Thanksgiving. Christmas. New Year’s. It’s all about feasts, parties, presents, laughter, friends, family, and fun. As the happiest time of the year, the holidays naturally bring out the smiles in everyone. So if you’re going to be flashing around your pearly whites, it’s important to make sure they’re just that—pearly white.
Many of the things that keep teeth from looking their best are part of every day routines. Food and drinks have the most prevalent effect on the appearance of teeth. Drinks that are darker in color such as coffee, tea, and soda can cause staining. However, even a colorless drink can cause damage as naturally high levels of fluoride in drinking water can lead to discoloration as well. In addition, smoking or chewing tobacco can adversely affect the appearance of teeth, leaving a yellow tinge to the enamel. Aging also naturally wears away the outer layer of enamel, revealing the underlying yellow dentin, and over time, all these effects accumulate to make teeth appear anything but white.
Fortunately, whether you’ve been naughty or nice to your teeth, there are several ways to erase the stains of time. The most common method is at-home teeth whitening kits, such as Crest® Whitening Strips. These products generally utilize a bleaching agent such as hydrogen peroxide, which breaks down into highly active oxygen molecules. The oxygen molecules then penetrate the enamel and dentin, releasing the collected pigments from both and leaving the structure of the tooth intact. It can be up to two weeks before the effects of whitening kits are observed, but with good hygiene and careful eating they can last for up to three years. However, using this type of teeth bleaching product leaves teeth feeling sensitive to temperature for some time and prolonged use can be harmful.
Another method that has gained popularity over the past few years is laser teeth whitening. In this procedure, the dentist uses a solution similar to that in over-the-counter teeth whitening kits, but with a much higher concentration of bleaching agent. After applying the bleaching solution, the dentist then exposes the teeth to light from a laser. The laser both accelerates the process and augments the effects of the bleaching solution. Within an hour, teeth are considerably whiter in color and will remain so with proper care for approximately 3-4 years. It’s to be taken into consideration that while laser whitening also causes teeth sensitivity, it lasts for only a few hours following the procedure. It has become increasingly more common for dentists to offer this to patients as an in-office service. Prices for this service in the United States averages around $600 per session. This amount however, may vary specially depending on what part of the country the service is availed of.
A growing number of people, are now getting laser teeth whitening treatments done while on vacation overseas, where the cost is only a fraction of the prices in the US. A preferred overseas destination is the Philippines, where one of Asia’s premiere centers for aesthetic plastic surgery, aesthetic dermatology and cosmetic dentistry is located --- the BH 6750 Multi-Specialty Aesthetic Institute (a registered brand of Beverly Hills 6750 CSSI Corporation).
Regardless of where you have laser teeth whitening done, consider to have it done soon …as the holiday season has begun! This is a time when even complete strangers smile at one another in the streets. Make sure you give everyone your brightest smile!