How to Keep Your Teeth White
In the oral healthcare market of today, home teeth whitening systems have become a major
industry. Whitening chewing gum by itself is estimated to pull in an astounding 17 million dollars
per annum in gross sales, and that is just for a single brand. When you include additional
products like brushed on bleaching gels, whitening toothpastes and whitening strips, it is easy to
see just how big and profitable the market has become. Oral care as we know it nowadays, has
not always been that way though and is somewhat different from its rather humble beginnings.
The lengths which some folks would go to in the past simply to get a dazzling smile can make
you very grateful for the modern conveniences that we take for granted today.
These days, we all know that brushing our teeth twice a day or after meals is the first step in
home teeth whitening. To do that, we turn to our trusty toothbrush to get rid of any surface
buildup on our teeth. Everyone has a toothbrush readily available but what would you do if you
could not find yours. You would venture outside into your front or back yard of course and find
yourself a suitable twig. In times gone by, people would really chew on twigs in order to clean
their pearly whites. After that, some ingenious person, way back in history, had the bright idea of
fashioning a piece of wood and adding wild boar bristle to the end of it. And so the toothbrush
was born although the idea of having a mouthful of hog hairs first thing in the morning is not too
appealing.
Even though home tooth whitening kits have come a long way over time, needing to have whiter
teeth is not anything new and has always been trendy. The early barber, who used to double up
as the local dentist, would literally file the surface of the tooth down and then apply a solution of
Nitric Acid. This process would certainly be effective at giving brilliant white teeth, but it also
came with a high price tag. The combination of filing and acid would ruin the enamel protection
leading to rapid decay and the eventual loss of the teeth.
Consider that fresh minty taste of your toothpaste. The majority of whitening toothpastes now
contain sodium bicarbonate as an active ingredient. It is still a common practice to brush the
teeth with baking soda straight out of the Arm & Hammer packet. If you do not want that baking
soda taste, then you might want to stick with toothpaste. At any rate it no longer contains urine,
which was a popular element in the 1800’s.
The best dental whitening system begins with correct tooth care. You do want to brush each day
and floss on a regular basis. Frequent check-ups at the dentist can assist in keeping your teeth
healthy and your gums in good condition. You do not want to brush your teeth with pure bleach.
You may also want to skip tobacco products, red wine and beverages like tea, coffee or soda.
All of those stain the tooth enamel over time. If whiter teeth seem too much hassle, then
consider how far people had to go in times past to have sparkling white teeth.
