{"id":1015,"date":"2019-06-27T15:52:16","date_gmt":"2019-06-27T15:52:16","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.monroefamilydentistry.com\/?p=1015"},"modified":"2023-02-21T23:01:20","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T23:01:20","slug":"everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-tooth-whitening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/monroefamilydentistry.com\/blog\/cosmetic-dentistry\/everything-you-ever-wanted-to-know-tooth-whitening\/","title":{"rendered":"Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Tooth Whitening"},"content":{"rendered":"

Having a bright smile<\/a> has long been a symbol of beauty and prominence, and people have tried various methods to attain it. Ancient Egyptians and ancient Romans<\/span> used things<\/span><\/a> like vinegar, goats milk and even urine to get their teeth pearly-white. Fortunately, tooth whitening methods have improved (no urine, hooray!) but with so many products available in an <\/span>ever-growing market<\/span><\/a>, how do you know what method to choose?<\/span><\/p>\n

First, it\u2019s important to understand the key differences and the products available so you can make the best choice for you and your smile goals.<\/span><\/p>\n

What\u2019s the difference between tooth whitening and tooth bleaching?<\/h2>\n

While most people use the terms tooth whitening and tooth bleaching interchangeably, the terms actually mean different things and produce different results. Tooth whitening is the process of restoring the natural color of teeth by removing surface stains. This type of whitening is called extrinsic whitening because it removes stains from the exterior surface of the tooth. Whiteners are cleaning agents, like toothpaste or mouth rinses, that effectively remove stains that occur over time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Bleaching teeth is the process of making teeth whiter than their natural shade using ingredients such as hydrogen peroxide, which is absorbed into the tooth. This type of whitening is called intrinsic whitening because it changes the shade of the tooth from the inside.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Now that we\u2019ve differentiated between tooth whitening and bleaching, let\u2019s look at the methods used for each of them, what is safe, and what to avoid.<\/span><\/p>\n

How to brighten your teeth<\/h2>\n

There are two main categories of ways to brighten your teeth within both the intrinsic (bleaching) and extrinsic (whitening) methods:<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Store-bought methods<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Professional-grade, dentist-supervised methods.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    So how do you know which is best? It depends on your desired outcome. First, you should understand how each works and what results you should expect.<\/span><\/p>\n

    Store-bought methods<\/h3>\n