Unemployed? Boost Your Chances with Teeth Whitening

Teeth Whitening – also known as dental bleaching, is a common procedure in general dentistry but even more so in the field of cosmetic dentistry. With the national unemployment rate sitting above 8% for the better part of 3 years now, many Americans are either unemployed or under employed. Getting a job with so much competition becomes very difficult even for those with great resumes. But, did you know you can make yourself stand out from the rest of the applicants simply by having whiter teeth?

Studies on teeth whitening have shown that there is a definite boost in self confidence and self esteem as well as how others perceive us. People with whiter teeth, smile more, and definitely have an advantage over those with yellow, stained teeth. Teeth whitening can be an inexpensive investment to to your future.

Types of Teeth Whitening Products

There are several different ways to whiten your teeth. Teeth whitening products and procedures are generally distinguished as,  the in office type (performed by your dentist), at home types, and over the counter whitening.

1) In Office Teeth Whitening. This type of teeth whitening is the most effective but also the most expensive. This procedure is done  in your dentist’s office and usually completed in one hour. It uses a teeth whitening gel that is of higher concentration than the other types and is activated by a special light used by the dentist. In general, a customized impression tray is given to the patient to take home for future whitening touch ups.

2) At Home Teeth Whitening. This type still involves your dentist but is completed at home by the patient. Your dentist will fabricate custom mouth trays for you and give you the trays and teeth whitening gel to take home. This is generally completed over a 1-4 week period wearing the trays a few hours each day or at bedtime each night. You will get similar results as the in office teeth whitening but it will take longer for optimum results. For some, bleaching gel can make their teeth highly sensitive and for others wearing a mouth tray may be uncomfortable.

3) Over the counter Teeth Whitening. These products are readily available in your local drug store and can include teeth whitening strips, teeth whitening toothpastes, paint on gels, and even teeth whitening mouth rinses. This technique is the least effective but is also the cheapest way to gain whiter teeth. It works best on teens and younger adults who do not have the deep staining that develops with age. This process takes longer and usually achieves lesser results than the first two types of teeth whitening.

Process of Teeth Whitening

All of the teeth whitening procedures will whiten teeth,  as all them use the same basic peroxide based products. The main differences are in quality, concentration, and ability to keep the undiluted, activated product in contact with the tooth surface for the duration of the process. Over time our teeth will build up stains that we are no longer able to remove from brushing alone. These stains will begin to darken our teeth as we age.

Teeth whitening works to chemically lift those stains away from your teeth leaving them whiter and brighter. The main ingredient in teeth whitening products is carbamide peroxide. The carbamide peroxide is able to lift and clean out the stains. The peroxide chemical works by opening up the surface pores of enamel to get into the deeper layers of the teeth, removing inner (intrinsic stains) as well as surface (extrinsic) stains. These surface openings or pores, close and recalcify after about 1 month after cessation of whitening. Once the initial whitening procedure is complete, it is important to give your teeth a break, so that they may remineralize.

Constant whitening will cause sensitivity, damage to the teeth nerves, and possible need for root canal therapy. Staining habits tend to continue, so teeth whitening needs to be maintained if you wish to keep that whiter, brighter smile. It is recommended to whiten a for a few days directly after your dental cleaning to keep your teeth their whitest.

Drawbacks to Teeth Whitening

There are some possible side effects from teeth whitening. These include teeth sensitivity and gum tissue irritation. Usually either of these are extremely temporary, but in cases of chronic whitening, permanent nerve damage can occur. If sensitivity occurs, it is recommended to stop, for a day, and be sure to use sensitivity toothpaste. If sensitivity is still a problem you should stop whitening until the symptoms subside.

The teeth sensitivity can be treated with a sensitivity toothpaste (like colgate sensitive pro relief) or an application of fluoride in the dental office. Gum irritation is generally caused by getting bleaching product directly on the gums.  This will heal on its own once the irritant is removed (i.e. the carbamide peroxide). You will need to better position your strips, more carefully paint on gel, or if using a tray, use less gel and wipe off any that extrudes past the tray so that it doesn’t sit on the gum tissue and irritate it.

Teeth Whitening and Employment Connection

The first thing that others notice about you is your smile. When you know you have a nice smile, you smile confidently. A show of self confidence can help a person to get a job. Teeth whitening can give people that self confidence to succeed. When a person goes out for a job interview they are usually greeted by the interviewer and expected to give a firm handshake and smile. This is all part of the evaluation process.

A person lacking self confidence may be unable to smile fully or even give that firm handshake needed to impress the interviewer. A firm handshake combined with a smiling face will send a strong message. An interviewer wants to hire someone who is enthused about the possibility of working at the job. That is why teeth whitening products can help people to land employment. It can help them to not only achieve a whiter smile but it will allow them to smile more often. This in turn can make them more marketable when they show up for a job interview.

The self confidence will not end once a person gets that job either. Whiter teeth can help a person advance on their job or even move onto a better one. Confidence starts within and projects outward towards others. Whether it is a sales job, a job that requires presentations or even one in a back office. A more confident person will be a better worker and more valuable to their employer. Teeth whitening can give you what you need to help you start your path to success!