Teeth Whitening: What Is Happening to my Teeth?

It’s no secret that the general population wants whiter teeth and is willing to try just about anything to get them. The truth is that a beautiful, glowing smile is much more attractive than a dirty, yellowish grin. Of course, this is probably very obvious to most.
According to How Stuff Works, an estimated ten million Americans spend 1.7 billion dollars on teeth whitening products per year. Teeth whitening is also the most common cosmetic service provided by dentists. Not to mention, there are also a growing number of over-the-counter tooth whitening products to try.
If your goal is to obtain a winning smile, you don’t just need to know about the tools to whiten those pearls. It would also be in your best interest to know what could damage that smile and how that process works. Let’s take a look…

The Makeup of Your Teeth
Each of your teeth is made up of an inner dentin layer and a hard outer enamel layer, which protects the teeth. When you put stuff in your mouth, another layer gradually forms on top of the enamel layer. That build-up accumulates to form a pellicle film over the enamel layer. The pellicle is defined as a thin skin, cuticle, membrane, or film.
Unfortunately, the pellicle layer sits on your teeth as the years pass, and the buildup gets into the enamel. The enamel layer is made up of hydroxyapatite crystals, which form microscopic hexagonal “rods.” The enamel is porous, which means that the stains can work their way down into a tooth.

What types of food cause stains?
The foods we eat and the drinks we consume can have an impact on the colour of our teeth. Unsuspicious foods like darker berries, pasta sauce and curries can stain our teeth. So too can drinks including tea, coffee, sodas and wine. But we’re not advocating cutting out all the foods and drinks that may stain your teeth.

How Teeth Whitening Can Help
This is where teeth whiteners come in. Whiteners use bleaching chemicals to get down into the tooth enamel and set off a chemical reaction. This chemical reaction breaks through the stains. Most tooth whiteners use one of two chemical agents: carbamide peroxide or hydrogen peroxide. This makes sense as hydrogen peroxide is a great cleaning agent.
There are two different options you can look at if you want to enjoy a whiter smile. You can either get the treatment done by a dentist or as we mentioned earlier, you can go to your local store and find a tooth whitening kit to use in your home. Going to a dentist will result in a more thorough and professional result. For many the peace of mind of knowing that a professional is handling your teeth is a welcome trade off to the higher price. Give us a call at Somerset Dental on 1300 707 046 if you would like to chat to about getting your teeth white and bright and achieving that perfect smile.
