About

You may be surprised by the number of companies producing whitening toothpaste. It means that whitening your teeth to get a vibrant smile is no longer a challenge for most people. What have to make sure of is that you are using the right type of toothpaste. In this article, we will discuss whitening toothpaste to help you go for the right choice.

Common ingredients in whitening toothpaste

• The most common teeth whitening toothpaste ingredient is hydrogen peroxide, which serves as a bleaching agent. This ingredient in toothpaste helps remove food stains. Hydrogen peroxide can remove extrinsic stains on teeth, but in some cases, it may even remove the intrinsic stains. Due to its whitening action, it can indeed work much faster when used in a higher concentration. However, experts suggest the use of its lower concentrations for at-home applications. If you want to use higher concentrations, you will have to go for in-office treatments.
• Another common ingredient used in teeth whitening toothpaste is carbamide peroxide. This ingredient is used in both over-the-counter whitening products and home-use remedies. After application, carbamide peroxide breaks down into hydrogen peroxide and urea. It may be worth mentioning here that hydrogen peroxide is the material that actually whitens your teeth.

You may want to speak to your dentist if you are not sure which toothpaste is best for you. He or she will help you find the best product.

The reason you should use whitening toothpaste

It is hard to remove stains that become a part of your tooth structure. However, the use of whitening toothpaste may help you remove most deep stains. It depends on the source of the stain and how long it has been there.

The best thing about whitening toothpaste is that it can clean your teeth aside from facilitating the whitening action. Other whitening products, such as strips or gels do not remove plaque. These products do not have any ingredients that may protect your teeth against cavities and other dental health complications. Whitening toothpaste, on the other hand, contains fluoride and other elements that help protect your teeth against plaque and bacteria.

Is it safe to use a whitening toothpaste?

You are going to have to follow instructions from your dentist if you want to use whitening toothpaste. While both hydrogen peroxide and carbamide peroxide are safe, you may still want to be sure that your teeth are not too sensitive for a whitening procedure. The best way is to get instructions from your dentist and then find a toothpaste that fits your requirements. For this purpose, you may need to read the manufacturer’s label before buying.

If your teeth do not respond to whitening toothpaste, you may want to go for a more aggressive whitening procedure, which may be the use of whitening trays or even in-office treatment. Remember, using whitening toothpaste persistently can help you whiten your teeth eventually. This toothpaste also helps when you have to prolong the effect of a professional whitening procedure. You may want to speak to your dentist in this regard.