A smile is contagious. It often elicits a smile from other people who saw that grin on your face when you passed by them. It can even attract the opposite sex especially as some men find a woman’s smile sexy.
A great smile is usually one that shows the teeth. And the whiter your teeth, the more people get attracted to you.
The reality, though, is that the teeth get yellowish as people age and are prone to staining. This is also primarily due to the lifestyle they lead. Smokers, coffee and tea drinkers normally have brownish or yellowish teeth while those who often take antibiotics are likely to have stained teeth.
People these days are luckier as they now have various options when it comes to teeth whitening. New technology has also been developed allowing dentists to help more people get sparkling white teeth.
Home Remedies
For those who wish to whiten their teeth at home, there are many products to choose from but be sure they are approved by the American Dental Association (ADA). One is using bleaching implements worn over the teeth. This option can be costly and needs to be prescribed by your dentist.
There are also whitening strips that cost less than the bleach. They just take time to achieve whiter teeth. Another home ingredient you can use is the baking soda. This baking product has bleaching properties and people who have used it confirm it indeed helps whiten the teeth.
Whitening Toothpaste
There are also toothpastes with whitening ingredients available in the market today. However, they can only go as far as lightening your teeth about one shade and are not effective in removing permanent stains. Some people using this product have also been found to brush their teeth excessively which is risky as it can only damage the enamel and result in more stains.
Dental Procedure
For those who don’t want to go the long route, a teeth whitening procedure done by your dentist is the perfect solution. You need to have a budget for this, though, as the procedure can be expensive.
What your dentist does here to achieve pearly white teeth is apply a gel first on your teeth and then direct a special light or laser light on them that activates the gel. This is done for half an hour to an hour and can take up to four sessions to achieve the best result.
Interesting Facts
Many people believe a great smile can boost confidence, make a person look younger, improve one’s sex appeal and attract other people. A survey conducted by the American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry showed that 99.7 percent of adults believe a smile is a vital social asset and 96 percent believed an attractive smile makes a person more appealing.
In terms of achieving career success, 74 percent of adults surveyed believed an unattractive smile can affect a person’s chance. When asked about what they would like to improve in their smile, most answered they wanted to have whiter teeth.
Photo via realage.com
About the guest author:
Jane is a health writer who admits to using whitening toothpaste to improve her teeth color.
Originally posted on January 26, 2013 @ 1:56 pm