Friday, September 14, 2012

The Best Whitening Toothpaste

By Sarah Greydon


Do you feel that you have to keep your mouth closed in pictures because you don't think your teeth are white enough? Perhaps its time to find a whitening toothpaste. If you make it part of your daily routine, it will go towards reversing the stains and blemishes that discolor your teeth and prevent you from sharing your smile with the world. Having whiter teeth will also give you more confidence in social situations.

Before you start expecting miracles from your whitening toothpaste, it's important to learn a little bit about how they work so that you will be able to find an effective one, but also so you will realize what are their limits. There are dozens and dozens of products on the market and without some knowledge of the ingredients and qualities of whitening toothpastes, it is impossible for you to make the best decisions for your particular condition.

All toothpastes contain different ingredients that work together in tandem to remove surface stains from your teeth. This type of stain is referred to as an "extrinsic" stain by dental professionals, and is by far the easiest type to remove from your teeth.

Surface level cleaning however, is only the first step. Some whitening toothpastes, the better quality brands generally, will also include bleaching agents. These agents work their way deeper into your teeth to give improved cleaning. Your teeth are porous in nature, and when you eat food, the colors from the food particles will work their way into the pores and cause discoloration of your teeth from the inside. Think of how a white t-shirt can get stained. It can have something spilled on it, so its surface is dirty. But even after cleaning the surface, it will often remain stained because the colors worked their way into the fabric. It's very similar with your teeth.

Peroxide is one type of bleaching agent. It will work within your teeth to whiten them up from the inside. Bleaching agents are usually found in whitening strips and gels, and less often in whitening toothpastes.

The most common ingredients used in toothpaste for improving color are different types of silica and baking soda. They work to remove the surface stains by polishing your teeth clean. and are called abrasives because they act as such on your enamel.

These abrasive ingredients are very commonly used, but as discussed earlier, they only perform extrinsic stain cleaning. The best whitening toothpastes will not only include abrasives, but also bleaching agents so that the surface of your teeth are cleaned along with the enamel and dentin.

Abrasive ingredients can damage your teeth, as the name implies. The abrasive ingredients will damage your teeth by removing too much enamel if they are not used correctly. For the best results, use a soft-bristled toothbrush and do not brush too hard.

Many people attempt to remove the discoloration from their teeth by brushing directly with baking soda. Now that we know it is an abrasive, it is important to make sure you do not brush too hard with this, as it will damage your teeth, as just discussed. It is safer to use a whitening toothpaste that contains abrasives, as the actual amount of this ingredient is better controlled.

Whether or not you use a whitening toothpaste, be sure to brush your teeth regularly and properly. This is the easiest way to prevent cavities and the build up of plaque, which also give your a cleaner, brighter, whiter smile. To get the best whitening, make sure your toothpaste contains quality bleaching ingredients, and also consider using a peroxide-based whitening gel.




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