The Bad Breath Blog

With cavities and periodontal disease less of a concern, more dental patients have turned their attention to improving their overall appearance with teeth whitening. Cosmetic treatments have become the most common service requests from dental patients, with more than ten million Americans spending $1.7 billion a year on teeth whitening products and services. Teeth whitening refers to “any procedure that changes the shade and appearance of teeth without using restorative materials” (1). This includes products dispensed by dental professionals and over-the-counter products.

Studies have shown patients who feel good about their physical appearance tend to adjust to illnesses better and experience shorter recuperation times.

The semi-clear, but hard outer layer tooth surface consists of enamel, which provides protection for the dentin. In 1951, a study revealed that radioisotope-labeled hydrogen peroxide could penetrate enamel to the dentin pulp. Hydrogen peroxide makes up the main ingredient in many tooth whitening products (1, 2). Other whitening products contain carbamide peroxide.

The tooth enamel is made of hydroxyapatite crystals. The formation of microscopic hexagonal rods makes the tooth enamel porous. The teeth change color due to the penetration of staining agents into the enamel, which makes it a challenge to clean the otherwise harmless stains from the tooth surface.

Causes of Teeth Discoloration

The success of teeth whitening treatments has as much to do with the type, intensity and location of the discoloration. The diagnosis performed by the dental professional represents the most important aspect of addressing tooth discoloration issues. The dentist’s evaluation determines if the discoloration  lies in the enamel surface or is a deeper staining, which affects the tooth’s structure.

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There are many ways to improve your smile, but if you want to stick to the best ways to whiten teeth, then TheraBreath may have what you need. We manufacture a special tooth whitening kit that leaves all others in the dust.

Bleaching your teeth used to be a very expensive
process, one that involved thousands of dollars and multiple trips to the dentist’s office. In those days, clinicians had to make molds of your teeth, after which it typically took more than a week before the resulting mouthpiece was ready to be used.

Then you had to visit the dentist and sit in a chair
with peroxide-filled molds in your mouth for several hours. The bleaching agent was relatively mild then, meaning that it usually required more than one such trip in order to get whiter teeth.

These days, professional tooth bleaching has come a long way, and it is now one of the best ways to whiten teeth. But it’s not the only way. In fact, many people prefer doing their own bleaching at home, since it is cheaper and can be just as effective.

Here’s how to whiten your teeth quickly and safely. First, avoid tooth-whitening kits that involve strips or brush-on paste. The latter must dry out in order to work properly, and if you accidentally salivate while it’s setting, you can leave yellow patches on your pearly whites.

Likewise, strips will bleach the front and back of each tooth, but they cannot get into the crevices, which can leave your smile looking like it has brown grout between each tooth.

The solution is to use a TheraBrite PLUS home bleaching kit, which is one of the most effective ways to whiten teeth. Its customizable molds and special carbamide peroxide gels get all sides of your teeth looking as clean and bright as porcelain.

Probiotics have taken an even greater plunge into the mainstream. The mint form of these probiotics are now stocked in over 7,000 stores throughout the US. Allegedly, this probiotic mint is supposed to help encourage good health for the teeth and gums. It is said that this oral probiotic supposedly has teeth whitening qualities, as well as the ability to banish bad breath. Streptococcus mutans is the main bacteria that causes tooth decay, and this bacteria transforms sugars in the mouth (from snacks, meals, etc.) into acids, which in turn attack the enamel of the teeth and possibly cause lesions or caries. This probiotic targets this bacteria and helps prevent the damage it can cause.

Obviously, more research has to be done on these new probiotics before further developments and assumptions can be made.  We are finally seeing the probiotic market expanding throughout the US, after being stuck in a smaller niche for so long. Other companies are doing research in hopes to formulate a type of probiotic that fights against dental caries. Some of these new formulas will likely have the probiotic Lactobillus paracasei, which binds to the bacteria that causes caries and groups them together.

Also, Aktiv-K12 is an excellent probiotic that helps prevent and treat bad breath, so check it out!

So, who are the celebrities known for having the best teeth?  If you’ve heard the news lately, Julia Roberts and Brad Pitt have topped the polls on “best looking teeth“.  Julia Roberts has been famous for her white teeth for years now.  Her smile is one of the most memorable in Hollywood, and after topping a recent survey for the best teeth among the stars, she still is ranked the star with the best smile according to most cosmetic dentists.  This makes up for the fact that she reportedly had bad breath from drinking too much coffee on movie sets.  Brad Pitt himself ranked #1 for best male celebrity smile in 2008, whereas David Beckham ranked second on that same list that year.

Who else has a great smile in Hollywood?  Halle Berry was voted the #1 female celebrity who had the best smile in 2006, according to the AACD.  Also, in 2006, surveys said that Mathew McConaughey had the best male celebrity smile.  Mathew had also stated that he had somewhat of an obsession with his teeth!  AACD chose Eva Mendes as the celebrity with the “most glamorous smile” in 2006-2007.  Will Smith and Anne Hathaway are generally near the top of the best smile lists.  Hilary Duff was voted by 40% of survey respondents for having the best smile among the teen stars.  Last but not least, the controversial Tiger Woods has been known to dominate the vote for the greatest smile among male athletes.
Source: California Dentist

Aside from brushing and flossing, there are other things that your dentist could you tell so you can better care for your teeth.  There are secrets that dentists know that their patients do not.  These usually include the following:

1)  Your dentist can tell if you smoke.  Even if someone brushes their teeth or tries to cover it up with mints, gum, or mouthwash, the smell is actually embedded in the mouth, especially the gum tissue!

• Smokers are also 4X more likely to get periodontal disease than those who do not smoke.

2)  The oral bacteria that causes cavities can spread on food and cutlery.  For instance, mothers will share their utensils and food with their kids, but bad bacteria can be spread this way.  This also goes to say that one should take special care when kissing (especially their little ones) if he or she has gum disease or cavities, since these bacteria are contagious.

3)  When most people brush, they only clean less than 1/4 of their mouths!  Most people brush for 30 seconds or less, and good oral hygiene requires at least five minutes of brushing and flossing each day.  One should brush at least 2-3 minutes at a time, and floss for 1-2 minutes each time.  When people brush only 30 seconds, they are missing their back molars 90% of the time. 

4) Bleaching Teeth Too Much Can Make Them Translucent!  Teeth whitening can thin the enamel, so never bleach your teeth more than once every six months.  If the gel bothers your gums and teeth, try a fluoride rinse or gel before and after using the bleaching gel.  This will make your teeth less sensitive. 

5) Don’t get your mouth deep cleaned when you only need a regular cleaning.  Some dentists want to charge your insurance more, so they will tell you that you need a deep cleaning when you do not.  Those who need a deep cleaning are people who have a lot of tartar on their roots or other symptoms of disease. 

Source: ABC News