Teeth discolouration and why.
Teeth become discoloured over time from build-up of both external and internal stains. External stains sit on the outside of the teeth, and can often be removed by regular use of a good-quality toothpaste, or by your dentist during a routine cleaning. Internal stains, which build up over time from normal foods and drinks, can only be removed by using a teeth whitening product, like Selfie Whitening Foam.
The natural chemical.
All effective teeth whitening products contain Hydrogen Peroxide. This is a natural chemical, in fact, your body produces its own hydrogen peroxide to kill bacteria throughout the body. Hydrogen peroxide, when placed next to the teeth, is absorbed through the enamel and deeper layers of the tooth, and reacts with the compounds that cause staining within the tooth itself. Stains close to the surface are removed more easily, while deeper stains require more exposure to hydrogen peroxide to be removed.
Tooth sensitivity is temporary, if any.
Hydrogen peroxide does have some minor side effects, such as tooth sensitivity. The majority of people who use teeth whitening agents will experience some minor sensitivity, but this is temporary and resolves about 24 hours after the use of the teeth whitening agent has been discontinued. There are no long-term safety concerns with the use of low doses of hydrogen peroxide, even for prolonged periods of 6-9 months of continuous use.
Why some products don’t work.
Some tooth whitening products that don’t contain hydrogen peroxide claim to have equal or better teeth whitening results, with no sensitivity. These claims, however, have never stood up to scientific evaluation and the evidence has shown that these products are hopelessly inadequate to lighten the colour of teeth. The chemical travelling through the tooth to reach the stains is the root cause of the sensitivity, and so if the alternative causes absolutely no sensitivity, you can be sure it is not reaching the stains within the tooth!
As products containing hydrogen peroxide are controlled by the FDA, the true reason many companies choose to market alternative products is to avoid FDA regulation and the costs and paperwork associated with it. These alternative products do not provide a real benefit to you, the customer, as they often contain only basic ingredients such as charcoal or sodium bicarbonate which remove external stains, like any ordinary toothpaste. They cannot penetrate the tooth to lift internal stains.
Selfie’s teeth whitening product.
At Selfie, we have carefully formulated our whitening product to provide effective whitening, while minimising tooth sensitivity.
Our Selfie Whitening Foam coats all tooth surfaces teeth to evenly whiten the teeth. At the same time, as it is used together with the aligner plastic tray, it cleans and disinfects the aligners. Best results are achieved if the Selfie Whitening Foam is used every night while you sleep.
The vast majority of teeth will appear whiter after just a few days of using Selfie Whitening Foam, and will continue to get lighter with further use. We recommend continued use throughout your Selfie Aligner journey, to keep your aligners clean and disinfected, kill bacteria in the mouth, and most importantly, brighten your smile!
