History of Teeth Whitening

Teeth whitening is the hottest buzz nowadays. You see it advertised on billboards, on TV commercials, even on magazines – beautiful women and handsome men showing off their dazzlingly white teeth. People are becoming more and more health conscious, and more concerned about their appearance, even through the teeth. Everyone is starting to try out different ways to achieve those oh-so-coveted pearly whites, but how exactly do you do it but not get bankrupt at the same time?

It has always been a natural instinct for humans to continually strive to beautify themselves. Even our early ancestors have been known to favor pearly whites instead of yellowed teeth. Perfect white teeth have always been a kind of social status – a mark of one’s beauty and affluence. People wanted to have an impressive smile to match their physical appearance and social standing, and the same still holds true for today’s society.

Back in the ancient times, around 4,000 years ago, people have begun to discover ways to whiten their teeth. The ancient Egyptians were known to clean their teeth using grounded pumice stones and vinegar mixed together to make a paste, sort of like what we use as toothpaste nowadays. They also used chewing sticks to remove their plaque and whiten their teeth. The Romans even believed that their own urine helped in whitening their teeth. These primitive methods are obviously crude and challenging, but nevertheless, this is evidence that even our early ancestors have attempted to achieve whiter smiles.

In the 17th century, it was our local barbers who were responsible for teeth whitening, tooth extractions, and even minor tooth surgeries. What they did to whiten teeth was to file them down and then soak them in nitric acid. What a harsh and painful method this was! But with this process, they were simultaneously inadvertently losing their enamel, which is of course a bad thing. Around this time also, dentists from Italy have discovered the wonders of fluoride. Using fluoride helped in keeping their patients’ teeth cleaner, whiter, and free of cavities. But this technique didn’t last, because they also realized that using excess fluoride ironically had the opposite effect of causing the teeth to turn yellower.

During the 1970′s, the term cosmetic dentistry was starting to become popular. Toothpastes added with a little hydrogen peroxide, a bleaching agent, was used. During the early 90′s, the only way you could get a high-quality teeth whitening method was paying a trip to your dentist. In 1989, 10% carbamide peroxide gel was introduced to the market, and model teeth impressions were used to make mouth trays. This system is so much similar to the home teeth whitening kits we have today, but now we have superior treatments that yield better results.

It hadn’t been until recently that teeth whitening became a lot less complicated and more convenient. One of the latest systems uses specially-fitted trays so that the whitening formula is applied evenly for uniform whitening. Nowadays, cosmetic dentistry is becoming a lot more popular. This industry even brings in billions of dollars worth of revenue, and teeth whitening is one of the top sellers. Whiter teeth can give us the confidence we need to be able to smile at the world, despite of recent economic issues. Moreover, because of its consistency, safety, and effectiveness, many people consider teeth whitening as a shrewd investment.

Various sources have pointed to many different tooth-staining culprits, including coffee, tea, or even wine. But are you really willing to cut back on these drinks? Do you think you can last the whole day without your trusty early-morning coffee? You might want to consider a more realistic approach to whitening your teeth. A lot of people, maybe even you, have tried out many teeth whitening systems sold commercially, but most say they aren’t really effective. Can you honestly say that you’ve found a system that truly works for you? Many people have wasted their money experimenting with different kinds of teeth whitening systems, but only a few people know that you can actually purchase a kit online, the same as the ones dentists actually use in their clinics.

Many people recommend using a home professional teeth-whitening kit. They all say it’s quite effective and easy to use. Many suggest using the 22% carbamide formulation for 30 minutes, 2 days in a row for maintenance. You can do this while watching TV, while reading a book, even while doing your household chores. Thanks to tons of research and much trial-and-error, the right strength of whitening formulations have been developed. Dentists now approve the use of hydrogen peroxide or carbamide peroxide, as they are claimed to be both safe and effective.

The best formulations would be those with strengths ranging from 22% to 44% carbamide peroxide. 44% works faster and is just as safe. Companies have on-site dental laboratories that produce custom-fitted trays. These are of the same quality as those used by dentists, but definitely cheaper.