Good teeth: Better bite
My teeth are discolored. Can I do something about it myself?
First of all: Brush your teeth, as superficial discoloration will disappear when brushing thoroughly with the electric toothbrush or professional teeth cleaning. If you like, take a special toothpaste: So-called "whitening" toothpastes usually contain no bleach. However, they promise to use special ingredients (eg cleaning beads or enzymes) to clean the teeth very thoroughly and make them look brighter. The effect is enhanced by toothbrushes with eraser or polishing bristles. The actual color shade of the enamel does not become brighter thereby, but if superficial discolorations are removed, the teeth appear radiant. And such pastes and brushes can help lessen the effect of cosmetic bleaching in the dentist's office for as long as possible. Sometimes it is not discoloration caused by stimulants but thinned enamel that causes discolored teeth. It gets more and more exhausted with the years, intensified by heavy cleaning and acids in food. Then the dentin seems to be stronger, and a yellowish tone comes to the fore. Tooth creams, which are to fill the enamel with its related agents and make it stronger, should prevent the teeth are even darker. Tooth enamel filling toothpaste: z. B. "Biorepair" by Dr. med. Wolff; Whitening toothpastes: z. Eg "2in1 OxyWhite" from Theramed, "Anti-Age" toothpaste from Signal, "Colgate Ultra White" toothpaste, "3DWhite" -hand toothbrush from Braun Oral-B, "MaxWhite" manual toothbrush from Colgate
Good teeth: how does lightening in the dental office work?
If the superficial discoloration is gone, you can still decide whether you want to whiten the teeth professionally: For this, a bleach with hydrogen peroxide is applied to the teeth. As a result, persistent pigments, eg. B. by coffee, red wine or nicotine removed. Gums and exposed cervicals are covered with a paste beforehand because they could damage the bleach. The process itself takes about 30 minutes, sometimes the agent is still activated with UV light. The cost: per session about 600 to 700 euros. For strong discoloration several treatments are necessary. You can also whiten individual teeth - but visible fillings retain their color and are not lightened! How long the effect lasts, depends on the lifestyle: who cleans well, regularly goes to the professional teeth cleaning, low coffee, tea or drinking red wine and does not smoke, can have up to two years rest until a refresher is needed. Dental bleaches for use at home (for brushing or as a stick to stick on) contain bleach in a lower concentration. That's why you have to use them for a very long time until an effect becomes visible.
Can you also whiten sensitive teeth?
If the bleach is applied to the enamel only, not to exposed cervicals, it will not damage delicate teeth. To be on the safe side, after bleaching, the dentist should apply a fluoride varnish to the teeth, which hardens the enamel and makes the teeth less sensitive. Bleach for the home should be avoided as a precaution for sensitive teeth.
My dental crowns have become unsightly. Time to exchange them?
Dental crowns and bridges usually last 10 to 15 years. If they are discolored or no longer match the tone of the surrounding real teeth, you can not do much with bleach. Unfortunately, the denture material does not brighten, it only works with natural teeth. If you do not like that, you have to make new crowns.
Are the teeth cleaner with electric toothbrushes than with a manual toothbrush?
Basically, if you have mastered the right technique and take enough time while brushing, you can clean the teeth just as thoroughly with a manual toothbrush as with an electric one. But with an electric brush, it is much easier and more convenient to achieve this result. And brushes with an oscillating-rotating system (simultaneous forward, backward and circular motion) remove plaque even better. These toothbrushes - usually with a round head - need only one after the other to hold each tooth, and they do the work themselves. The so-called "sonic toothbrushes" have a normal shaped brush head, but vibrates very quickly and thus replaces plaque and dirt , With these brushes you make the same movement as with the manual toothbrush: from red to white, but very slowly. Scrubbing is unnecessary. If you have sensitive teeth, choose a special "sensitive" brush head. Oscillating-rotating brush: z. B."Triumph 5000" by Oral-B; vibrating sonic toothbrush: z. Eg "HealthyWhite" from Philips Sonicare
Is it possible to dispense with dental floss when using an electric toothbrush?
Although there are brush heads for electric toothbrushes, with extended side bristles or special lamellae, the interdental spaces (which make up at least 30 percent of the tooth surface) should clean the same during cleaning. It also works as long as the interdental spaces are big enough. If you have teeth that are close together, you can not do without the extra space care: the classic method is flossing, which is moved up and down between the teeth. Dentists recommend waxed dental floss for beginners, because it slips easier in the gaps, and unwaxed for advanced, because it can be better remove pads. Alternatively, you can use a special tooth-space shower: It shoots a super-fine water jet at high speed between the teeth and thus removes deposits and bacteria. Tooth shower: z. B. "Airfloss" space shower by Philips Sonicare
My teeth are suddenly a bit crooked. Can this be?
Even in adults, the teeth can still move - depending on how they are charged. For example, those who tend to press their teeth together in everyday life, or crunch at night, set them in motion (preventively, you can be prescribed a bite track that prevents crunching). Sometimes, over time, teeth rotate around their own axis, sometimes moving closer together and nesting. Then you can clean the interstices worse, so that the risk of tooth decay and gingivitis increases. So let's get treated by the orthodontist, even if you optically do not mind at all. If the interdental spaces are large enough and the teeth only slightly twisted, they can remain so from a medical point of view.
Can you even straighten your teeth in adults?
Yes, even beyond the age of teenagers, orthodontists can fit a brace. Loose braces are usually worn only at night and do not interfere with everyday life. Fixed braces that are attached to the teeth with metal or plastic brackets can also be attached to the inside of the teeth to prevent them from attracting attention. Alternatively, some practices offer transparent loose plastic splints (eg, Invisalign) that gradually bring the teeth into the correct position and can be removed from the mouth when needed, such as when eating. Depending on how badly the deformity is pronounced, the treatment takes up to two years. The costs? From about 2500 euros, the statutory health insurance participate unfortunately not.
But I do not want to wear braces anymore. Are there alternatives?
If the teeth are heavily nested, only a clasp helps, which widens the jaw and pushes the teeth apart. But if z. For example, if you see some irregular gaps between the teeth, you can hide them well behind veneers.
Are veneers not harmful to the tooth enamel?
It depends! In the classic veneers had always been a little ground off the enamel, so that the teeth did not look unnaturally thick. But now there are so fine shells that they can be glued directly to the tooth, the enamel should not be touched. Veneers you have to pay in any case out of pocket, and with costs between 300 and 1500 euros per tooth, they are no bargain - even if usually only the visible teeth in the upper jaw are blinded and should hold the result for about ten to 15 years. Whether they look natural depends on which shade you choose: we often find the bright white that is fashionable in the US exaggerated. You can also get the veneer shells in tones that are very similar to the natural tooth enamel.
