3 home remedies with expert endorsement to whiten teeth

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“The smile is involved in 70% of facial aesthetics,” highlights Dr. Irene Esteve, dentist and expert in dentofacial aesthetics. “Smiling activates areas of the left prefrontal brain, which is related to well-being and pleasure; it reduces the levels of stress-causing hormones, adrenaline, cortisol and dopamine, and lowers blood pressure,” according to Laura Palomares, psychologist of Advance Psychologists. But there are many men who do not smile, and not because of a lack of desire, especially after 40, but because they do not want to show their teeth, because they are not as white as they would like.

Achieving a sparkling white smile was already sought in ancient Egypt, where mixtures of vinegar and powder were used to polish and whiten teeth. In ancient Rome, urine and alkaline substances were used for their whitening properties. Obviously, it is not the most recommended. In the 19th century, corrosive acids were introduced, highly damaging to tooth enamel. We will have to wait until the 1980s, with the use of whitening gels based on carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide, professional teeth whitening treatments, to remove stains from teeth more safely.

High concentration hydrogen peroxide gels activated with LED light are currently used. Although it must be taken into account that “the whiteness of the teeth is conditioned by the color of their interior tissue, the dentin. This is usually yellow, brown or orange, depending on each person and with different intensity in its shades. If I have very dark dentin, a dark color will show through, not light or white. Also diet affects tooth color. If I have a dark diet, coffee, tea, cola drinks, red wine or tobacco, it will be difficult to keep my teeth white. They will always be dark in color,” specifies Dr. Fernando Soria, master in reconstructive and aesthetic dentistry.

But professional treatment is not always necessary. Many times after 40, our teeth do not show their initial whiteness simply due to the accumulation of habits such as smoking, drinking red wine or foods that stain our teeth over the years. “There are many viral hoaxes for whitening teeth, some are not effective at all, such as rubbing banana peel, and others, such as using baking soda or lemon, carry the risk of damaging the teeth, mainly the enamel, and the gums as well” , warns Beatriz de Tapia, periodontist, member of the board of directors of the Spanish Society of Periodontics (SEPA), which tells us about one of the 3 effective home remedies to whiten teeth recommended by dentists.

1. Whitening toothpaste

“Whitening toothpastes contain chemical and mechanical agents with a moderate degree of abrasiveness, a RDA index between 80 and 100 that appears on the labeland they combine fluorides in their formulation to, after having generated this abrasion and demineralization of the enamel, remineralize it in the same act. They are quite effective and are regulated as an at-home teeth whitening method. They are not recommended for patients with dental hypersensitivity to cold. There are also mouthwashes for whitening,” explains Beatriz de Tapia.

The most common compounds in these pastes are silicas, calcium carbonate, papain, polyvinylpyrrolidine, hydroxypatite, carbamide peroxide and hydrogen peroxide. The results are seen quickly, depending on why you have dark teeth, “if it is because If you smoke a lot, or drink wine, you will have to wait one or two weeks to see whiter teeth“says Beatriz.

If you do not have significant sensitivity while using them, you can do so indefinitely if your habits tend to form stains. It is not recommended to use them more than three times a day, because excessive brushing can cause problems for both the enamel and the gums. They can be used with a manual or electric toothbrush. “The ideal is to complement it with a whitening mouthwash. Because with the brush there are many areas where you will not reach, such as between the teeth, the groove would be dark. Using the mouthwash twice a day is enough. Listerine has an alcohol-free mouthwash, clinically proven, to help achieve whiter teeth in just 1 week,” adds the expert.

At the dietary level, there are certain foods that stain the teeth, so it is interesting that when we consume them we carry out dental hygiene as soon as possible to prevent these pigments from depositing, rinsing and brushing. “Although it must be taken into account that if these foods are acidic, for example blackberry and strawberry juice, it is necessary to wait at least half an hour to brush because the combination of the acid with the mechanical rubbing of the brush causes the enamel to abrade,” warns Beatriz.

“There are many whitening treatments to apply at home, but not all offer the same guarantees or the same effectiveness,” he specifies. Arantxa Sainz de los Terreros, pharmacist responsible for training from Laboratorios Viñas-. It is always advisable to purchase this type of treatments in ‘trusted’ establishments, such as pharmacies and parapharmacies, and seek advice from a health professional, since some treatments can be too abrasive and cause irreparable damage to the enamel. Whitening pastes are the most common treatment. These are toothpastes, for daily or occasional use, with active ingredients with whitening action that help eliminate tartar and stains, as long as they are superficial and do not affect the dentin, the tissue under the enamel.”

2. Teeth Whitening Strips

They guarantee a whiter smile in just a few minutes. They are easy to use and offer visible results almost instantly. Using an advanced formula, they effectively remove stains and discolorations, leaving teeth whiter and more radiant. In addition to their proven effectiveness, whitening strips are safe for tooth enamel and do not cause sensitivity. Formulated and recommended by dentists, we can achieve professional results from the first day, although it is recommended to use them for a minimum of 14 consecutive days, one application per day, and up to a maximum of 28 consecutive days. The results last up to two years. To lengthen them “you can use sporadically as maintenance, 1 or 2 strips per week,” he says. Laura Gil-Vernet, dental technician, dentist and entrepreneurial collaborator of Dr. Inuk.

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“The duration of the result depends on the habits of each patient, that is, If whitening is performed but you have habits that involve dental staining, it will not stay the same over time than a non-smoking patient for example. It is a safe treatment that can be performed every 2-3 years without problem, as long as we have good oral health. If we do it more than recommended, we will not obtain better results since we have already recovered the original color of the tooth and we will not get whiter teeth,” warns Laura Gil-Vernet.

The teeth whitening strips do not damage the enamel or gums, they adhere to the outer layer of the teeth to eliminate internal and external stains, as well as to protect the teeth from the following and enhance the natural whiteness. Without peroxide, with third generation dental adhesive, without gel segregation and without leaving residue, which makes it more comfortable at the time of application, without irritation and with greater effectiveness. “They are non-abrasive as they do not contain peroxide and are safe for even the most sensitive teeth. Efficacy studies have been carried out on real people to show that 6 shades whiter can be achieved in 4 weeks and with visible results from the first application – assures Laura Gil-Vernet -. They contain PAP, phthalimidoperoxycaproic acid, an innovative ingredient with scientific evidence for its whitening effect. They act by oxidizing the yellowish substances inside the tooth, the same mechanism as the ingredients we use in the clinic. It has no side effects and can be used by anyone as long as they have good oral health, healthy gums and teeth.”

Highly recommended for men over 40, “since the tooth creates new tissue over the years and this is increasingly more mineralized and yellower.”along with daily habits that cause stains such as tobacco, wine, tea, coffee, etc. With these strips what we achieve is to recover the color of the tooth, rejuvenate the smile and recover the original tone of the enamel,” explains dentist Gil-Vernet.

3. Whitening kits

“Apart from whitening pastes, which have the advantage that their application is easy and comfortable and, in addition, they perform the same cleaning and hygiene functions as any other conventional toothpaste, other teeth whitening systems can be found on the market to apply at home, such as splints or ‘whitening kits’ – says Arantxa. These types of products have the disadvantage that, since the protective molds are not specific for each person, they can give rise to an irregular whitening effect, gingival irritation or a sensation of pain or even accidental ingestion of the whitening product.

But there is an intermediate solution, home-made and professional at the same time, “home treatment that consists of performing some custom splints made by the dentist and where a specific product provided by the specialist is placed to whiten the tooth. The cover with the product as a treatment must be applied every day for four hours for a month. With this whitening method the patient has more control over the product and if they feel any sensitivity it can be treated in time. For all these reasons, I consider that it has many more advantages and we achieve better results,” concludes Dr. Irene Esteve.