Which is Better? Home or in Office Teeth Whitening
by delon on May 27th, 2010
filed under Teeth Whitening
Which Is Better? Home or In Office Teeth Whitening
Being health conscious is a very good sign and while you are concerned about your fast growing body weight and the rise in cholesterol numbers, you must look after your teeth as well. Earlier dentistry was just a two fold treatment procedure- a) tooth repair and b) cleaning. But today, teeth whitening and cosmetic dentistry has become a huge business. People are eager to spend fortunes to have sparkling teeth. Some of them don’t even hesitate to think about the abnormal price of the sessions; all they need is a glittering smile and pearly white teeth.
As there has been a significant growth in the cosmetic dentistry business many teeth whitening products have come in. This has created a lot of confusion in the minds of the common mass who are trying to find the best option for their teeth. Confusion begins when a person cannot understand what to choose; whether to go by the in office teeth whitening procedures or to opt for at-home teeth whiteners. Before reaching a conclusion you must know all the factors you must consider before choosing either of the procedures.
The first factor that needs to be considered is the kind of treatment that you are looking for. Is it just about teeth whitening or cleaning? Do you want something more than just whitening? You need to understand your issue of concern first. If your issue is just about teeth whitening you can stick to the good old at-home procedures or over-the-counter toothpastes and gels. But if you need a better treatment you will have to see a dentist.
In office teeth whitening refers to the procedure that involves the application of the whitener or gel or bleach by the dentist in the dental office, whereas at-home teeth whitening is basically a simple process where the person concerned can take the materials for bleaching his teeth at home and then perform the treatment accordingly. It is basically unsupervised.
The bleaching treatments done at home can take longer time than usual and might not generate the best results that it could otherwise have. But with in office teeth whitening treatments a person can expect to get the best results in very short span of time under proper medical supervision, which is definitely an added advantage.
However, if your question is about the best kind of teeth whitening procedure, the answer would vary. The best treatment depends on several factors: the time that you can give to your treatment procedure, your personal temperament and also your affordability i.e.; how much you can spend for your teeth whitening treatment.
Considering the at-home teeth whitening procedures, the patient needs to have enough knowledge about the procedure and how it is carried out. He should be capable of carrying out as well as complying with the instructions and techniques. This is a drawback. Also the person needs to have patience and time to carry out the procedures after all the work. The result of the at-home whitening treatments cannot be predicted; it can take months for some people to get the perfect results. But at-home procedures are cheap and that’s probably the biggest advantage it has.
Nonetheless, the in office whitening treatments is less time consuming and results can be expected almost immediately. The whitening can be noticed in just a single session or two. But professional procedures are very expensive and it’s the biggest drawback. This is probably one of the reasons why people prefer to stick to at home whitening treatment procedures.
If you want to know which a better option is, you’ll have to ask yourself. It is you who knows whether you want the results immediately and would like to spend a big amount for the purpose or not. If you are considering the at home procedures ask yourself if you have the time to do it. Your answers would help you decide which the better option for you is. However, both the options are good enough and can be tried.
Acne – Home Remedies for Acne
by delon on June 5th, 2009
filed under Acne
There are so many theories for acne removal. There are contemporary and parallel theories also for acne removal. Mainly home remedies or herbal remedies are indicated as parallel methods of acne removal. Some mechanical acne removal processes also have come up following worldwide research for acne removal. Acne light therapy is a prominent method for acne removal. In the acne light therapy highly sensitive blue light is used for acne removal. In laser acne therapy for acne removal, highly sophisticated laser rays are used to kill the bacteria hidden under the surface of the skin.
Fruits that have lots of acid make great acne-fighting facial masks. Fruits and vegetable are rich in acid that help treat acne problems. Eating fruits and vegetables is a must if you want to be acne free quickly. Crush some garlic and gently daub on acne. A lot of people have said that garlic is one of the best acne home remedies they have ever tried. Garlic is a great natural acne treatment because of its properties and health benefits.
Wash the face gently with a non-oily face wash at least twice a day. Wipe off the water from the face and apply tea-tree oil on the face. This will reduce the chances of you getting acne. Don’t apply any other oily or chemical cosmetic on the face. Some people think eating chocolates, ice creams, pickles etc could make the acne worse, but it is a myth and taking these won’t harm or aggravate the skin condition. Whether you are a teen or an adult, acne could dent your confidence levels and make you depressed, so get a remedy for it.
Toothpaste has also been known for an instant acne remedy. Remedies for acne are often overlooked, but can be effective in lessening the acne outbursts. Moderate to severe acne, you should always contact your doctor for prescription oral antibiotics that may be needed to reduce bacteria and fight inflammation. Acne becomes more marked at puberty and during adolescent because the glands, which affect the secretions of the sebaceous glands, are working at peak activity. Acne is the most common on skin of adolescents and young adults between ages 11 and 34.
Lemon juice and rose water makes up an effective solution that can get rid of your acne, and the marks left behind by acne. And from my personal experience it’s the most effective out of any other acne treatments. What you do is actually quite simple, you mix these two ingredients together, 50/50% each. Then you apply the solution to a cotton pad or sponge which you then apply to your acne marks. Leave on for 30 minutes or so, then wash off with warm water!
Home remedies are best remedies to cure acne. Some of the home remedies to cure acne are orange, garlic, and cucumber. Peel of orange paste applied on the affected area helps to cure pimple. Paste of fenugreek helps to cure pimples. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables and drinking at least 1 liter of water daily is also one of the home remedies to cure acne. Home remedies to cure acne have no side affects if your not having any allergic to certain fruits and vegetables.
Some Good Home Teeth Whitening Methods
by delon on May 24th, 2009
filed under Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening industry is growing and there are plethora of products and techniques including the home teeth whitening methods to remove stains and make your teeth sparkling white. And the best part is most of them are easy to use products. There is a staining bacteria found in discolored teeth. So, first of all we need to get rid of it in order to keep our teeth white and to prevent yellowing. There are certain foods like apples, guavas, pears, carrots, sugar cane, cauliflower, and cucumbers whose intake induces a high salivary flow which protects the teeth. Also, the fiber content in some of them works physically to remove the bacteria and clean the teeth.
What are most popular teeth whitening treatments available and how they work? There are some at home teeth bleaching methods and kits. A bleach based tooth whitening kit normally has a mouth tray over which you apply the bleaching agent and then put the tray in your mouth. After, wearing the tray for around an hour, one can have a clean set of teeth. Actually, these whitening gels contain peroxide which bleaches the tooth enamel. The bleaching agent used in such products is carbamide peroxide which comes in several different concentrations (10%, 16% and 22%).
Whiteners containing Peroxide usually come in gel form and are placed with a mouth guard. Usage of such products varies across brands. Some are used twice daily for fortnights while others are used overnight for a couple of weeks.
Tooth whitening strips are very effective home teeth whitening light product. These are simple strips that are to be placed over the teeth for around half an hour. This is one of the easiest, effective and economical treatments for teeth whitening. Crest Whitestrips is the best strip available. They have peroxides as their main ingredient.
Toothpaste: Toothpaste is yet again another home teeth whitening light product which contains mild abrasives that rub the surface of the teeth to remove stains. There are some “Whitening” pastes available in the market that use special chemical or polishing agents to provide additional stain removal. These products do not affect the natural color of the teeth as compared to bleaches.
Different at-home teeth whitening methods can whiten teeth up to six shades within an hour. There is a remedy designed by dentist for teeth whitening. It is as follows:
• First, rinse your mouth with a good Mouth Rinse which would boost the efficiency of the home teeth whitening light gel.
• Then, brush and spread the whitening gel over the teeth properly.
• Finally, apply an activating light to stimulate the photo-activator in the gel.
This process takes anywhere from 30 minutes to one hour. Repeat it around 20 times for best results.
These home teeth whitening light activated whitening methods are marketed as “Breakthroughs” by BriteSmile and Zoom. But they are quite expensive and their performance is at par with white strips.
Other home teeth whitening methods include using items that are easily found in the homes. You can use them and not worry about the expenditure at all.
Some Home Teeth Whitening Tips
by delon on May 21st, 2009
filed under Teeth Whitening
There are various home teeth whitening formulae that have been successfully used by thousands of people worldwide to have whiter teeth and brighter smiles. There are several in home teeth whitening techniques that have proven to be safe and are backed by many years of research and experience. Now you can easily whiten your teeth quickly and safely by using the exact methods as used by the dentists. Earlier people were not made available the home teeth whitening procedures and they were exclusively available with the dentists. But now with the advent of technology these in home teeth whitening procedures are made available to the general public at a fraction of the cost.
The teeth whitening industry is full of in home teeth whitening products, procedures and claims. Therefore it is essential that the consumers educate themselves thoroughly about the several home teeth whitening products like the whitening strips, gels etc. they should understand that which system is effective and which is not. The home teeth whitening should not necessarily burn the hole in your pocket. There are many products which will cost you lesser than a toothpaste.
You can use several items present in your house for home teeth whitening. Things like baking soda and oranges are excellent for this. There are some home teeth whitening kits available in the market which you can use in the privacy settings of your house but they can be quite expensive. Another option is going to the dental clinics but that is the most expensive choice. Mentioned below are a few in home teeth whitening tips:
• You can take some baking soda and make a paste with water. After this you can brush this paste over your teeth or you can even apply it with the help of a finger. It should stay on your teeth for 2 or 3 minutes. Now rinse your mouth well. It doesn’t matter if you swallow a little bit of this paste.
• Another home teeth whitening procedure involves using some lemon and salt in equal portions. All you have to do is rub this paste on your teeth every night before going to bed.
• Some people use orange peel as a remedy for home teeth whitening. You cab rub the white side of the peel twice a day to see visible effects in 2 or 3 weeks.
• Make a paste of dried and crushed bay leaves and orange peel. Rub this powder on your teeth and leave it for awhile. Then gargle normally.
• There are a variety of in home teeth whitening products available in the market. The most effective ones contain Carbamide Peroxide in a concentration of 10%-35%. There are non-glycerine based formulas that contain 22% of Carbamide Peroxide. It gives the best results and is very safe to use.
• Then there are professional tray bleaching systems, boil and bite Tray bleaching systems, dental whitening click-pens, whitening strips and whitening toothpaste.
The bottom line is that there are a variety of home teeth whitening products available to obtain effective results.
Teeth Whitening: The Easiest Way to Carry Out Teeth Whitening at Home
by delon on May 6th, 2009
filed under Teeth Whitening
Teeth Whitening method is often resorted to by people endeavor to keep their teeth healthy and clean of Bacterial pigments causing stains to the teeth. One of the main reasons owing to which people prefer Teeth Whitening procedure is because they have an advantage of whitening their teeth at home. While the overall process of Teeth Whitening was merely confined to the den of a dentist earlier, the concept has changed a little bit with the availability of Teeth Whitening kits in the market for home use. Owing to our hectic lifestyles, the need of the hour is to adopt a technique which could easily be used and executed at home. Well, here is how you can hope to whiten your teeth while sitting at home.
Product Need To Be Chosen Carefully
Convenience factor is one of the biggest advantages of whitening your teeth from home. Now, you can keep your teeth neat and clean using the best Teeth Whitening product available in the market. While there are various traditional methods available in the market today, very few are actually effective. As compared to a gel or a whitening strip, it has been observed that a cleansing swab is supposedly the best possible means of maintaining the overall health of your teeth. Hence, it is in your best interest to choose a cleansing swab from an online store. Along with a cleaning swab, you would also be provided with a jar of cleaning powder.
Scheduled Use Of The Teeth Whitening Product Is A Must
Ensuring a pair of glittering white teeth comes close on the heels of product selection. Once you have a packet of swabs and the jar of whitening powder handy, you would need to draw up a schedule to whiten your teeth regularly to keep it shining. The best time to cleanse your tooth should be sometime early in the morning. You may also do so before putting yourself to bed. Once you have a schedule in place, it becomes all the more easy, to maintain the overall health of your teeth.
Please Follow The Directions Of Teeth Whitening Meticulously
In order to carry out Home Teeth Whitening, you need to follow the instructions printed on the Teeth Whitening kit for extracting the best result. While it takes just a few seconds to go through the instructions book, very few of us actually care to do so. The result of not going through the instruction manual can be catastrophic. While using a cleansing swab, you simply need to cleave it into two halves and dip one end inside a jar of cleaning powder. The swabs are filled with a special liquid which has the ability to absorb just the right amount of powder. Hence you need not worry about the measurements. Thereafter, you simply rub the swabs over the stained tooth in a clockwise direction.
Remain Consistent
After you have completed the Teeth Whitening procedure using swabs, you shall find a drastic change in the color of your teeth. Within seconds, your stained tooth would start glittering like new. Likewise, you need to remember that you need to try and make use of a cleansing procedure on a regular basis in order to maintain the luster and color of your teeth. Cleansing swabs are the best possible means of maintaining the true color of your tooth. So, using these swabs at least twice a week is strictly advised. Whitening teeth using a cleansing swab would help you keep your teeth healthy all the time and you will have no complaint against the product.
Which Is The Best Home Teeth Whitening Solution?
by delon on April 5th, 2009
filed under Teeth Whitening
When you consider teeth whitening then the picture of a dental office comes in mind. However, treatments at a dental office are very expensive. But thankfully many over the counter treatments related to home teeth whitening are available in the drugstores and pharmacies. These are quite handy especially if you are on a tight budget. Products like gels, home teeth whitening trays, strips, whitening toothpastes and other whitening agents can be easily found.
In case your teeth are lightly stained, then you can find many home teeth whitening products which will show excellent results. In this process you will be saving a lot of money. Moreover they are hassle free since you don’t have to make appointments and stick to them disregarding your convenience. However if your teeth are permanently stained, then a visit to the dentist is essential.
Products like the home teeth whitening trays are worn on teeth so that the bleaching agent in them stimulates a chemical reaction which will eventually whiten the teeth. The teeth whitening gels consist of chemicals which help in removing the surface stains of the teeth. The process of removing the stains takes some time, especially if you are trying the home teeth whitening trays. Moreover you cannot expect these trays to give you a fantastic result or the one that is identical to the one obtained at the dental clinic under the supervision of a dentist. They cannot be used back rendering them waste after a single usage.
Other home teeth whitening products include the whitening strips. These are plastic films which are thin enough to wrap around your teeth. They are not good as compared to the home teeth whitening trays. They do not cover the teeth well and leave spaces between the gums. Yet another convenient form of home teeth whitening systems is the teeth whitening pens or sprays. These easily reach the teeth crevices since they involve the usage of syringes or have a brush applicator. However, the only disadvantage is that they are small in amount and a multiple number of pens are required to do teeth whitening.
There are a multitude of other home teeth whitening remedies apart from the products mentioned above including home teeth whitening trays. You can use them at no cost at all and yet find them to be more effective and healthy and zero side effects. One of the home formulas includes mixing 3 teaspoons of hydrogen peroxide with 2 teaspoons of baking soda. Add some toothpaste to it and mix the whole mixture. In case the mixture becomes watery try adding more of baking soda. Apply it on the teeth with the help of brush and just leave it over there for two minutes. Then rinse off the entire mixture properly.
The whitening toothpastes do not have much effect as far as real whitening is concerned. They only clean the outer surface of the teeth. The home teeth whitening remedy mentioned above is much better, but you have to patient to see visible effects.
Teeth Whitening: Which Is The Best Home Teeth Whitening Product?
by delon on April 3rd, 2009
filed under Teeth Whitening
Teeth whitening products have flooded the market today. While there are various users who consider the usage of teeth whitening products as an imperative part of their daily lives, most are still clueless whether they can actually whiten teeth from home. Hence, instead of wasting your precious time in paying a visit to the local dentist, you need to try and opt for a suitable product through which you can whiten your teeth from home. Taking cue from the above statement, let us now discuss the best teeth whitening product, which is sure to assist you in a suitable manner.
Whiten Your Teeth Through Swabs
While there are various whiteners available in the market today, the only product which is stated to work wonders in the longer run is a cleansing swab. A cleansing swab is a means of whitening your teeth through the means of simple kit. One of the main reasons why a teeth whitening product is considered the most useful means of cleansing your teeth is because you can use it any time you like. Swabs are also considered effective as they whiten your teeth from the root to the tip. As compared to other methods, a cleansing swab is also less time consuming. When it comes to the pricing, then these swabs are affordable in nature. They come with a polishing powder, which is made from natural ingredients. At present, there are a few top notch teeth whitening companies, such as Teeth Whitening Tips, which are providing their kits on a free trial basis. I availed this limited trial offer and greatly benefited from the swabs they provided.
Do Not Whiten Teeth Through Strips
Another widely used method of cleansing your tooth from awful stains is a polishing strip. Now, these strips have been used for a very long period of time but they are not at all convenient. In order to whiten your teeth through the means of these strips, you are supposed to clip them to your stained tooth and leave it there for a couple of hours. The whitening adhesive as well as the oxidizing agent, which is present in the clip, would then take care of your stain. This is a slow procedure and it can prove to be quite irritating for a first time user. Besides, owing to their spurious quality, people often complain that they have not been able to cleanse their teeth in an appropriate manner. At times, you need to apply the strips for as long as 14 days to get the desired result.
Teeth Whitening Gels Are Also Passé
The third technique through which you can hope to whiten teeth from home is a whitening gel. These gels can be had through the means of an online store. You need to empty the tube inside a tooth brace. When the brace is filled with the liquid, it has to be applied onto your denture. While gels are considered to be better than strips and they do whiten your teeth in an appropriate fashion, you still need to wear the brace for a few hours. Hence, you are stranded for a couple of hours with an uncomfortable brace stuffed to your mouth. While comparing the three techniques to whiten your teeth, the cleansing swabs are considered the most effective of all. They are convenient, speedy, affordable and effective.
Home Skin Care No Guilt Facials
by delon on March 28th, 2009
filed under Skin Care
Many people, especially women, love to treat themselves to a luxurious and soothing facial with a professional aesthetician at a spa. Unfortunately, the high price of a professional facial keeps many people from feeling relaxed. With today’s tight budgets and the rising costs of food, housing, and gasoline, some people do not feel good about justifying the cost of a spa facial. People often feel guilty about spending money to indulge themselves in pricey facials and beauty treatments, particularly people finding it hard to pay their bills, trying to save for their children’s college education, or who should be putting away money for retirement.
With natural home skin care recipes, these people can relax and put their money fears to rest. Home skin care recipes offer a simple and affordable way to enjoy a luxurious, soothing, and rejuvenating facial in the comfort of home. With home skin care, people get all of the benefits of a spa facial without the cost and guilt that comes with spending money on indulging themselves.
The largest organ of the body, skin covers and shelters the muscles and internal organs inside the body. Skin is responsible for regulating body temperature and protecting the body from harmful pathogens. The body’s most vital organ, skin should be pampered and cared for. Healthy skin promotes a healthy body. There is no more natural way to care for skin than with natural home skin care using natural ingredients instead of the harsh chemicals common to many spa skin care products.
The most healthy and glowing skin is possible with home skin care. Healthy skin looks young and vibrant. With today’s society being so focused on youth, looks, and living a healthy lifestyle, natural home skin care is not only cost effective, it makes sense.
Natural home skin care recipes use a mixture of natural ingredients available at any grocery store, including pure, nutritious ingredients that contain antioxidants, nutrients, and vitamins, such as fruits, vegetables, milk, yogurt, honey, cream, herbs, juices, eggs, flowers, tea, roots, vinegar, cornstarch, sugar, and more. After a trip to the grocery store, a person can come home and use recipes to mix up home skin care products, including facial scrubs, facial masks, facial peels, facial toners, facial mists, facial cleansers, facial moisturizers, facial wraps, under eye treatments, special occasion treatments, and more. A refreshing and rejuvenating facial skin care treatment can be whipped up with simple natural ingredients that are both cost effective and beneficial to the skin.
Home skin care is not just for relaxing anti-aging facials, it can also help to treat problematic skin conditions. The most common skin condition, no matter what age, is acne. There are many home skin care recipes to help people suffering with acne. Some skin problems originate because of oily or dry skin. Natural home skin care can work to restore the balance of oily and dry skin, lessening the occurrence of these problems.
Home skin care is a healthy and natural solution for the person seeking a spa facial and young, radiant, glowing skin.
Teeth Whitening: Cleansing Swabs Becoming Popular Amongst Home Teeth Whitening Products
by delon on March 26th, 2009
filed under Teeth Whitening
Many reports put out by different agencies involved in conducting surveys, of late, have suggested a remarkable surge in the demand of Cleansing Swab which happens to be one of the Teeth Whitening products available in the market. This outrageous increment in the demand of Cleansing Swab shows that the product is gaining popularity amongst people. I have met many people who advocate this product for whitening teeth as it has an edge over all other means of Teeth Whitening in terms of cost, time and effectiveness. When we talk of teeth whitening tips, we often need to understand that in order to whiten teeth, we would be required to choose a product which can be easily applied at personal discretion. In order to avoid going to your dentist every fortnight to get your teeth checked up and cleaned, you need to select a method through which you can cleanse your teeth at home. Taking cue from the above statement, let us now go through methods adopting which we can whiten our teeth without fear.
Look For A Compatible Teeth Whitening Product
While making a decision to buy a Teeth Whitening product, you must give compatibility of products a deep thought. You should run your eyes through a list of Teeth Whitening products available on different websites and dwell on the product fetching you utmost satisfaction by producing desired results. Compatibility of the product must be looked at ,first, before you move on to other factors impacting your overall decision, e.g.- price, time etc. Try and take a closer look at the products which are being used in the case of home based techniques. Once you have a closer look at them, you would realize that you have just 3 main choices in hand. The first is a Cleansing Swab, the second is a Gel and the third is a Teeth Whitening Strip. As you narrow your choices down to 3, you feel much relieved as making a selection pertaining to Teeth Whitening becomes much easier.
Why I Am An Exponent Of Swab
Everyone in this world wants to lead a peaceful life. In order to do so, you tend to focus on areas where you can save time. Going to dentist for getting your teeth checked up every fortnight is something that we can dispense with. But, leaving your teeth in the custody of bacterial pigments causing stains is not a good idea as well. So, you decide to whiten your teeth using cost-effective and time-saving Home Teeth Whitening products in order to keep your teeth healthy and shining all the time. I researched on all the available options meant for whitening teeth and found Cleansing Swabs to be ruling the roost. Cleansing swabs contain the properties of the best Teeth Whitening product. Along with the Cleansing swabs, you would get a jar of cleansing powder. The application procedure is very easy to understand and simple to execute. All you are required to do is catch hold of a kit at an online store and use it on a regular basis. Nowadays, you also get swabs free of charge. There is a limited time free trial offer which I used and I benefited a lot from it as well.
Disciplined Use Of Product Must For Desired Results
If you are a disciple of time management, you would know how much one can benefit from a daily time-table showing different tasks to be executed in chronological order. Anything performed in a disciplined manner fetches you fruitful result. Likewise, if you make application of Cleansing Swabs regularly, you would never be attacked by germs which specialize in ruining your teeth. Simply choose a kit and place it near your wash basin. Each morning, after you brush your teeth with a paste and toothbrush, simply pick a swab, snap it in two equal halves and rub it over your stained tooth. In a matter of seconds, your tooth would be sparkling like new. A time-table would keep on reminding you of this not-to-be-forgotten task.
Time Saving Factor Makes It The Best
In today’s world, you may be quite well-off. But, you will always be short of time. Although you can afford hefty fee of a renowned dentist every week and spend on high-priced medicines prescribed by the doctor, you cannot afford to spend your precious time visiting the doctor every now and then as time holds much more value than money nowadays. So, availability of a reasonably-priced and time-saving Teeth Whitening Swabs in the market gives you utmost relief, giving you time to accomplish other important tasks faster . If you choose a cleansing swab, you can easily whiten your teeth in a matter of seconds. Gels and Strips turn out to be messy and time-consuming. So, they should be avoided at all costs.
Good Dental Care At Home Can Keep Your Teeth Looking Bright!
by delon on March 25th, 2009
filed under Dental Care
Using a good quality toothbrush and toothpaste can help keep your smile bright!
When we talk about dental care many people think about that trip to the dentists every 6 months. You DO go to the dentist regularly don’t you? OK, may of us don’t because of the time involved or expense. The second best way to protect your teeth is to follow a regular dental care regimen at home. This would include not only brushing your teeth with a quality toothbrush but also using some type of dentifrice or toothpaste and regular use of dental floss. Flossing is probably the least used but most effective way to clean areas of your teeth that cannot be reached with brushing alone.
Toothpaste is a paste used, almost always in conjunction with a tooth brush, to clean teeth. Good oral hygiene demands consistent brushing on a daily basis preferably after each meal. The first reference to toothpaste was found believe it or not in Egyptian writings. Toothpaste back then was probably a mixture of spices like sale and peppermint and probably some herbs. Although not exactly our idea of good tasting, it was most likely very effective for keeping down the decaying food particles and was considered good basic dental care of the day.
In the late 1800’s, toothpaste and dental care become a growth industry for many smaller companies. Oral hygiene of the day was a mixture of chalk and various salts designed more as an abrasive to scrape off plaque than make your mouth clean. We now know that these types of toothpastes or powders actually damaged teeth because of the abrasive nature of the ingredients. The abrasiveness scraped and damaged the enamel coating that protected teeth and left them more vulnerable to decay and plaque build up.
By 1900, baking soda made it’s way into commercial toothpaste products along with a small amount of hydrogen peroxide solution. This was probably the very beginnings of teeth whitening products for the mass market. Although actual tooth cleaning pastes were first marketed in the 19th century, it was not very popular until the mid 1900’s. The Colgate & Company manufactured toothpaste in the first collapsible tube, similar to the tubes we use today. These were actually the first products that had the basic compounds to brighten and whiten teethHydrogen peroxide, although in higher concentrations is being used today to remove staining and whiten teeth. Although tooth powders, a pre cursor product to toothpaste didn’t show up on the market until this time, it wasn’t until the mid 1950-1960 that modern toothpaste that we recognize became the teeth cleaner of choice.
Fluoride started to be added to toothpastes in the 1950 and 1960’s. Fluoride is still controversial due to the claimed “dangers” of anything chemical. Although fluoride is not good for people in large quantities, it’s a fact that as fluoride has been added to the nations water supply, the number of cavities in children has dropped dramatically. Of course, there’s little doubt that fluoride has been instrumental in lowering the number of dental cavities.
Like many shampoos, healthier ingredients (such as baking soda, pseudo-mouthwash etc) are often combined into base mixes of varying qualities and marketed as being beneficial. Toothpaste is most commonly sold in flexible tubes, although one may also purchase it in hard plastic containers with pumps. Packages designed to stand straight up, so as to allow more of the toothpaste to be used, are a relatively recent innovation. You only need a little toothpaste to get the job done however. Remember that the toothpaste manufacturers have an interest in getting you to overuse their product, making more purchases likely. A pea sized amount is more than enough to do a good job brushing your teeth.
Toothpaste comes in a variety of flavors, with those marketed to kids! Tasting like orange, cinnamon and bubblegum. Taste has nothing to do with the quality of the product however but may get some people and children to brush longer. So for a good brushing, use a quality toothpaste and soft bristle brush. Your teeth and gums will thank you!