Coffee, tea, soft drinks, red wine and cigarettes are all known to stain tooth enamel. However, drinking only water and being smoke-free aren't the best ways to keep teeth at their whitest. Genes, age, disease, silver fillings, certain medications and even exposure to too much fluoride can cause darker teeth. Buying whitening toothpastes is a low-cost method of reversing some inevitable darkening.
Function
Whitening toothpastes can remove some surface stains on teeth, but they can't change the natural color of teeth or reverse any decay, deep surface stains or fluoride discoloration, according to the Mayo Clinic. As a result, people who want extreme results may find that whitening toothpastes work best as supplements to bleaching treatments.
Active Ingredients
Whitening toothpastes reduce or remove surface stains by using special polishing abrasives such as silica or calcium carbonate. They also usually include chemicals such as tripolyphosphate or carbamide peroxide, which aid in dissolving or breaking down surface stains. While all toothpastes remove surface stains from teeth, teeth whitening toothpastes are said to be more abrasive, creating a more noticeable result in a shorter period of time.
Risks
According to the Alice! Health Promotion Program at Columbia University, using whitening toothpaste for extended periods of time can destroy tooth enamel. Also, since whitening toothpastes don't affect the progressively-yellowing inner dentin layer of teeth, reduced tooth enamel can make teeth appear yellower than they might be without exposure to whitening toothpaste.
Results
Whitening toothpastes typically cause teeth to appear whiter between two and four weeks after first use. However, a 2008 study in the United Kingdom discovered that a silica whitening toothpaste containing a chemical called blue covarine may be significantly more effective in causing teeth to appear whiter. While blue covarine doesn't actually change the color of the teeth, it adheres to the surface of teeth to create the illusion of whiter teeth.
Considerations
Not all whitening toothpastes are created equally. Consumers should first search for whitening toothpastes that display a seal of acceptance from a dental organization such as the American Dental Association. The seal indicates that the toothpaste is both effective at removing surface stains and effective at reducing tooth decay. Secondly, consumers should search for whitening toothpastes that suit their individual preferences; toothpastes come in a variety of flavors and strengths. Dentists and dental hygienists can offer additional advice for those wishing to see optimally white teeth.
