Whitening Toothpastes: Do They Really Work?

You can use all kinds of products and methods not to reveal your real age but your teeth will always show how old you really are. Teeth tend to become darker as the years go by and your once pearly teeth may become grey and dull. Some habits like smoking and drinking lots of tea or coffee can promote this process. Many people are willing to make their smile bright again. The quickest way to do it is to turn to your dentist. Professional dental bleaching is a highly effective procedure though it is not heap. That is why many people start using whitening toothpastes. Let us try to find out whether these pastes are really effective.

Numerous ads on TV will try to assure you that this very toothpaste works real wonders and will make your smile worth a million dollars in just a few applications. However, these tempting promises are nothing more that promises. If you are a long-time smoker and drink 5 cups of coffee every day, the toothpaste alone will not restore the color of your teeth. Whitening toothpastes are only effective enough to remove surface stains and slightly brighten your teeth.

However, they will not change the color of teeth. The basic difference between ordinary and whitening toothpastes is that whitening toothpastes contain abrasives and detergents for cleaning the surface of teeth. Some toothpastes contain carbomide peroxide (an agent that can lighten tooth enamel). Toothpastes will be less effective when the problem of discoloration concerns not only the surface of teeth but also deeper layers. Dentine (the inner layer of the tooth) gets darker as the years go by. It makes the tooth look yellow. No matter how effective the whitening toothpaste is, it cannot change the color of dentine. Despite the fact that whitening pastes are more abrasive, they are still safe for your teeth and will help you to cope with minor stains and darkening on the surface of teeth.

If your teeth have not lost their original color on the level of dentine, whitening toothpastes may turn out to be rather effective. But you can make your teeth look perfectly white only with the help of a higher level of hydrogen peroxide which is a basic component of professional whitening systems used in dental clinics. Although some over-the-counter whitening products also contain high doses of hydrogen peroxide, it may not work properly if the darkening is on the level of dentine.

Whenever you decide to bleach your teeth with the help of a whitening toothpaste you should remember that it can cope only with surface stains. The good news is that the price of whitening toothpastes is not too high.