If you aren’t happy with the appearance of your teeth, chances are you have considered teeth whitening or bleaching. Whether they are yellow or dingy in color or have discoloring stains, teeth whitening and bleaching can help. While both terms are often used interchangeably, there really is a difference. So, which one do you need to really achieve the goals you are hoping for? That answer depends on a few different factors, including genetics, your lifestyle, and the condition of your teeth.
What Causes Tooth Discoloration?
When it comes to teeth, everyone believes that natural teeth should be bright and pearly white. Unfortunately, the truth is, bright white teeth are not as common as you think and are often the result of teeth bleaching. Natural teeth come in a variety of shades, often sporting yellow or grays hues, and not bleached bright white.
To understand what causes tooth color, let’s look at your teeth. Teeth are made of two primary layers. The enamel is the hard surface layer that covers the supporting layer known as dentin. The dentin has a yellowish appearance. When a person has thin enamel, be it from genetics or other dental concerns, that yellowish appearance shows through the enamel, giving the teeth a yellowish appearance. As you age, your enamel also breaks down, causing the yellowish appearance to gradually appear with age.
Now, taking a closer look at the enamel, you may think it is a solid structure. The truth is your enamel has tiny pores that can pick up stains from what you eat and drink. Foods, like berries or curries, and beverages, like coffee and wine, contribute to surface staining that can alter the appearance of your teeth. In addition, the tar and nicotine from smoking can also stain your teeth. In addition, medications like Tetracycline can alter the color of your teeth, causing a yellowish or gray appearance.
Choosing teeth whitening or teeth bleaching will depend on what type of staining you have and how white you want your teeth to appear.
What Does Teeth Whitening Mean?
While many people think that teeth whitening is the same as teeth bleaching, the truth is teeth whitening does not change the natural color of your teeth at all. The goal of teeth whitening is to simply remove any surface staining and restore your natural tooth color. Teeth whitening products contain mild abrasives or other substances that work to remove debris and food particles from the surface of your teeth.
Toothpaste contains mild abrasives that work to get into the small pores of the enamel and remove any staining properties that come from what you eat and drink. In a similar manner, a good dental cleaning with your dentist is considered a whitening process as it works to clean your teeth and restore their natural appearance.
What Does Teeth Bleaching Mean?
While often referred to as teeth whitening, teeth bleaching uses bleaching agents, such as hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide. This enables the whitening agent to not only bleach any stains but also penetrate deeper into the enamel and into the dentin, revealing a whiter shade than your natural tooth color. Much like you bleach your white t-shirt to keep it bright, these agents essentially bleach your teeth.
It is teeth bleaching that allows you to help treat deeper dentin discoloration and discoloration associated with medication use. This is the only way to address any discoloration associated with your natural dentin pigment and achieve truly white teeth.
Whitening gel and custom-fit whitening trays offer the best home teeth bleaching options. Visit SportingSmiles today to learn about our teeth bleaching options.
However, while bleaching is the correct term, most bleaching procedures and at-home bleaching products are still referred to as teeth whitening.
How Do You Know Which Treatment is Right for You?
So, do you need teeth whitening or teeth bleaching? That all depends on what you are trying to treat. If you are happy with your natural tooth shade but are a smoker that drinks lots of coffee, chances are all you need is some whitening toothpaste and regular dental cleanings in order to achieve the brighter, whiter smile you desire.
If you have always had less than white teeth, chances are your natural tooth color is off-white in appearance. Teeth bleaching can help lighten and brighten your natural tooth color, often resulting in up to eight shades whiter in appearance.
SportingSmiles Can Help with Your Bleaching Needs
If you are hoping to achieve a brighter white smile with teeth bleaching, SportingSmiles can help you achieve your goal at a much lower cost than a bleaching procedure at your dentist. Our custom-fitted whitening trays allow you to use our professional-strength whitening gel, achieving up to eight shades whiter.
Our patented self-impression kit allows you to make a mold at home. Then our dental technicians make up your custom whitening tray. Our trays are the same high-quality your dentist’s lab delivers but at a fraction of the price. For more information, visit Teeth Whitening today.
