Gleaming Teeth

In general dentistry, teeth whitening (also called dental bleaching) is a commonly used procedure. It finds special significance in the area of cosmetic dentistry. As a child, human beings have deciduous teeth which are whiter than an average adult's teeth. As the age of a person increases, there is darkening of the teeth due to changes in mineral composition of the tooth. The enamel turns less porous. Staining of teeth also occurs due to bacterial contamination, food, nicotine or caffeine. Certain drugs or antibiotic medications may also cause a reduction in the brilliance of teeth.

There are numerous methods to return the gleam to your teeth. Centers like the Veneers Las Vegas use laser bleaching, natural bleaching, bleaching gel, bleaching strips and bleaching pens. In custom, self bleaching techniques involve application of bleaching gels to the enamel of teeth by the use of thin guard trays. Whitening at home can also be done with using small bleaching strips which are applied on the surface of the teeth. Use of oxidizing agents like carbamide peroxide or the more common hydrogen peroxide is also known. They lighten the color of the enamel considerably. The agent seeps the rod like crystalline structure of the enamel and oxidizes the foreign stain deposits. In due time the dentine layer also gets oxidized and thus the lower layer of the enamel gets bleached too. The employment of light energy to speed up the bleaching process is called 'power bleaching'. Though bleaching has long lasting effects, the time to return to the original state of the teeth depends on the lifestyle of the user. Smoking, irregular brushing of teeth, frequent ingestion of coffee, tea and wine stain teeth faster.

Internal staining is another interesting type. It stains the teeth from the inside out. In such cases 'bonding' is used. In 'bonding', a thin paste of composite material is applied in the form of a coat to the person's teeth and then allowed to stay while it is cured with a blue colored light. One can also mask teeth stains by using a veneer.

To prevent staining, follow the dentist's advice-- maintain healthy eating habits, brush twice a day with a soft toothbrush for at least 3 mins, avoid smoking and take as little coffee, tea and wine as possible.