A bright white smile can be a great confidence booster. Depending on our everyday choices, we may not have the smile we always wanted. Wine, smoking, tea, soda, and other foods and beverages can cause teeth staining.

What causes yellow teeth?

There are numerous types of teeth stains; some are genetic, environmental, or pharmacological in nature. The most common are surface stains on the enamel or beneath the enamel in the dentin. Surface stains are caused by foods, beverages, and lifestyle behaviours, like smoking. Over time, surface stains may penetrate the enamel and change the dentin’s color, which darkens the tooth’s overall appearance due to the enamel layer’s transparency. When this occurs, the tooth often appears yellow.

What teeth whitening options are there?

There are many whitening options, from OTC toothpaste, rinses, and strips, to professionally supervised solutions such as Philips Zoom in-office and take-home whitening.

As you would with any product, you use on your body, follow the teeth whitening directions carefully. Some whitening products can irritate your gums or cause excessive sensitivity if used improperly or too often.

The safest way to whiten your teeth is under your dental professional’s supervision, who will assess your overall oral health, the health of your teeth, and know the history of your teeth. For example, suppose your dental professional knows that you are prone to sensitivity. In that case, they may recommend a gentle formulation to ensure you get the results you are looking for with a treatment that you will enjoy.

Zoom Whitening (In-Office Whitening)

Philips Zoom is a professional solution only available at your dental professional’s office. During the consultation with your dental professional, he or she may recommend a solution that best fits your needs, your lifestyle, and your budget. See the product comparison page for more details about our offerings.

Home bleaching

The process of whitening your teeth at home is known as home bleaching. It requires a set of trays placed around your teeth, followed by applying bleach onto those trays. This bleach then goes on to whiten your teeth. The bleach usually comprises different chemicals at different concentration levels. The type of bleach commonly used is carbamide peroxide. The higher the concentration and thicker the material, the quicker your teeth will whiten. Bleaching is done using materials of lower concentration usually takes longer but also has fewer side effects. Simultaneously, bleach of higher concentration can cause your teeth to get whiter and cause more problems as it heightens your teeth sensitivity and is more difficult to tolerate.

Therefore, an essential part of understanding whether or not home bleaching is right for you is determining what kind of bleach you intend to use and for how long.

It is advisable to store the bleach in syringes inside a refrigerator when not used.

Advantages of Home Bleaching:

The following are the benefits of Home Bleaching-

• Not much time at the dentist and this saves money, making the process more affordable.
• The freedom to bleach your teeth at your convenience.

Disadvantages of Home Bleaching:

• Home bleaching involves the responsibility of wearing trays around your teeth and completing the process on your own without any professional help.

Many people undertake the riskier option of using more concentrated bleaching agents to speed up the process that can cause harmful side effects. In some cases, people have reported their teeth being far more responsive to external stimuli than before, making eating and drinking a more challenging experience.