeth when they smile.
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Tuesday, October 16, 2007
10 Home Remedies for Toothache
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Monday, October 15, 2007
Is Laser teeth whitening really matter?
It is human nature to want to look good. There is no question, if we have to get tan, lose weight, or even to have healthy teeth white. The problem with many of us is that we do not want to spend hours or days or weeks trying to get the results that we want. We want instant results. So if we want beautiful white teeth fast, and we know of a way to do it that will cause no pain and no hassle then, of course, we are going to take. Laser teeth whitening is that way.
Laser teeth whitening is the best way to get a great looking white teeth without having to wait days to see the results you want. How does it work well? These are the steps that are taken when will whiten the teeth laser. To begin your health professional dental cleans your teeth in the usual manner to withdraw all plates or other debris that could be in the path of the laundering process. Next a whitening gel will be applied to your teeth and you will be put in place for the laser treatment to begin. The purpose of the laser is to accelerate the process by activating the whitening gel.
It is important to remember that the treatment can not give you your desired results after a session that many people are happy with the results they see. If you really stained teeth or discoloration, you must wait until you need several sessions.
You should understand that the teeth whitening laser will not be cheap. You are able to buy a home tooth whitening kit good a grocery store for a few dollars or you can pay for a more sophisticated freezing or molding basic and pay somewhere around $ 100. If you are going to get the laser whitening fact it is expected to pay between $ 500-$ 1,000 depending on the dentist you go.
Laser teeth whitening is a quick and easy way to get a big white smile. Although you should expect to have to pay a lot of money to get the results you want, it is worth the money. With many people getting white teeth in one visit and the rest of them get the desired whiteness that in a few visits, you have to ask, "Is it worth a big white smile?"
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Dental Insurance
The beauty of selecting your own 'dental insurance for individuals' package (as distinct from one provided either free of charge or at a significantly discounted rate by your employer), is that it also gives you a lot of choice about the treatment you receive and from which dentist.
Typically, if you choose for yourself, you will not be tied to a particular brand of dental clinics and you are more able to find somewhere that suits you, often locally, when the plan is one you tailor to meet you own needs.
This might be a critical factor for those who have a dentist they already trust and perhaps even have a long term relationship with too. This is really important for some people who are pretty fussy about who it is fiddling around in their mouth from time to time.
It's not a particularly well known fact, but a lot of people are very choosy when it comes to a dentist. There are even stories of patients who travel long distances after having moved home, just to stick with a dentist they know and have found reliable and are comfortable with.
On the other hand, if you aren't quite as fussy, or maybe even have lower demands on dental services, perhaps because you have excellent teeth already (never miss your checkups though!), you may be able to negotiate excellent discounts if you can go with a provider of dental insurance for individuals who has a good account with a big practice.
Dental insurance for individuals typically limits the amount that can be paid out over a period of time (usually each year), so for those who know they have a lot of work coming up (maybe only to themselves!) a good contract of insurance could be a very attractive financial proposition even just for a short period of time, especially if they can get a deal that has higher limits per year.
It's worth taking your time when looking for dental insurance for individuals, especially where you are buying for a whole family. This can generate significant savings in itself, because of the number of people involved.
Where you have one member of the family who could have more problematic dental issues, these can be offset by an overall plan which includes others with less problems. The provider will be keen to get the bigger business and may be prepared to offset some short-term losses with the promise of a longer-term deal that will enable them to get their money back!
It's also important to consider such dental insurance for individuals when you have a family because of the challenges facing kids growing up. You see, some plans have built-in deals for more serious orthodontic work too. Or maybe there is a requirements for older people who are going to need root canal, bridge or denture work too.
All can be worked into a good plan that benefits all. By taking your time, assessing the range of dental insurance for individuals, groups and families, you will ensure you have peace of mind, safe in the knowledge that your family is well covered.
Source : dentalinsuranceguidance.com
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Thursday, October 11, 2007
Reason for Brighten Your Tooth
In order to get tooth whitened, you should stop for only thingking about it and just easy do it in the right way. Here are some reason why tooth whitening is give great advantage to make over your appearance.
Firstly, few other things do so much to boost your appearance as much as a radiant white smile. If you look at the Hollywood stars, a major portion of their charisma comes from that glowing pearly radiance when they open their mouths.
And this radiance is a key part of the charming persona that so attracts the opposite sex. A a bright open radiant smile is immensely seductive. It adds immeasurably to your charm and makes you supremely kissable.
Yet another great reason is that white teeth allow you to radiate an ambiance of health. That great smile announces that you're clearly a person who takes care of yourself and cares about his body and appearance. And this is a very attractive feature in a person.
What's more, having a great smile will skyrocket your confidence. If your teeth are a little dull it tends to cramp your style. Perhaps you're a little hesitant and reluctant to open your mouth. But with those glorious white teeth, nothing can hold you back. Whether it's at a job interview or in the disco, that smile will give you the confidence to do anything.
And finally having your teeth whitened is fast, painless easy and economical. You can choose from having it done at the dentist or do it yourself at home. Or the best option is to start off at the dentist and then continue treatment at home.
So go get that killer smile and blast you personality in high gear.
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Sunday, October 7, 2007
Dental Floss
History of Dental Floss
Levi Spear Parmly, a dentist from New Orleans, is credited with inventing the first form of dental floss. He had been recommending that people should clean their teeth with silk floss since 1815.[1]
Dental floss was still unavailable to the consumer until the Codman and Shurtleft company started producing human-usable un-waxed silk floss in 1882. In 1898, the Johnson & Johnson Corporation received the first patent for dental floss. Other early brands included Red Cross, Salter Sill Co. and Brunswick.
The adoption of floss was poor before World War II. It was around this time, however, that Dr. Charles C. Bass developed nylon floss. Nylon floss was found to be better than silk because of its greater abrasion resistance and elasticity.
Dentists and dental hygienists urge the daily oral hygiene regimen of tooth-brushing and flossing. Nearly all Americans brush their teeth. However, the ADA indicates that only about 12 percent of Americans floss daily, 39 percent floss less than daily, and 49 percent do not floss at all.
How To Use Dental Floss
Dental floss is commonly supplied in plastic dispensers that contain 10 to 50 meters of floss. After pulling out the desired amount, the floss is pulled against a small protected blade in the dispenser to sever it.
The dental floss is held between the fingers. It can be difficult to grasp floss due to the tension required to push between certain teeth, and reducing friction as the fingers and floss become wet from saliva. To keep a hold, the floss can be wrapped around one or both fingers. Doing this on or above the first joint allows that finger to be used in conjunction with the thumb in a traditional pinch grip, to reduce excessive tension on the skin. Wrapping dental floss too tight as a tourniquet reduces circulation. So it is wise to loosen the wraparound when alternating to a fresh segment of floss. An alternative way to make the floss easier to handle is to make a loop and tie the ends together using a couple of knots. The resulting ring is easy to handle even in wet conditions and does not put as much tension on the skin as when wrapping it around the fingers.
Specialized plastic wands have been produced to hold the floss. These may be attached to or separate from a floss dispenser. While not pinching the finger, it may be awkward and unable to floss at all the angles possible with a finger. At the same time, the enhanced reach can make flossing the back teeth easier, which are generally the more neglected teeth in dental care.
The floss is gently slid between the teeth. Dental floss is used to clear both particles of food stuck between teeth and dent-bacterial plaque adhered to such teeth surfaces. Ideally using a C-shape, when the floss is curved around a tooth and then moved away from the gumline, the floss scrapes the side of each tooth, and can also clean the front or back of the tooth. Gently moving the floss from below the gumline to away from the gumline removes dento-bacterial plaque attached to teeth surfaces above and below the gumline.
Occasional flossing and/or improper flossing can typically lead to bleeding gums. The main cause of the bleeding is inflammation of the gingival tissue due to gingivitis.
Directions
The American Dental Association (ADA) advises to floss once or more per day. It should be noted that overly vigorous or incorrect flossing can result in gum tissue damage. For proper flossing, the Association advises to curve the floss against the side of the tooth in a 'C' shape, and then to wipe the tooth from under the gumline (very gently) to the tip two or three times, repeated on adjacent tooth and on all other teeth too.
Vibration
Some flossing wands utilize vibration which transfers through the floss, originating from the ends. This is likely inspired by the similar use of vibration of the bristles in modern electric toothbrushes. As the vibration causes subtle movement, the floss will find the path of least resistance when pressed down. The movement would also help in temporarily separating tooth and gum for floss to get through.
This allows easier penetration under the gumline, with less force applied to push into the gap between teeth. With less force applied, more control of flossing is possible. In normal flossing, pressure may be applied until the floss 'pops' through the teeth, and the momentum can carry on and painfully impact the gum tissue. With more control, this can be reduced or avoided totally.
Many consider vibrations to be soothing; they are a common technique in massage and orthopedic devices. Much like electric toothbrushes are soothing to the teeth and gums, vibrating floss can sooth and massage the gumline.
Cuts become less likely as the floss will not press against as isolated an area, and less pressure is applied. Any abrasions to the gum would be more evenly distributed, leading to more equal adaptation of the tissue.
Benefits
Flossing in combination with toothbrushing can prevent gum disease, halitosis, and dental caries.
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Saturday, October 6, 2007
Tooth whitener
A tooth whitener product can bleach the tooth, which means that it actually changes the natural tooth color. Bleaching products contain peroxide that helps remove deep and surface stains. By contrast, non-bleaching whitening products contain agents that work by physical or chemical action to help remove surface stains only.
Type of tooth whitener
There are two types of tooth whiteners:
1. Peroxide-containing whiteners or bleaching agents
Peroxide-containing whiteners typically come in a gel and are placed in a mouth guard. Some products are used twice a day for two weeks, and others are intended for overnight use for one to two weeks. If there obtain the bleaching solution from dentist, he can make a custom-fitted mouth guard for patient that will fit his teeth precisely.
2. Whitening toothpastes (dentifrices)
Whitening toothpastes help remove surface stain through the action of mild abrasives, as do all other toothpastes. Unlike bleaches, whitening toothpaste does not alter the intrinsic color of teeth.
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Friday, October 5, 2007
Tooth bleaching
Tooth bleaching, also known as tooth whitening, is a common procedure in general dentistry but most especially in the field of cosmetic dentistry. Many people consider white teeth to be an attractive feature of a smile. A child's deciduous teeth are generally whiter than the adult teeth that follow. As a person ages the adult teeth often become darker. This darkening is due to changes in the mineral structure of the tooth, as the enamel becomes less porous. Teeth can also become stained by bacterial pigments, foodstuffs and tobacco.
As white teeth are subconsciously associated with youth, they have become desirable. This has been made more apparent with the spread of American culture worldwide, where an especially white smile is coined a "Hollywood smile". The procedure to bleach teeth uses oxidizing agents such as hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide to lighten the shade of the tooth. The oxidizing agent penetrates the porosities in the rod-like crystal structure of enamel and oxidizes interprismatic stain deposits; over a period of time, the dentine layer, lying underneath the enamel, is also bleached. Tooth bleaching will generally last from 5 to 7 years but this is subjective depending on if you are a smoker and drink tea, coffee, etc.
Methods
There are two main methods of bleaching. The first involves applying a high concentration of oxidizing agent for a short period of time, which is the so-called office bleach. This produces quick results but risks chemical burns to the soft tissues. Therefore, most in-office bleaching procedures use a light-cured protective layer that is carefully painted on the gums and papilla (the tips of the gums between the teeth). The bleaching agent is either carbamide peroxide, which breaks down in the mouth to form hydrogen peroxide, or hydrogen peroxide itself. The bleaching gel typically contains up to 35% hydrogen peroxide equivalent.
The alternative method involves using a thin mouth guard or strip to hold a low concentration of oxidizing agent next to the teeth for as long as several hours a day for a period of 5 to 14 days. This is known as take-home or over-the-counter bleaching. This is a slower process but has fewer risks to the soft tissues. The bleaching agent is typically less than 10% hydrogen peroxide equivalent.
A typical course of bleaching can produce dramatic improvements in the cosmetic appearance of most stained teeth; however, some stains do not respond to bleaching. Tetracycline staining may require prolonged bleaching, as it takes longer for the bleach to reach the dentine layer. White-spot decalcifications may also be highlighted and become more noticeable. Bleaching is least effective if your teeth have white spots, decay or infected gums. It is also least effective when the original tooth color is grayish. Bleaching is most effective with yellow discolored teeth.
Recently, efforts have been made to accelerate the bleaching process by the use of light. Studies have shown varying results as to the efficacy of light-activated bleaching.
Side effects of tooth bleaching include: chemical burns (if a high-concentration oxidizing agent contacts unprotected tissues, which may bleach or discolor mucous membranes), sensitive teeth, and over bleaching (known in the profession as "over white teeth"). Rebound, or teeth losing the bleached effect and darkening, is also an issue, with some studies showing the rebound effect over 30 days. A recent study by Kugel et al has shown that as much as 4 shades of lightness can be lost over 30 days with light-activated/office bleaching.
The two side effects that occur most often are a temporary increase in tooth sensitivity and mild irritation of the soft tissues of the mouth, particularly the gums. Tooth sensitivity often occurs during early stages of the bleaching treatment. Tissue irritation most commonly results from an ill-fitting mouthpiece tray rather than the tooth-bleaching agent. Both of these conditions usually are temporary and disappear within 1 to 3 days of stopping or completing treatment.
Individuals with sensitive teeth and gums, receding gums and/or defective restorations should consult with their dentist prior to using a tooth whitening system. Anyone allergic to peroxide (the whitening agent) should not use a bleaching product. Also, prolonged exposure to bleaching agents may damage tooth enamel. This is especially the case with home remedy whitening products that contain fruit acids.
Bleaching is not recommended in children under the age of 16. This is because the pulp chamber, or nerve of the tooth, is enlarged until this age. Teeth whitening under this condition could irritate the pulp or cause it to become sensitive. Teeth whitening is also not recommended in pregnant or lactating women.
Internal bleaching procedures are performed on devitalized teeth that have undergone endodontic therapy but are anesthetic due to internal staining of the tooth structure by blood and other fluids that leached
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