Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Home Teeth Whitening Techniques - From Baking Soda All The Way To Pig Hair

If you consider how far today's home teeth whitening products have advanced, then you'll really appreciate what you don't have to put into your mouth. It is actually quite amazing how far dental practices have come in the past few hundred years. But, if you need a refresher course in Dental History 101, then you have come to the right spot. Though there are plenty of teeth whitening systems and kits you can now buy, having a bright smile was not always so easy.

Home teeth whitening would not be where it is today if not for the advent of the toothbrush. Of course, you would not recognize one of these first teeth cleaning implements as a tooth brush. The first one was actually a twig with one end frayed to scrape the tooth. Lords, Ladies, Kings, Queens and peasants alike, all utilized a piece of yard debris as a way to rid their mouth of excess food and buildup. It was not until centuries later that a toothbrush was fashioned out of wood with boar bristles attached. There is nothing quite like the taste of pig hair first thing in the morning!

Whiter teeth have always been fashionable. Early dentists, a.k.a the nearby barber, would file the tooth surface down before applying a solution of Nitric Acid. The blinding white teeth came with a steep price. This combination is devastating to enamel and the Dandy or Lady found themselves without teeth before long, due to decay. A tooth is only as good as the protection surrounding it.

Think about that fresh minty taste of your toothpaste. Most whitening toothpastes now contain baking soda. It is still a common practice to brush the teeth with baking soda straight out of the Arm & Hammer box. If you do not want that baking soda taste, then you may want to stick with toothpaste. At least the toothpaste no longer contains urine, a common ingredient in the 1800's!

Home teeth whitening begins with proper tooth care. You do want to brush each day and floss regularly. Regular check-ups at the dentist can help keep your teeth healthy and your gums in great shape. You do not want to brush your teeth with pure bleach. You may also want to skip tobacco products, red wine and drinks such as tea, coffee or soda. All of those stain the enamel over time. If whiter teeth seem like a hassle, then consider how far people had to go in the past to have sparkling white teeth.

To learn more go to Highland Park Zoom Tooth Whitening and at Teeth Whitening In Santa Clara

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