Although we live in a society that highly regards shiny white
teeth, is that really the way we were meant to look? It seems that more
and more people are decided to bleach their teeth beyond recognition
because it is considered to trademark a healthy appearance. You are
probably aware that drinking coffee or tea will tend to stain your teeth
yellow, but were you aware that the aging process actually changes the
colour of your teeth?
Have you ever seen an old piano? Think
about it. All piano keys used to be made of ivory; the tusk bone of an
elephant. These were gleaming white at the beginning, and now those
pianos sit decrepit in a corner with yellowed, cracked keys which may
even have warped out of shape. This is what is naturally in store for
your own teeth, although you should not worry too much; yellowed, warped
piano keys are often twice as old as you will ever expect to be! The
point is that the tissues that make up your bones and teeth will change
over time and as you age will become more yellow. This colour change
can be confusing, and often foods and drinks are blamed instead of pure
genetics.
Younger people will have the most naturally white teeth
of anyone, but even if you look closely at them you will see that few
can be said to have perfectly white teeth. This is because on the
whole, white is not a natural colour! Certainly close shades are in
existence and are very flattering, but there is no escaping the slow
colour shift from near white to nearer yellow. Sad, but true!
Regardless of this fact, you have probably already armed yourself (to
the teeth) to defend a whitened front.
Essentially, teeth
whitening can be seen as another way to stop the aging process. In the
same way that you use moisturising creams to stop wrinkles and hair dye
to keep away the grey, various teeth whitening products such as
toothpastes, polishes and adhesive strips are being used to make teeth
whiter and more youthful. It is a somewhat unconscious effort by
Westerners to remain in the blossom of youth for ever longer; white
teeth are the trademark of preteens and teenagers, but certainly not of
the middle aged and retirement set! Whatever the conscious and
subconscious reasons for whitening your teeth, it is best to come into
the venture with the knowledge that you may not ever have a perfectly
white set. But that is no reason to despair!
You know there are
plenty of teeth whitening options available, so choose one that is right
for you and do the best you can to bleach away stains and natural
colour changes. Society (especially North American society) is cultured
to put a lot of value on teeth, and obviously you are not expected to
be any different. Medically speaking, teeth whitening is a safe
procedure so long as you have it professionally done or pay close
attention to packet instructions.
Do not be tempted to over bleach
or you can damage your gums and the roots of your teeth, a painful
situation that is best avoided. It can be appealing to squeeze a tube
of bleach on the enamel and leave it overnight, but believe me, it is
not worth it! Be patient, be safe, and most of all be understanding to
the fact that your teeth are not horribly stained, they are just growing
older like the rest of you! There is nothing wrong with that, now is
there?
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